To share or not to share....that is question...

[Caol Ila]

As some of you may be aware, I keep toying with the idea of a sharer for Fin, then running away from the idea. It's back in my heid now because a very tricky, complicated horse at my yard found himself a good sharer, and I'm thinking, "If he can find one, why not Fin?"

The pros:

*Keeping two horses in full work and on DIY is hard. Especially when full work in my world involves mult-hour hacks. A part-time sharer would give me a break for a few days per week.
*A wee bit of extra cash would be nice.
*I've seen sharers become like an extended family and treat the horse as their own, which is really nice for the horse. They get someone all to themselves a few days per week.
*Maybe the right person could really help him. I'm okay, but I'm not like a goddess of horse training. There are better people than me out there.

The cons:

*He's a complicated, sensitive pony, so finding the right person could be tricky. I would have to really sift through people.
*I'm a control freak and like being in full control of his training, when I'm not massively stressed by trying to keep two in full training.
*The wrong person could make life much, much harder. I've ballsed up with him and then spent months fixing my own f*ck ups. I don't want to fix someone else's.

 

[splashgirl45]

If you found the right person you could tell them exactly how you want things done and why. Very important to tell them why things have to be done a certain way. Why not try and find someone through word of mouth , maybe ask your farrier, vet, local riding club etc to see who might be interested. Might be worth putting the feelers out

 

[I'm Dun]

I dont think you could expect someone to pay if you want to retain control like that and he's tricky. But you could possibly find someone competent to ride him in return for some chores or similar.

 

[Roxylola]

Personally I think you have to look at where you're prepared to compromise to have a sharer.
Imo, there are 3 things which are desirable when sharing
1 competence (ridden and in terms of jobs)
2 reliability
3 financial contribution
I think you can generally find 2 of those 3, eg a good rider who is reliable and does jobs well might not want to pay.
In this situation I'd suggest you need competence, so personally I'd be prepared to drop the expectation for a financial contribution in favour of good and reliable

 

[Splash2310]

I would also suggest word of mouth, rather than having troll through hundreds of unsuitable people using Facebook or the like.

One thing I would say though is if you want to retain absolute control over his riding routine you might be better off looking for someone who just hacks? Im a sharer, and i’m very lucky that i have carte blanche to do whatever I want with my share horse, however im also sensible and if I know he's going out jumping the day after I ride, I wouldn’t jump him that day.

One share I had, we had a whiteboard so you could write down what you’d done with her that day - however I was still fairly free to do what I wanted.

I would suggest charging a small financial contribution though, as I think not charging one might result in people who don't turn up on their day if its bad weather or the like!

 

[Trouper]

I think I would need to separate out what I really wanted a sharer to do - someone just to hack out plus chores on days you would like a break or someone experienced/with a knack for horses who can help you bring out the best in him.
I think these would be two different people.

 

[planete]

I would not do it. Somebody competent enough will have their own way of doing things and will not be able to refrain from 'training' him. Somebody less competent will drive you up the wall (you can tell how well I would get on with a sharer!).

 

[pistolpete]

What about someone who rides with you? You can keep a closer eye then on their style? Also you may at some point decide to let them go alone. Or not! I wanted a shared to ride my highland who was too much pony for me at times. I found a lovely lady who was more than confident to ride him but when she came she said what she thought I needed was someone to bring my other horse along to help the highlands confidence which in turn helped mine. She was right! She rode my older horse out with me for a year before he sadly colicked and had to be put down. We’re still good friends.

 

[Titchy Pony]

Why not play it by ear and see what happens?

You could try letting people know that you're open to a sharer for Fin and see if anyone competent shows an interest.
If yes, you could thoroughly vet them, perhaps seeing them handle and ride another horse first as Fin is a bit different. You could start hacking out together and then see how much you are willing to trust them. Remember, you can always end the share if it is not working out.
However, you will have to be able to trust your sharer to some extent and also be a bit forgiving as everyone messes up sometimes.

If no one suitable shows up, then you're no worse off than now.

 

[ihatework]

My gut feeling from what I have seen on here (which might be completely wrong btw) is that you would seriously struggle with a sharer

 

[Annagain]

My gut feeling from what I have seen on here (which might be completely wrong btw) is that you would seriously struggle with a sharer

I've had sharers for years and it can work brilliantly but you do have to allow them to do things their way when they have the horse. I tell them at the start that I have three rules. 1. They have to have public liability insurance 2. They must wear hi-viz on the road 3. They mustn't do anything that puts them, the horse or other people in danger. As long as they stick to these, they can do whatever they like. If I didn't trust them, I wouldn't let them share my horse. Despite this, I still find it difficult to let things go sometimes. After years of Gypsum who had to be managed very carefully, you're used to having to take control so, in the nicest possible way, I get the impression you might struggle with that.

 

[paddy555]

The cons:

*He's a complicated, sensitive pony, so finding the right person could be tricky. I would have to really sift through people.
*I'm a control freak and like being in full control of his training, when I'm not massively stressed by trying to keep two in full training.
*The wrong person could make life much, much harder. I've ballsed up with him and then spent months fixing my own f*ck ups. I don't want to fix someone else's.

no way for me .

 

[RachelFerd]

Strong no - unless you happen to KNOW someone in advance who has the right skillset, you're likely just inviting in trouble. 99% of sharers are just getting started in horse ownership and don't have necessary skills and knowledge.

You might find someone who can't make a financial contribution, but is skilled enough to do some riding. Again, kind of like hens teeth. If someone was actually good I'd expect to be paying them, not the other way round.

 

[pistolpete]

Not all sharers are beginners. Ive had horses for years and I’m not a beginner. I just can’t ride my own as he’s retired. I’d be happy to take instruction from an owner to an extent although had to politely leave the one who insisted I kept her lazy draught on the bridle when keep him going alone was a chore! Bless him. Don’t think he had a very comfy body. That’s the beauty of sharing you can walk away!

 

[Caol Ila]

I know there are people out there who are experienced riders/owners but who don't have their own rideable horse now, for whatever reason. Just need to find one of those.

The main aim of a share, I suppose, would be to give Fin is own person a couple times per week, and take the pressure off myself to always be working two horses.

 

[Clodagh]

Do you think that if you are a self confessed control freak ( not knocking it, I am as well) if you get an experienced person you will micromanage and make it impossible for them. You want malleable yet knowledgeable, do the two exist together?

 

[cauda equina]

How about looking for someone who'd be happy to hack him out with you and Hermosa, at least to start with?

That would cut down on the time you needed to spend riding yourself and could be a good way for you to get the measure of them (and them to get the measure of Fin) before you committed yourself to anything more involved

 

[Skib]

I am a sharer and have been for years. I pay to ride someone else's horse. There is a big difference between that and a trainer, who is paid by the owner to train their horse.
But there is something else too. A horse learns from anyone who rides it and is surely changed by the riders. Thus horses ridden by the same person do become similar.
And after I have ridden a horse for a few years, the resemblances grow and I confuse it with its predecessor. I sometimes call my present share by the name of my previous share. Especially when lining her up to open the yard gate, a skill I was taught when riding my old share.
But the way I ride my share surely wont affect the way she responds to other riders. Your own horse will still be in the same relationship to you.

 

[Polos Mum]

If you can give up control enough to let them hack out a couple of times a week and not get too (in your own words) control freak ish, about stuff you might find someone knowledgable enough.

I think experienced people who want to share and are happy to have very ridged instructions about what to do / not do are few and far.

He 100% will not care about 'having a person'

Can you take the pressure off yourself in other ways?

- Do they need to be as fit as both doing 6 days a week multi hour hacks?
- Can you teach them to ride and lead
- Can they have more turn out (helps with fitness)
- or go on walker more often or try swimming them a couple of times a month if somewhere locally.

For a querky horse that's had issues before I would personally perfer they had 2 extra days off a week than a sharer.

 

[Caol Ila]

If you can give up control enough to let them hack out a couple of times a week and not get too (in your own words) control freak ish, about stuff you might find someone knowledgable enough.

I think experienced people who want to share and are happy to have very ridged instructions about what to do / not do are few and far.

He 100% will not care about 'having a person'

Can you take the pressure off yourself in other ways?

- Do they need to be as fit as both doing 6 days a week multi hour hacks?
- Can you teach them to ride and lead
- Can they have more turn out (helps with fitness)
- or go on walker more often or try swimming them a couple of times a month if somewhere locally.

For a querky horse that's had issues before I would personally perfer they had 2 extra days off a week than a sharer.

Hermosa does but Fin doesn’t .But I can’t increase turnout at the moment. I guess that’s one of the issues. As per yard rules they can only be out from 9-3. Earlier in the winter I made my life easier because they were allowed to stay out until 6. I rode Fin 3-4x per week and left him out as late as possible on other days. But the. The yard brought in a curfew because of the fields getting super wet.

Eventually, they will change to overnight turnout. Who knows when!

Riding and leading isn’t an option because our roads are too narrow and busy to do it safely.

 

[SEL]

I know there are people out there who are experienced riders/owners but who don't have their own rideable horse now, for whatever reason. Just need to find one of those.

The main aim of a share, I suppose, would be to give Fin is own person a couple times per week, and take the pressure off myself to always be working two horses.

I think personal contacts are your way forward. I rode a very tricky horse for his owner when I came back from overseas and life wasn't in the right place to get my own. It was a good friend who had her horse on the same yard who suggested me. Apparently the fact he didn't do laps of the arena without brakes with me on board meant I got the job - I would have liked to have been warned about the behaviour before I got on but never mind! I didn't pay though. She got some time away from horses and I did weekend or evening chores when I was there. She also got a horse who stopped bogging off with his ears up your nose.

I'm not a technical rider but I'm experienced and sensible and that seems to have counted for a lot more over the years.

Do you think Finn would ever hack solo? The advantage for me with the quirky one was he was better solo than in company so I could go out for hours without worrying about finding a buddy

 

[blodwyn1]

I pay insured people to ride mine. I know she can be difficult and I need the peace of mind that they know what they are doing.

 

[pistolpete]

Are you near any of us?

 

[Peglo]

Both my horses were retired but I got the offer to ride someone’s horse. She had two and it was nice for her to get them both out. I asked how she wanted her horse ridden but she was very easy going and didn’t mind (obviously didn’t want someone hauling on her mouth but let me ride on a loose rein like I was used to hacking) I didn’t pay to ride but jumped at the chance whenever the offer was there. So there could be folk out there that wants a hack.

We turned out to be great friends and she helped and encouraged me so much. I would consider getting someone in to ride just to have the friendship side to it.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I was looking for a rider to help hack mine so I could get them out together and possibly schooling for the right person, mine are both a bit quirky they are not for beginners but they are easy enough if you know what your doing and they are both schooled well so someone who can ride properly would have a nice horse to ride.

I didn't want money and no chores I was really flexible with days times as I am home most of the time, I really struggled to find someone I had loads of enquiries because it was free but most just were not experienced enough, I'm also a bit of a control freak so I wouldn't let someone I didn't know ride my horse alone.

I did give a few people a chance but found I was having to look after them and I just didn't want the extra worry of having 2 horses and another person to think about.

I did eventually find 2 lovely people one still rides but not that often now but is still a good friend and I trust her to ride both of mine alone.

The other lady eventually bought her own horse but I've remained really good friends with her.

 

[maya2008]

I think it's tricky. Finding someone with the kind of experience you need, who doesn't have their own horse, won't be easy. And if there were someone like me, who needs an extra because their kid stole their second one, they'd need it on their yard, not to come to yours. I've been trying to find a reliable sharer for a lead rein shetland for ever. She's the most perfect pony on Earth. I barely want a contribution, there are no chores, they can do as much or as little as they want, hacking is perfect....no dice. Would I let a sharer anywhere near one of the ex feral tamed-as-adult ones? No. The ones that left I found very particular homes for, too.

 

[coblets]

If youre in Glasgow there might be uni students who ride well but couldn't bring their horse with them, or had to sell it. But agree with everyone else that most sharers do not want a control freak owner over their shoulders. If you want to nitpick what work he does beyond "hacking only" then pay for someone to ride him for you.

 

[Caol Ila]

I’m not that much of a control freak. I just need someone who rides with a light hand and won’t be scared/can handle a bit of spookiness without getting stressed/upset themselves.

Gypsum had a sharer for years because she was at a yard far away and I didn’t want to drive there every day. She was brilliant but she was someone I knew because she’d shared another horse at that yard for a while.

He has views on hacking alone, which is a pain. I’ve not been able to fix that. But he’s good with a human foot soldier.

 

[cauda equina]

In which case your sharer would probably have to stick to schooling, or bring their own foot soldier
Finding someone who can come with a +1 sounds fairly unlikely really

 

[pistolpete]

I’ve answered adverts and put ads out myself but my two best shares my current ones were both word of mouth. Always the best way. Asked everyone you know.