Trying to switch loan horses

[Red-1]

I would be wary of the second horse too, tbh.

I would tell the yard owner that you have lost your nerve with this one and leave it at that for now. I would then advertise for another. This would not offend the YO if she understands the issues you have been having (or if it does then she is not being fair). I would consider the other horse on the same yard only if it were brought back into work. After all, you have just had a confidence wobble and would be better having a steady Eddie for a while.

It also sounds a bit funny that the yard owner has several people paying for several horses. Is it kind of way to get around licencing a riding school?

I do think there are good shares out there. I had sharers with 2 of my horses when I was in my early 20s, and have just found another for Rigs. All horses in work and going well.

 

[Spirit3106]

I would be wary of the second horse too, tbh.

I would tell the yard owner that you have lost your nerve with this one and leave it at that for now. I would then advertise for another. This would not offend the YO if she understands the issues you have been having (or if it does then she is not being fair). I would consider the other horse on the same yard only if it were brought back into work. After all, you have just had a confidence wobble and would be better having a steady Eddie for a while.

It also sounds a bit funny that the yard owner has several people paying for several horses. Is it kind of way to get around licencing a riding school?

I do think there are good shares out there. I had sharers with 2 of my horses when I was in my early 20s, and have just found another for Rigs. All horses in work and going well.

I suppose she just has a lot of her own horses, and right now she doesn't have time for all of them and it's a way to get extra income/use for them? It does seem to be becoming a bit more of a thing especially at livery yards here, to also offer horses specifically for leasing and loaning.

I think the second horse's owner is also going to ask the YO if she'll ride the horse a few times, so I suppose I could try and wait it out and see how that goes. I have bit of an idea to try with my current one for another week or two anyway and then discuss with the owner.

 

[Spirit3106]

Oh my goodness, I wish I had known you three years ago if you lived in my area in Ireland. I had an absolutely stunning horse that had manners to die for, moved like a dream and had a great deal of natural presence, and he was as near bomb proof as one can safely say. He was my 70th birthday present to myself, my dream horse. Unfortunately I became physically unable to ride and eventually after hoping for some sort of health miracle I had to sell him back to his previous owner as he was literally just standing in the field growing fat with my retired mare. He would have been a perfect loan for you and I would have just loved the pleasure of still owning him and having him around.

I know it is difficult to get a decent loan offer here, but equally it is very, very difficult to get someone that one would trust enough to loan their horses to. A quick leg up and gallop out the yard or wanting to thrash him around the hunting field was the best I found, he was too good for that and safer back with his old owner. Pm me if you can give me your area I might put a few feelers out for you if it would be of any help to you.

Aww he sounds lovely. And honestly I'm sure there are people in my area in similar situations, with horses they can no longer ride sitting out in fields, but I just don't know that many people! I did have a friend who had a horse she was going to part loan me but that fell through, I may ask if she has any contacts as well. I will pm you

 

[Lois Lame]

She bought the horse earlier this year and hasn't ridden her yet, she's sent me some videos and said that the previous owner said she's a "forward but safe happy hacker". She's going to move the horse in a few months to a different place and said if she has a rider now then they can keep riding at the new place. In my head I know it sounds like a risky one, I'm also fairly certain she mentioned something about wanting the same rate as my current horse (which is relatively cheap where I am for loans but for working her horse and bringing it back into work I'm not so sure about it!).

She bought the horse earlier this year and hasn't ridden her yet?????? That sounds very odd. The year is nearly over.

And the horse has been described as forward (but safe happy hacker). My ears hear the forward loud and clear. All very well but is this the reason she's not been ridden yet by the owner? I wonder why she bought her.

(A forward horse is wonderful if one feels in control. Otherwise is feels a little nerve racking.)

 

[Spirit3106]

She bought the horse earlier this year and hasn't ridden her yet?????? That sounds very odd. The year is nearly over.

And the horse has been described as forward (but safe happy hacker). My ears hear the forward loud and clear. All very well but is this the reason she's not been ridden yet by the owner? I wonder why she bought her.

(A forward horse is wonderful if one feels in control. Otherwise is feels a little nerve racking.)

Yeah I think she bought her sometime around September? I have no idea why she turned her away without ever even sitting on her tbh! Forward but safe happy hacker sounds ideal in theory but sometimes it feels like forward is a gentle way of saying that it has no brakes

 

[Lois Lame]

Yeah I think she bought her sometime around September? I have no idea why she turned her away without ever even sitting on her tbh! Forward but safe happy hacker sounds ideal in theory but sometimes it feels like forward is a gentle way of saying that it has no brakes

If she's only bought the horse in September it's not so bad (I for some reason was picturing January or February - no idea why. I do tend towards big reactions and being over-the-top before I calm the farm ).

However, I would still be wary of this other offer. It almost sounds like there's this other woman now getting on the band wagon of having her horse ridden by someone who will pay for the 'privilege' of getting the horse going again.

 

[Spirit3106]

If she's only bought the horse in September it's not so bad (I for some reason was picturing January or February - no idea why. I do tend towards big reactions and being over-the-top before I calm the farm ).

However, I would still be wary of this other offer. It almost sounds like there's this other woman now getting on the band wagon of having her horse ridden by someone who will pay for the 'privilege' of getting the horse going again.

Fair enough! I'm always assuming the worst myself
I could absolutely be wrong that she wants someone to pay her, but I just remembered in the conversation she asked how much I was paying for my current loan!

 

[Floofball]

Re the second loan option, cheeky as said above. Think the owner should pay a pro (or someone) to bring it back into work - not be paid for the privilege??? Why hasn’t she ridden/had it ridden? Wouldn’t agree to paying for the unknown, maybe try it out for free if you feel capable - then if all goes well agree a loan.

 

[Spirit3106]

Re the second loan option, cheeky as said above. Think the owner should pay a pro (or someone) to bring it back into work - not be paid for the privilege??? Why hasn’t she ridden/had it ridden? Wouldn’t agree to paying for the unknown, maybe try it out for free if you feel capable - then if all goes well agree a loan.

Definitely! If I do go for it I'm making sure I try her out thoroughly before I agree to anything with it.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Definitely! If I do go for it I'm making sure I try her out thoroughly before I agree to anything with it.

How are you going to thoroughly try out a horse who is not in work and has not been ridden by it's current owner in it's current home for at least a few months?

I don't want to be unduly negative, but you posted recently about confidence. I can really empathise with that, because it's something I struggle with too. This situation with the potential other horse seems like red flag central to me and there are multiple things there which added together personally I think reasonable to be worried about safety-wise. Confidence can be so easily lost and take a lot of work to get back I would question is it really worth it?

 

[Spirit3106]

How are you going to thoroughly try out a horse who is not in work and has not been ridden by it's current owner in it's current home for at least a few months?

I don't want to be unduly negative, but you posted recently about confidence. I can really empathise with that, because it's something I struggle with too. This situation with the potential other horse seems like red flag central to me and there are multiple things there which added together personally I think reasonable to be worried about safety-wise. Confidence can be so easily lost and take a lot of work to get back I would question is it really worth it?

No I'm all for opinions on this, if something is changing here I want to do it the right way!

In my head I'm just so frustrated with the experience I'm currently having that it feels like any other alternative would be better (even if it's one that I know won't do my confidence any good if I actually go for it!) if that makes sense. Thanks for reminding me to consider that my confidence issues aren't worth risking with whatever path I take!

 

[Nari]

I fear you going from one bad option to another, particularly if you aren't a very confident rider. Getting on something that hasn't been ridden for three or four months isn't something to do lightly, and the owner doesn't even know the horse well enough to know how it's likely to react. Don't do it!

Forward but safe happy hacker. Define forward first of all because it can be anything from a nicely schooled horse who continues in a pace until told otherwise and moves off at the first clear ask to the sort that's always looking to go and will be out from under you the second you stop saying wait or shift a fraction of an inch. What are the brakes like? Safe for who and in what situations? A confident controlled rider who isn't going to flap if things get a bit interesting and can quietly ride it through, or for someone who gets worried and makes a grab at the reins or loses their balance? I'd call my lad a safe hack, but I wouldn't put a nervous or loud rider on him - he isn't brave nough for two and he's had too much rough riding in the past.

To me there are too many unknowns with this potential loan and I feel the owner isn't being honest with you. Are there no riding schools or hacking centres you could ride at for now so you don't feel so pressured into getting something else straight away?

 

[Lois Lame]

Fair enough! I'm always assuming the worst myself
I could absolutely be wrong that she wants someone to pay her, but I just remembered in the conversation she asked how much I was paying for my current loan!

Hmm, that's interesting. There's no telling what was behind her question, not really. For instance, she might have been thinking, 'what the heck is the YO getting out of this poor girl for riding that no-good mare?'

HOWEVER, I totally agree with Nari's post...

I fear you going from one bad option to another, particularly if you aren't a very confident rider. Getting on something that hasn't been ridden for three or four months isn't something to do lightly, and the owner doesn't even know the horse well enough to know how it's likely to react. Don't do it!

Forward but safe happy hacker. Define forward first of all because it can be anything from a nicely schooled horse who continues in a pace until told otherwise and moves off at the first clear ask to the sort that's always looking to go and will be out from under you the second you stop saying wait or shift a fraction of an inch. What are the brakes like? Safe for who and in what situations? A confident controlled rider who isn't going to flap if things get a bit interesting and can quietly ride it through, or for someone who gets worried and makes a grab at the reins or loses their balance? I'd call my lad a safe hack, but I wouldn't put a nervous or loud rider on him - he isn't brave nough for two and he's had too much rough riding in the past.

To me there are too many unknowns with this potential loan and I feel the owner isn't being honest with you. Are there no riding schools or hacking centres you could ride at for now so you don't feel so pressured into getting something else straight away?

 

[Spirit3106]

Hmm, that's interesting. There's no telling what was behind her question, not really. For instance, she might have been thinking, 'what the heck is the YO getting out of this poor girl for riding that no-good mare?'

HOWEVER, I totally agree with Nari's post...

That's very possible as well. Watching me trying to handle the mare she really seemed sorry for me!

And yep, @Nari points out what I'm concerned about whenever I hear a horse described as "forward". The last time I tried a "forward confidence giver" he was just tearing around the arena without any sort of brakes There are riding schools but they're far and few!

 

[Caol Ila]

Who buys a horse in September, does nothing with it until end of December, then looks for a loaner/sharer....someone who's already having a bit of a mare (pun intended) with their current loan horse? It sounds like they hardly know the horse from a hole in the ground. They have no idea how easy, hard, or otherwise it will be to bring back into work. But that's not the question....The question is, why did they buy it, then not ride it themselves for almost four months and then try to find some other poor schmuck to ride it?

Sounds like a frying pan to fire situation to me.

I looked for a part-time sharer because one of my horses is trying to break my will to live, and I needed the other one worked more than I had time for. But I still ride him, and up until my mare's EMS diagnosis, blah, blah, blah, I was riding my gelding four to five days per week, for four years. I know everything about him, and I tell the sharer what he can and cannot do.