What are the advantages of having a loaner/sharer?

[niagaraduval]

Through lack of time I have found my boy a sharer, who will be coming to try him as soon as they go out to grass 24/7.
Thought this would be best as horse a lot calmer whilst out and would give the new loaner time (if all goes well) to get used to him before bringing them back in the winter as horse can be like a wound up spring.

I also admit help on the financial side wouldn't go a miss. As he is at home I spend all my time looking after them and rarely find time to ride. I don't want to get a sharer that will just ride him for me, which is good, but don't want to feel like I slave away after the horse whilst someone has the pleasure of riding him for very little. (Price of shoes).

What would be sensible to ask the new loaner concerning stable chores ?

I didn't want to put her off before her even coming to try him out so said we would discuss stable chores afterwards. I deep litter and empty the stables once a week, would I be too cheeky to ask her to empty the stable every other week ? And feed/water in the evening when she is there ? Don't want her to think that she is doing jobs that I should be doing as the owner.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

advantages;


someone to share:

• cost
• exercise
• tack cleaning
• responsibility
• grooming
• day to day care

Disadvantages

• They sometimes let you down or go AWOL, leave you in the lurch without notice.
• some do things their way despite your instructions.
• sometimes tell you at last minute they are not riding
• slack off some of the responsibility
• conveniently forget tack cleaning
• personal problems effect their reliability
• want or let their kid or friend to ride the horse without asking

These are the ones I have experienced

 

[Polos Mum]

Definitely worth talking to her, lots of sharers enjoy 'chores' as it keeps them fit and lets them bond with the horse and feel like they take a real part in his/her welfare.
TBH if a sharer just wanted to turn up and ride I'd suggest they were still at the riding school stage as horse are so much more than that!
Only caveat is that if you have them at home and have done them yourself for a while no sharer (no matter how great) will do things exactly like you do them so you do have to compromise a little (not on welfare - just minor things) or spend time nicely suggesting they do things slightly differently

 

[Kellys Heroes]

As a sharer (I pay nothing anymore as owner refuses to let me pay - I try and pay for feed/shoes when I can if I can get to farrier/shop before her! ) I do all the jobs - such as today, owner cannot make it down this morning, so I'll muck out both horses, bed down, do hay and haylage nets, fill waters, do feeds ready for tonight, groom and ride them both. I actually really wanted to be involved with the management side - a riding school lesson just didn't cut it anymore.
Most days I go to the yard with owner as we're good friends now (I have shared with her since I was 12 - now 23!) so we do the jobs between us and generally ride out together.
Advantages - help towards financial costs and physical help, if you can find someone you trust you'll know there's always a backup if for some reason you cannot do horse, it's company and twice the attention for your horse!
I was supervised for 6 weeks before I was left by myself with my first share pony but as I said we mostly go together now. I love being a sharer and I'd do anything for either of the horses I share. One of them has Cushings and has had 2 years out of work - I have still been there, gone down just to do her jobs and brush her, give her a pamper with her owner. Luckily she has come through it
K x

 

[Captain Bridget]

When I'm at home I share. The owner has two, they're both at home and I don't pay anything towards them.

However when I ride I will bring in, thorough groom, cuddles, ride, clean tack if needed, muck out one or both stables or at least skip out. If it's the morning I usually muck out, if it's the afternoon I change rugs on both horses despite not riding one (often), put to bed and feed.

I would be more than willing to pay for shoes etc but that wasn't what the owner was looking for, she lacked time as working full time with nearly an hour commute to work.

The benefit of me as a sharer, I was up there 3 or 4 times a week, riding one and sometimes both, muck out, feed, general fuss and love. Tack was cleaned, tack room swept, yard tidied, horses clean.

The owner and I have become friends and it's all pretty relaxed, as I was only working part time I could go up quite often and I didn't have set days.

It would become tricky if your sharer had set days and then suddenly couldn't do their day, I had a share with set days before but luckily was on a very friendly DIY yard so someone else could stand in short notice if desperate but obviously this wouldn't happen at home.. There is the risk this might happen but I think it's just as important the person you find seems reliable and you get along well with them as well as them liking your horse.