Why should people share a horse for nothing???

I appreciate that situations vary hugely but generally speaking yes I think a sharer should pay for the privilage of sharing a horse. Nothing in life is free, I don't see the problem in paying a contribution at all. If I were sharing I wouldn't expect a 'free ride' so to speak.
 
Depends. Some people ride for fun, some people ride for a living. In your case I think you're entitled to ask for a contribution towards keep, but if you WERE after someone to school/compete your horse for you, or a more formal arrangement whereby the sharer committed to riding a certain number of times a week, then you could just as easily expect to pay.
 
I am hugely fortunate at the moment, as I ride a horse which is on full livery so have no stable chores to do. The owner has no time to ride him (to my knowledge she has ridden about 3 or 4 times in the past six weeks) so I am riding on average 5 times a week.

When he was shod this week I texted the owner and said I would pay for his shoeing, I felt it was the least I could do! The owner refused to let me pay.

For us it is a mutual beneficial situation I suppose, I am getting free riding and she is getting her horse exercised and kept fit (she was previously paying someone to ride him). Doesnt stop me feeling guilty for not contributing anything financially mind you!
 
I never paid to share an arab for the best part of two years.

The horse was mucked out, ridden and got the care and attention it would have done if his owner was there which was peace of mind for her so she didn't charge me or the other sharer anything.

I'd probably come to the same arrangement if I found a sharer for Governor. If they wanted to contribute to shoeing or similar then thats fine but I feel if they aren't regularly contributing then you have full control of what they can/can't do.

The only people i've found as potential sharers for G when I go to uni wanted to be paid - or for me to pay their petrol money - to ride which I think is a little bit outrageous considering it would include the chance to compete an already affiliated horse etc. and I doubt they would have greatly improved his schooling. But I probably have this viewpoint because I don't need a sharer.
 
I had a sharer for my kids last pony..... She rode him two or three times a week and paid about £20/30 per week......

We were both happy, I got my livery paid and she got to ride as much as she liked on those days and do the stable chores
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As we were both happy then I think that it was an ideal situation.

I now have merlin and much as I would love to have my livery paid again, I simply dont feel comfortable letting anyone ride him.... he has an arthritic fetlock and I am a bit precious about him
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It would suit me down to the ground not to have to ride him every day, especially in winter, but no amount of money would make me feel better.

I would however, let a couple of people I know ride him for free......

So for me, I suppose its not about the money, its about his welfare..... and me knowing that unless I break him... he should stay sound
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My friend rides my husbands horse occasionally, she has free rein with him, and if she wanted, could ride every day of the week. I wouldn't dream of taking money from her, she wants to ride, my husband probably rides once every two months, and so the horse is a field ornament most of the time! I'm grateful that she does ride him, I can't as I'm struggling to get over a knee op I had in March, and have only ridden my own horse once in the last six weeks.

The only 'monetary' thing attached to her riding is that I suggested she might want to take out her own insurance, which she has done.
 
i think as a general rule of thumb money should be given, like others have said, wear on shoes and feed for extra fuel for horse when being ridden more, that makes sense to me
I did have a sharer at one point and charged £15p/wk which i thought was totally fair, i did initially do it for monetary reasons only, not the help, but it did not last that long and i would'nt be bothered to do this again
I am currently in a more fortunate position (which i was not in previously) to really financially cope without extra monetary help, although its tight i manage
i think there are times where money may not be needed, if i were more wealthy and just wanted a bit of help i would not be bothered by money really, but that would depend on the arrangement still, some variables would equal monetary input for me, but sometimes not.
 
OOhh! an interesting post about sharers! I have been thinking about asking my student sharer for a small contribution this winter but have decided against it. Why? Well, she helps with my mucking out when I'm working and she has lessons with my instructor once a week (more than I can afford!) She loves doing flatwork and so schools him for me. She is very conscientious and looks after him beautifully. Also, this way I feel that I have control - once someone pays, it gives them more rights, I feel!! Not that my sharer would take advantage but really she is a helper, not a sharer. And I am probably a control freak!!!
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My pony is on full loan and I pay for everything she needs, it started when I got pregnant and I needed someone to ride her as she is a quirky ride and having lost one pregnancy earlier in the year, I just couldn't tempt fate.

When I'd had my baby we just carried on as usual, I pay everything that my pony needs to live happily, my loaner pays for shows that she might want to go to and her parents bought her a trailer to go to shows and they take her too.

I go up every morning to feed and muck out, but really only because I want to get fit again, she was on part livery prior to that.

I'm happy with the situation, my pony is happy and the loaner is happy, so we all win, to be honest I'm probably the happiest as in my case at the moment I'm too heavy to ride her, this girl is capable and prepared to put up with all that the pony throws at her and she's going out to shows and winning trophies.
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I suppose we all have different reasons and different views on things. I've loaned two horses before and one was on full livery and I just rode it and never contributed and the other, the owner paid DIY livery bills and I did all the jobs and paid for feed, so I suppose I've just treated this girl according to what I've experienced.

Her parents have offered to pay, but I declined, I'm just happy for my pony to be kept fit and have some fun with a kid that loves her.
 
Just another thought... what about lease... there are sometimes some top class horses that are leased I've seen ads in H&H, I assume this means the rider pays to lease the horse then also has to foot the bill for livery etc...

I also have since thought that sharers / loanees don't have any money to loose if anything happens to the horse.
If the horse breaks down then the loan / share agreement would probably finish so really the owner has a lot to loose and the sharer that pays money has nothing to loose.

When my mare was attacked and slashed out in the field I terminated the share agreement immediately as she was going to be on box rest for at least 2 month. My opinion was the sharer paid to ride and she couldn't so it wasn't fair for me to expect her to keep paying!
 
I briefly had a sharer for my first horse, they paid £30 per week towards the costs (including full livery) and rode 2-3 times a week. Their riding was about the same standard as mine. We were both happy with this arrangement while it lasted.

My new horse is very green and needs a regular work. I could do with someone to ride him a couple of times a week when I can't but they'd have to be very experienced. I know someone who is a very nice rider (much better than me) and likes to jump and she is between horses at the moment. I'm thinking of asking her if she'd like to ride my boy but I wouldn't be prepared to pay her, just let her ride for free. She can always say no. If I was going to pay I'd get an instructor to ride him.

It doesn't really matter what the arrangement is as long as both sides are happy with it.
 
I found a lovely girl to ride one of my oldies (Actualy found her here on HHO). My oldie is 25 years old, loves going for rides but i fel that i am too fat to ride him.
She turns up, brushes him, tacks up and we go for Hacks (i ride one of my others). I will transport him to any show i am going to with my other pony as pridey (the oldie) normaly comes along anyway. I'll advise her on what to wear for competitions, i'll help her get him ready for shows etc.
I dont expect her to muck out or do any other jobs except giving him a good brush before and after riding, and i do ask that she comes and helps get him ready for shows. Pony is unshod and if she didnt ride him would be left in the field to get FAT, i dont pay livery for him, i dont expect her to pay for hay or feed as he would be getting both anyway.
The only things i ask her to pay for is rider insurance (and i did insist on insurance) and any entry fees for classes she wants to enter! oh and the odd packet of polos goes down well with the polo addict pony!

sometimes a friend of mine will look after my 4 ponies whilst i'm away or if i'm at uni and one of them needs special attention (ie currently i have one on box rest with an injury to his suspensory, he will need walking out in 4 weeks time and friend has agreed to do it for me). She does this because i will return the favor, her horse is currently in my field free of charge whilst she is in france for 2 weeks, i feed him twice a day, hack him out, school him a bit, ensure he is in one piece etc. she also parks her lorry at my yard for free as her livery yard charges to park her lorry. when her lorry isnt working i take her to shows in my lorry, she helps me at shows and i help her! its a mutual thing realy we dont keep track of who has done what or who ows who for what, if it needs doing it will get done. she occasionaly borrows one of my ponies for her mum or her cousin to go out for a hack on, she will borrow pieces of tack if she needs them but always looks after them and returns them and will lend me something if i dont have them (support boots for my injured lad when he goes out for the first time etc).

I think it entirely depends on the situation and what the owner wants out of the share or loan.
 
i have always paid for my loan horses i insist on paying half off everything livery,hay,bedding,feed,shoes,teeth,insurance,vaccinations only thing i dont pay is big vets bills which i have only ever had one horse that needed ongoing vet treatment,and insurance covered that anyway.
To the people who said if the rider is good and teaches the horse things you cant.Why would you want someone to do that because then surely if you cant teach your horse these things yourself,then your horse will end up been too good for you to ride or do it justice.Its ok saying that if they are good you should pay them rubbish,what the point in your horse learning new things above your level if you cant ride them to that level its really no use.
 
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