Would you consider loaning your horse to this person?

[Spottyappy]

BBP, thank you for that, will go and google as sounds along the right lines.

 

[asmp]

Is it tent pegging he is looking to do? It’s very popular in parts of Asia. If so perhaps you could put him in touch with the British tent pegging association. I think there is a group of Pakistani riders who compete in their competitions, he might feel more comfortable speaking to them about where/how to learn than a riding school? (Their tent pegging horses are also taught to dance)

We were at an event at Larkhill last weekend and parked in front of us was a small horse lorry with Indian (or was it Asian ?) horses written on the side, listing things like weddings, film work, etc. I wondered what they were doing there but then they went off to do the Tent Pegging competition. We were there for the ODE but as it was being run by the military, there was also tent pegging (which totally fried our horse's brain as it was being run next to the SJ but that's another story)

Not very relevant to the original post but just a coincidence!

 

[MagicMelon]

No, absolutely not. He sounds totally unsuitable. He is a complete novice so has no idea what he's doing with the horse let alone riding, his setup is not suitable (horse on its own), his plans for the future worry me (I wouldnt want my horse doing those things) and I think he's crazy that after only a year of having a schoolmaster he thinks he could then get his dream "spanish" horse who are notoriously sharp and not at all suited to someone who would still very much be a novice.

It sounds a bit bizarre him saying he doesnt think a riding school is suitable. Why on earth not?

 

[Blazingsaddles]

My lovely neighbour (well, one of, As I’m fortunate enough to have several lovely ones) wants to get a horse.
He is Asian, which is relevant, as his long term plan is to do Asian horse dancing, (no comments please about this, as I know it’s emotive) and also some Asian form of jousting.
However, he has absolutely no horse experience, bar sitting on some a couple of times in Kashmir. He can not ride as we know it, but somehow clung on when the horse cantered off!
He is absolutely lovely, and keen to learn but as an Asian male, does not feel a riding school in the home counties is for him, which I understand.
Talking with him today, he said he wondered if someone would loan him a school master type horse for 12-18 months, so he can improve so he can buy his dream Spanish horse once he’s more confident.
He has land, and stables, but the horse would be kept alone, with sheep in the same field.
I am about if he needed advice, and one of his employees has experience of horses, but in Kashmir and that is clearly a very different environment to here! However, it does mean the employee can handle horses if my neighbour did need him to,
Well, would you loan your horse to him, if you needed to rehome it for a year or so?

No.

 

[wills_91]

I was fortunate enough for someone to loan me (well my non horsey mum I was a child) a pony when I was a complete novice. Pony was kept on a well established yard under supervision of YO which was written into loan agreement so under those kind of circumstances I would maybe consider it. However I would not be happy to put my horse in the home described in your OP. Could he maybe look into sharing? Or private lessons with a male instructor?

 

[Leo Walker]

As an ex instructor who taught in the home counties I taught all sorts of ethnicity and ages. I just cannot see why this would be an issue for anyone? I did teach someone from saudi who was used to riding GP dressage horses and spoke very little english and that was the only time I ever found there to be an issue and we found a way round it in the end.

 

[DabDab]

Crikey, no I wouldn't.

Why wouldn't he just buy his own schoolmaster if that's the way he wants to go rather than a riding school?

 

[Lintel]

Nope

 

[JulesRules]

Nope. I wouldnt loan to anyone who would keep the horse alone irrelevant of experience or ethnicity.

 

[{108361}]

It sounds very odd - why won't he have lessons? If he can afford to keep a horse then he can afford lessons to begin with and if he doesn't want to be outnumbered by women/his wife doesn't like it then he can have private lessons until he can do the basics.

Keeping a horse on its own with someone who hasn't a clue is a BAD idea. I don't know why you are even considering it tbh.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I'm not sure what you are asking really? Would forum members loan or would Joe Public loan?

The overwhelming view seems to be no from members (I'd be another no). But would someone Out There loan a horse - yes almost certainly. May not be a suitable horse, may be a deeply UNsuitable horse passed off as suitable - but he'd find someone who wants a horse taken off their hands for a while and isn't bothered by the lack of horsey company. And you may even find an safe, sane oldie who someone does not know what to do with. And you never know, it might even work out really well if he has plenty of lessons and a kind, forgiving horse and is sensible enough to ask for help when needed.

But there are so many risks involved and so many ways in which either rider or horse or both could come unstuck that I would not recommend it if someone was asking me if they should loan their own on their own land when so inexperienced.

 

[Starzaan]

Absolutely not, for countless reasons, none of which have anything to do with him being Asian.

Why on earth would he feel uncomfortable being with white females? Also, why would he need to be in group lessons with white females? The majority of my beginner adult lessons when I was teaching were private rather than groups.

 

[Spottyappy]

Thanks, kind of summed up what I thought, but it’s good to have some other options as suggested by some posters, which I will see if he would like followed up.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

No Chance. I would suggest learning about the basic care and stable management at a riding school would be the least he should do. Horses would be in danger if not, feeding unsoaked speedy beet, having no idea on feeding. a recipe for disaster.

 

[andytiger]

He won’t be using this horse for anything to do with dancing, or jousting, but to gain confidence and knowledge with lessons and assistance. So, your horse would come back as it went. What he needs is an older semi retired type to teach him the ropes.
I can’t have the horse with me, as My yard is private, plus I don’t want liveries either!
I’m not sure he will be up to speed in 12 months, but he will ave gained much more knowledge and riding ability. 12 months was the thought that he will have learned a lot.
Conniegirl, he will be having help, lessons and assistance, so not sure why you assumes he won’t be. Yes, I’m not on call 24/7 but I am quite happy to be texted or what’s apped if he has concerns and I’m not at the yard.
Madambonnie, the set up you have would be perfect, but sadly nothing like that around here that I have ever come across.
9tails, he feels as an older Asian male, he doesn’t feel comfortable in a riding school environment where it is predominately white females, and I think he is worried about what his wife will think if he is spending a lot of time with other females.
View, do you mind telling me the area you are in, and if it would maybe be possible for him to join a group lesson with more Asian men, where he may feel less concerned? Thank you.

 

[Seville]

No. And please don't let him buy an Iberian.

 

[andytiger]

why don’t you loan him one of yours if you feel that defensive about it.you were asking people’s opinions.
I’m sure most riding schools do private lessons.and unfortunately you find white females everywhere in the uk 😀❤. and no caring horse owner would loan out there pride and joy to someone with no knowledge or horsey companion no matter how much help they have.

 

[Spottyappy]

why don’t you loan him one of yours if you feel that defensive about it.you were asking people’s opinions.
I’m sure most riding schools do private lessons.and unfortunately you find white females everywhere in the uk 😀❤. and no caring horse owner would loan out there pride and joy to someone with no knowledge or horsey companion no matter how much help they have.

Because I don’t wish to loan my mare or my daughters mare to any one.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Absolutely not. For a wide variety of reasons, none of which are to do with him being Asian!

I'm afraid I agree with this, and what everyone else has said.

 

[R2D2]

Absolutely no way. Loaning a horse to someone with no experience, and no idea of how to ride, would be a very quick way to ruin a good horse. If he is willing to have lessons on a loan horse, then surely he can have lessons on someone else's horse first? This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Spottyappy]

I said above, thanks for some of the other ideas, which I will put to him.
As I also said above, the no to loaning was what I expected, but it is always good to hear other ideas, of which there was a few.
Please can we now close this, as there is nothing more to add.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

IF he is a novice as you say he is then there is NO WAY I would let a novice have a horse of mine on loan.

Yes can understand he might feel a riding school a difficult place to be, but TBH, if you are undertaking to teach him, you have got a huge task to think about - plus (if things go wrong), do you have any qualifications to teach him?? Not trying to be picky here, but there IS an insurance angle to think of and a RS will have all the necessary insurances in place. Sorry but think he might need to just Man-Up and take himself to a RS and learn how to ride - and manage - horses correctly from the word go. Ethnicity and racial origins have nothing to do with it, and I don't think that can be used as any sort of excuse TBH.

My main reason for saying "no" would be the issue of keeping an equine on its own. Sheep are not horses! Yes they will be "company" of sorts, but there are IME very few horses that are truly happy on their own and I certainly wouldn't be happy to loan any horse of mine out if this was the deal.

 

[Spottyappy]

Mijods, please read my above statement. Fyi, I will not be teaching anyone.

 

[southerncomfort]

If someone wrote a post saying 'I'm thinking about starting riding, could someone please loan me a horse?' I'm sure you'd be as horrified as the rest of us.

I think you've lost a little objectivity as you know and like the gentleman. We all need to start at the bottom and that means lots of lessons at a RS (private lessons if he feels self conscious) plus some lessons in how to take care of a horse before he even thinks of loaning or sharing.

It's really nice that you want to help him but he's wanting to run before he can walk and the best thing you can do is help find him a decent instructor/RS.

 

[starfish8]

If he wants to ride/keep horses that much he'll put up with going to a riding school like most normal adult beginners. The solution to his problem is not to put someone else's horse at risk, but to learn to ride and how to care for a horse first and then consider the best option for having his 'own' with the appropriate amount of support. Perhaps once he has actually started learning to ride in the conventional way, he will realise how much there is that he doesn't now and replace his current plans with something a tad more realistic and a lot safer.

Frankly all of this screams welfare issue waiting to happen.

 

[mums the groom]

If your asking this questions then deep down you know your answer must be no, would you lend your Ferrari to someone who has never driven a car before? your last sentence makes it sound like your looking for a cheap option on getting rid of a horse whilst you bring something else on.

 

[CJoe]

no, purely as anyone who "supports" indian horse dancing, which they clearly do, I wouldnt be able to get my head past that.......and it suggests a level of understanding of what a horse could suffer isnt high priority

 

[Annagain]

I have a horse who would probalby be very suitable. He's not up for loan at all but if he were, I'd consider allowing someone in your neighbour's circumstances to loan him from my yard under my supervision and on the understanding he had lots and lots of lessons. I wouldn't allow him to take him home and I wouldn't allow anyone to keep him alone. I suspect though that your neighbour wouldn't like that if he feels riding schools are too white and too female - my yard is 99% white and female and the one man is married to one of the women.