Would you loan your horse to these people!!!!... (Long)

[dobbin27]

Hello everybody!!

First I think I should probably apologise for directing my horsey angst and worries at all you Forum members!! I feel really quite cheeky as I don't really know any of you, and I probably should have introduced myself properly ages ago, it just felt a bit self-important posting to just talk about me!!

But anyway!!... Hopefully you will be able to help!!

I have a lovely 12 year old section D, I have had him since a foal, and in my braver days broke him myself etc.. but then stopped when I fell pregnant, and then due to a multitude of reasons have never really got quite back to where we were.

He is an absolute sweetheart, but a bit of a wimp, and I don't feel confident enough hacking him out accompanying my son etc.. so at the moment he is doing nothing. I have been looking to loan him out, but have so far met millions of timewasters and had no luck.

I have been asked by a local riding school about them having him on loan for a client to have on livery there. All the horses look very well so I have no concerns there but I have very little faith in them in a lot of other ways (My son was having lessons there, until I got fed up with a different 'instructor' every week, usually the second a livery client arrives whoever is teaching jumps through the fence and disappears for a cigarette and somebody else takes over, without even stopping to let the new 'instructor' know what they were doing/what he is capable of etc..!!) and on a personal level there are some of them that just give me bad 'vibes' I know that sounds really petty but there is nothing specific, they just don't feel very trustworthy!!

I have met the girl who wants him, who is lovely and capable but very young, and I am just a bit worried as the owner who I would trust is rarely there and seems quite detached from it all!! They are also expecting him to be used for some lessons.

Am I being overly fussy?? I really want my horse to be somewhere he is doing a useful job, but am just not sure if it is just my personal feelings getting in the way!! Is it fair to set a months trial to make sure all concerned are happy first??

Thanks!! - Pub lunch for all those that made it through!!

 

[AmyMay]

Go with the gut feeling, always, which in this case seems to be telling you - no.

 

[ihatework]

Trust your gut instict and do not send your horse there.

However if you liked the girl and thought she was suitable could you offer her the horse on the proviso it's kept with you?

 

[brighteyes]

In a word - No!

Too much could go wrong. Keep your eye on Horsequest and MrsMozart's new website which I believe is going to feature many such things.

 

[Lippyx]

If your gut feeling is NO then don't do it!! He's your horse and you have the right to be fussy!
I think you would be happier if he went to a private owner who wants to do whatever your horse is capable of, and leaving him in the hands of a riding school could case more problems than solutions, especially if they are an unprofessional as you say they are!!

 

[Fizzimyst]

[ QUOTE ]
Trust your gut instict and do not send your horse there.

However if you liked the girl and thought she was suitable could you offer her the horse on the proviso it's kept with you?

[/ QUOTE ]

What they said ^^^

 

[bhpride]

no, don't underestimate what your gut instint is telling you.

 

[dobbin27]

Thank you!!!

The only reason I haven't offered him to loan from mine is his biggest problem is that he is not the biggest fan of the huge traffic that uses our tiny village (With tiny lanes!!) as a cut through!! In normal traffic, or if you have the luxury of verges he is fine as long as you are confident enough to sit quietly, and I have to hack to use the school. I just think he and I would be so much happier if he didn't have to deal with it all the time, and I would hate for somebody else to have an accident.

Will keep looking though..

 

[rodgerroo]

hello,
i would go with No, have you considered trying to get a equine college to take him on loan? (thinking he would get used and there should be set standards etc at the yard)

 

[Tinypony]

Be careful sending him to an equine college, some of them aren't great places for the horses, if discussions here are anything to go by.

 

[wizzi901]

are you near thorney island?.....

 

[dobbin27]

No, South Lincs/Cambs border!! I keep looking at all the posts from people looking for horses on loan and wishing they were a bit closer!!

 

[wizzi901]

lol not to worry, sounds remarkably like someone who is loaning a horse Section D to a girl I work with who just started riding, but its not!!

 

[Bowen4Horses]

i would go with my gut instinct too... and say no. because if a horse is being used in a riding school, you HAVE to be able to trust them implicitly. riding school life can really mess up a horse if it goes wrong (mind you, so can any loan i guess)

if you were to loan to them, you'd be perfectly within your rights to ask for a 3 month trial.

i know lots of people on the cambs/lincs border... i will ask around for you if you like?

 

[dobbin27]

That would be brilliant!!!

I've lost touch with a lot of my old horsey circle of friends as I only ever hack/school at home, so the chance of me finding somebody through word of mouth is slim to none...

Its so difficult getting a really good idea of what people are like, and whether they are being honest in a short space of time so I hate advertising/buying etc..!!

He is a lovely boy, easy to do etc.. he is the one I trust my six year old to bring in, groom etc.. but is a typical Sec D in the fact that I think if he was allowed to get away with too much he might turn into a bit of a sod!!