Are there many people wanting help with horses in return for riding/small payment?

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Russet

Active Member
Nov 14, 2009
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I'm not actually looking for a share at the moment, but may be in a month or so when I've come to a decision. I wont go into it all, but my share isn't working out as well as I'd hoped, partly due to the horse I'm riding napping badly (I posted a thread about it a week or two ago), and I have strong doubts that I'm going to be able to overcome it, as he is a very strong and stubborn horse. I have a long term health condition, and don't have what it takes either physically or mentally to do battle with a big horse, and I don't want to get stressed about riding and lose my confidence if it goes badly wrong. I just want to go for a quiet hack on a well behaved horse for an hour or two.

I don't have much money due to not being able to work, and I've been very lucky that my shares have been on the basis of help with stable duties in winter, and poo picking in the summer, in return for riding once or twice a week. I know that most people ask for money in return for riding, which I fully understand, as keeping horses is so expensive. I would just be interested to know if you think there are people who would be prepared to let me ride once or twice a week and see to their horse on those days, either for no payment, or if I say covered the cost of shoeing so paid approx £30 a month. I am mature (in my 40s) and very reliable; I would never let an owner down unless in an emergency, and I am responsible and caring. I take looking after animals to a high standard very seriously. I don't disappear in winter, and go to see to the horse in all weathers including snow and ice.

I am an average rider so I'm not good enough to school and improve horses, but I'm quite capable of hacking on my own on a generally well behaved horse, as I have been for a number of years. On the basis of this, if you were looking for a sharer would you consider me, or would you be looking for someone who could offer a larger financial contribution? I'm feeling a bit down about how things are going, so if I thought I could find another more suitable share if I need to, it would hopefully give me a bit of a lift. Thanks for your thoughts.
 
I am looking for someone to ride but so far have had people wanting a lift up, too far from bus route and one perfect one who didn't reply to any other messages. The others are looking for an hourly rate to do it :frown:
I would take anyone of they could poo pick or muck out even one day a week to save me a job. The right person is far more important than financial contribution to me.
 
Yes, I’m considering a sharer for my boy, who although IMO safe is still a young horse so can throw in the odd silliness.

I would rather have a nice kind reliable sharer than one that paid me but couldn’t be trusted and I would much rather a mature rider than a teenager! (Sorry teenagers!) at the moment free time is more important than money and although extra money would be nice, extra time is more valuable in the long run (I need spare time for studying)!

Sadly though there are a lot of people looking for sharers as they cannot afford their horses not because they don’t have time.
 
Don't fancy a move to the Emerald Isle do you? I'd love to share Dolly with someone exactly like you. Wouldn't want any work done or payment - just be nice for her to hack out a bit more often when I'm on one of my 'not so good' health carry ons! Would be great if our bad health patches didn't coincide - that way whoever was feeling fit enough could ride her that day!:D

Seriously though - I am sure there is someone out there who would be delighted to come to some sort of arrangement with you. Good luck!:smile:
 
Those kinds of arrangements are out there, Russet. I too am in my 40s and an average rider. Through a friend (who I met 4 years ago via New Rider, by the way) I now ride and look after a beautiful Arab/Welsh gelding a couple of times a week.

On the days I see him, I ride, groom, poo pick, muck out and generally spend quality time with him. The owner is lucky in that she doesn't need a sharer to help with costs, she just hasn't got the time to ride him as much as she would like. He is 20 and is fitter and more supple when he is in light work.

So I give her a small token amount of money each week. She knows her horse is being ridden and cared for by someone she trusts, and I get to know and bond with a beautiful horse. Win-win situation!
 
I am another one who would love to find someone like you, especially during winter months and would be more than happy with no financial contribution of you were able to muck out on days you were riding. Someone reliable and responsible who could spend some time with my boy when i was working would be ideal. Another one asking where abouts you are, lol
 
I'm in Epping Forest (West Essex).

Thanks for your replies, folks - it's heartening that there are people out there who might want help from someone like me! :smile: What a shame I don't live in Ireland, Cortrasna - I'd love to meet and spend time with you and your lovely Dolly. She sounds like my perfect horse, and we could chat about the good old days (I'm a great one for nostalgia).

If I (reluctantly) decide not to ride my current share horse any more, I may still go up one day a week to look after him as he is lovely (when he's not napping!) and I couldn't bear not to have any contact with horses. If I post on here that I'm looking for a share, I might be very lucky if one of you lovely people know of someone in my area.
 
Oh gosh I wish I could find somebody to come help me and I wouldn't want a PENNY................just want somebody reliable !
 
I'm in Essex too (Chelmsford area) so not a million miles away from you, Russet. I will keep my ears open for you! :wink:
 
Russet, I think there's every chance you may find something. It's just a case of finding a situation where it's win win for both parties. I'm like you (only a bit older!) and have been lucky to find 2 such situations over the last year.

One generous local lass would have let me ride her young Fell as much or as little as I wanted. He lived out and she didn't want any payment or field duties in exchange. She just wanted a reliable rider to act as happy hacker while she started a family. Didn't work out as he was too green for me, and was nervous with traffic and I decided not to take it forward for his sake.

The other was a pensioner Connie breeder who was very happy for me to ride her semi-retired 17yo. She had health issues and her main interest was showing, for which she had riders. Her well schooled but past his showing best lad just needed gentle work to help with suppleness. Again she wouldn't take any payment for it (though of course I gave her the occasional bit of dosh, bags of feed etc.) I'd still be riding him if she hadn't decided to retire altogether.

Owners from my experience value reliability, maturity and common sense above being a brilliant rider! If you do decide not to continue with your share (and it seems that you are beginning to come to a decision there - confidence is a fragile thing) then I suspect you WILL find something.

I just posted honestly about what I was looking for on local message boards and got 4-5 replies more or less immediately.
 
When I was looking for a share years ago I put the word out and about thro' Horsey friends and advertised in local tack shops etc., and was offered several potential shares.

Shares were pretty hard to come across tbh.

Now a good few years on with facebook, somebody set up a 'local horsey forum' for our Area and there are shares/riders wanted advertised EVERY DAY on there, honestly they are numerous.

Have a search and see if there is anything similar for your Area :wink: I am sure there are sharers wanted, its just so hard finding out about them sometimes.
 
fairlady said:
Oh gosh I wish I could find somebody to come help me and I wouldn't want a PENNY................just want somebody reliable !
Click to expand...

Same here - I have had two people come up to try my Lily as a share, one was totally unreliable and would not turn up and not even bother to text me - one night I ended up having to go to the yard to bring in/muck out etc at 10pm after a friend at the yard text me saying no-one had been to see to her :stomp::stomp:. The other one came up a couple of times with me there and rode, seemed to be getting along fine and then changed her mind...

So in reply to the OP, I'm sure lots of people would be happy to have the help regardless of whether any money changed hands - I know I would!
 
I'm not looking for a sharer but I think i wouldn't have a problem at all letting someone ride in return for chores :D

And when the boot was on the other foot I used to do chores for rides. I couldn't afford to pay anything but found most people struggle more for time than money so they welcome that set up.
 
I have a sharer for my sisters cob, found her via her advert on preloved...even before we were definite Major was going to stay up here too!

She's perfect and tbh I think she would happily ride in exchange for chores...but she's able to pay half costs so it's all great for everyone involved! She's reliable and trustworthy too, I'm super super pleased with the way it's working out :)
 
I don't think you'll struggle to find something suitable, especially as you just want to potter about a couple of times a week so you could possibly loan something older that perhaps isn't capable of competing etc any more and is looking for a quieter life. I think Rocky's loaners are beginning to try and talk the bank of dad/husband (he is a mother/daughter share) into buying them their own as they are aware that Rocky will be semi-retired soon. When he is, I will be probably be looking for a loaner for a small contribution or something like the arrangement you describe. He will be light flatwork only but he does need to work still. My problem is that Rocky will forever be four years old in his head :rolleyes:
 
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