Implications of offering this girl work?

[BandOfOses]

On Sunday a car pulled up at our house and a bloke with teen girl got out. Bloke asked if I offered horse riding lessons as he was told I did. I told him I didn’t, as I need lessons myself. I’m a novice. The girl was gutted and asked if I needed any help looking after my horses. I told her I didn’t, one of them was not mine and I have someone else employed to look after the pair of them. She was quite upset with tears in her eyes. Her dad told her not to be silly and it was just one of those things. I apologised for the misinformation (although it wasn’t my fault!!) and he explained that his daughter is just desperate to work with horses. She is not doing well at school, has no friends and they are considering home schooling her but all she’s interested in is horses. I took his number just in case anything came up. I’ve been thinking about it and wondered what the implications would be to let her work here, shadowing the woman that looks after the horses and learning from her? She’d probably be willing to give her lessons on my horse too. I’m thinking there will be lots of insurance issues but if it was done as a favour would it matter? Or AIBU?

Don’t do it, if she has no knowledge of horses she may end up getting hurt and I bet daddy will be after ‘compo’. Send them to the nearest riding school, it may well be daddy doesn’t want to pay, you are almost guaranteed problems.

They could be after your tack ....

On the flip side.... at 13 my daughter literally just knocked at someones door offerring help because she loved horses. I forbade her to ride any of them for obvious safety reasons and she had lessons elsewhere until, at 15 she was competant enough to ride without an instructor. Every day after school, rain or shine she was there. Weekends, school holidays. Mucking out, grooming etc. This continued right through college. She was so helpful and appreciated there and eventually got her reward and rode whenever she wanted. For her 18th birthday we negotiated and bought the horse she'd been in love with for 5 years.

Like pps have said this sounds a bit odd. If she's so desperate why isn't her father taking her round the local riding schools and asking there?? Nearly bursting into tears because a random horse owner doesn't give lessons seems very strange and over the top. Volunteering, loaning, helping out at stables, there are lots of options for people wanting to help out with horses. I wouldn't ring her

scam. 100%

My dd rides. When she’s a little older she will be down at the stables to help out. This girl could easily do the same. Lessons aren’t cheap. But they wouldn’t have to be weekly if the parents are struggling financially. They just all need to make an effort. There really isn’t anything you can do.

My cousin got started that way when she was 13. Led on to college and a job with the Department of Agriculture. She goes to farms, livestock shows and auctions, has her own horse and is a pretty happy girl. Spends half her time up to her knees in animal crap and she'll never make enough to be rich, although she meets a lot of farmer's sons.

Don't do it. It sounds like you will end up regretting it.

When cornered I try to do something for them. In this case I would offer a couple of numbers and a bit of advice, but I wouldn't be putting myself in line for a backfire.

It might not be a scam. She might just have got her hopes up.
When I was 12, I was desperate to have my own horse.
My dad and I went to a local lady's farm, and I asked if I could help out with her horses. It was just mucking out, brushing them, feeding etc. I didnt ride them (my dad wouldn't allow it)
I had to keep it up for two years, if I did, my dad would let me have one.
It was great for the lady as she had me there for free every weekend for two years 😂 she loved me!! And I learnt so much!

But we are from a small village, where everybody knows everybody.

Hmm, this is an odd one. What would she be trying to "scam' you for, if it were indeed a scam?? Maybe she has some mental health issues, was incorrectly told you offered riding lessons, took it really hard you didn't/didn't have spare work, and it was just something in a long line of somethings that pushed her emotions over the edge. Honestly, what harm can having her help out for free doing the mucking out, tack cleaning do? If there's another woman there as well at least you'll have eyes on her.

What would she be trying to "scam' you for, if it were indeed a scam??

Sadly, tack theft is a very real problem! What better way to find out where it's all kept? Or she might genuinely be a horse-mad girl who wants to help out and learn more. I wouldn't risk finding out personally, but would steer her in the direction of the local riding centre or agricultural college (who will also have the necessary insurance cover and trained staff).

I agree that it sounds weird, riding schools aren't that hard to find surely. They don't need to be rocking up at random houses like that. Even if it's not a scam I wouldn't take her on in a million years. She sounds far too unstable and you could be dealing with all sorts of boundary issues.

Sounds suspicious to me, not to mention there could be potential liability concerns. I'm definitely not a horse expert, but I do know they can be VERY dangerous, especially if you don't know what you're doing.

Just because she loves horses, doesn't mean that she knows how to work with them safely. You could be setting yourself up for all kinds of problems.

This is bizarre
I would not contact her or let her anywhere near those horses.
She is a total stranger, anything could happen.

Most horse riding places take volenteers.

Dont get involved.

I wouldn't get involved, either. The obvious thing for him to do is to approach a riding school and talk to them there.