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Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

Would you pay someone to exercise your horse?

14 replies

Hmmhorse · 04/06/2019 22:17

I'm fairly experienced and had my own from early childhood - 20s and over last decade loaned, shared and exercised lots for others with no financial cost on either side. Competed up to elementary dressage on several different horses, national level showing and a bit of unaff eventing. Also worked with horses for a year abroad.

I'm reliable and confident, not worried about quirks but wouldn't get on a rearer as have DC now. I don't however have any equestrian qualifications.

Would you be willing to pay a small amount - say £5 an hour, for me to exercise your horse?

I'm not sure if it's a massively CF thing to suggest but I love schooling, am confident hacking and have experience with some behavioural issues (clearly I'm not a professional though and some are outside my expertise)

For eg I've been asked on yards to ride a horse out a few times if it had been a bit sticky hacking on its own, or ride a horse that had been off work for a while and was a bit fresh. I've been happy to do that for free just for the experience. I'm new to the area here though, so only one connection/local reference.

Just interested in thoughts!

OP posts:
Original poster
Hmmhorse · 04/06/2019 22:18

Not an ad btw - just curious before I put myself out there on FB

Not looking for lots of rides, just something here and there

OP posts:
sheshootssheimplores · 04/06/2019 22:21

I used to get paid to ride as part of my job as a groom, so I don’t see why not!

Bigsighall · 04/06/2019 22:22

If I had something that needed bringing on or needed more work (and was too tricky for a sharer) then I would and have. She was fully insured and qualified but did cost me £20 ph

Original poster
Hmmhorse · 04/06/2019 22:24

Thanks - forgot to mention that I would get insurance

OP posts:
maxelly · 04/06/2019 23:33

I have and would in the future, as PP says though, only for a horse that was particularly green/difficult and it's generally been my instructor I've had ride, so I am expecting more for the money than just having the horse exercised, if you see what I mean? A paid rider really needs to be offering more by way of training than I could do myself to make it worth it for me personally. Otherwise I've always just had sharers who pay me rather than me paying them. But then again when I have paid it's been quite a bit more than £5 p/hour.

Why not advertise and see what you get, just be prepared, people may want to put you up on their nutter they are too scared to ride themselves and/or get you to break in their feral unhandled pony only to sell it on or take the ride away from you as soon as its going well. These things can happen with shares too of course but I think people may be even more cheeky if they are paying you! Are you small/light enough to ride kids ponies (occasionally)? If so then definitely include this info on adverts as there is a market for light weight adults to remind naughty ponies of their manners and/or to be first jockey up on a newly broken one...

higgyhog · 06/06/2019 15:01

Years ago I paid someone to exercise my lovely well behaved Highland Pony mare. I was going through a time at work when I was needed for very long hours and I didn't want to just leave her in the field. Eventually I had to sell her but she went to her new home in working condition and used to being schooled.

RatherBeRiding · 06/06/2019 15:22

Yes I would. In fact I have been paying for rehab livery for quite a while now as pony coming off box rest has been a nightmare. His loaner has now taken him back as he's settled but in the early days no-one was willing to get on him except my semi-professional livery owner!

I have another who has been ridden by a sharer in the past, but she can be - ahem - challenging and so only to be ridden by a handful of trusted friends.

If stuck I would willingly pay £5 an hour to have either or the above exercised by someone who can sit a lightening fast spin and the odd buck.

lastqueenofscotland · 06/06/2019 22:19

Not sure how brave you are but work riding racehorses is REALLY well paid, it’s a brilliant little side hustle.

Booboostwo · 07/06/2019 08:52

There are always people who need help with their horses. If you are good at turning around problem horses, which is what owners want really, not just someone to ride their horse but someone to make their horse rideable for them, you’ll have loads of clients. £5 is very little to charge for this service though, especially given the risk you’ll be taking getting on a horse that’s misbehaving.

Then again you could ride horses to help them progress. For example, I have a dressage horse who is preparing for PSG but i’ve Never ridden at this level so my instructor rides him once a week to teach him for me. If you are very good at schooling again you’ll get a lot of clients but again £5 is very little money.

If you just want to ride a reasonably straight forward horse owners will expect you to pay for a loan rather than pay you to work the horse.

Belenus · 09/06/2019 20:45

I charge £10 an hour to exercise. It's usually hunt horses but I'll exercise others as well, generally for owners who don't have time for some reason. I won't ride any horse I consider dangerous or too much for me in some way. Sometimes I would just be over-horsed but often there's an underlying pain issue the owner is choosing to ignore for some reason. I don't school other than kids ponies if they need help from a light weight rider to sort them out.

My flatwork is somewhere towards BHS stage IV. As a guideline, Prelim tests = stage 2, Novice = stage 3 and elementary = stage 4. BHS exams were structured on the assumption that at stage 3 you could maintain a well-schooled horse and at stage 4 you could improve them. However IME many people go more on what you can do then any exams you have. You need to charge more than £5 an hour or people will wonder why you're so cheap.

DiseasesOfTheSheep · 12/06/2019 21:25

You'll need to charge more than that to cover appropriate insurance.

People do pay riders to exercise their horses, certainly. People also lie about their horses issues to freelancers, resulting in serious injuries...

I wouldn't pay someone £5/ride because I would question their skillset at that price, and I would suspect they weren't insured. I also wouldn't pay someone I don't know personally, or haven't seen ride extensively, as many people vastly over-estimate their competence on a horse.

However, a good rider is worth paying, in certain circumstances, and many owners do need help - either with minor behavioural issues or with exercising. You may well find some decent clients and have some fun that way.

dinkydonky · 14/06/2019 12:04

No I wouldn't. If I was short on time I would look for a sharer, or a free arrangement, depending on my circumstances at the time. If my horse had issues I couldn't work through myself, I would rather pay more for a professional to sort them.
£5 an hour is not even minimum wage, so it falls into the category of "paying for a favour" to me, really, where the money just complicates things.

GertrudeBrisket · 17/06/2019 13:15

Definitely. I pay a professional rider to exercise my daughter's horse quite regularly when she can't ride due to exams or whatever (our agistment is an hour's drive from our house, which is in an inner urban area). We pay £35 per hour if he rides & a less for a lunge.
I agree with others that £5 is not enough to cover your time & risk. Set your rate a bit higher and give it a go.

lizzielou80 · 19/06/2019 11:56

I get someone to exercise my horse. £20 a ride knowledgable eventer.

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