Do you let others ride your pony/horse?

LivingMyBestLifeNOT · 2020-10-08T21:12:01+00:00

Ive had my girl 10 weeks, still bonding. Friends have said 'can I come fro a ride' what do you say? Do you allow them to? Or is it just you that rides?

DeliciouslyFemale · 08/10/2020 22:15

I’m not a horse owner, but what do you want to do? Are they well experienced or is it a novelty idea for them? Also, is it fair on the horse, who will just be getting used to it’s surrounding and a new owner, to suddenly have other strangers riding it? Will they have their own insurance, in case they have an accident or hurt your horse? I’m a sentimental sod and don’t like the idea of them treating your horse as if it’s some sort of new plaything. That’s different from you, as the owner, riding it.

lastqueenofscotland · 08/10/2020 22:59

Depends on horse and those asking to ride

I used to have the quietest ex racehorse on the planet, honestly could have put any old idiot on him (and did).

Others I’ve had I’d let competent riders sit on but not some novice or someone who had never left a riding school.

Others no, I had a Mare through my Early 20s who had a real buck on her. Proper head between the knees stuff, and I’d not have put anyone on her just In case they came to harm.

Equally the quietest horse can have its moment. I ride a super chilled little mare twice a week for a client and the last time I rode her I nearly got off after 5 minutes she was WILD. Then she chilled the fuck out and worked beautifully. So my point is basically probably not if they aren’t a decent rider and make sure they are aware that even a quiet horse can be unpredictable.

maxelly · 09/10/2020 00:04

I do have others ride my 2, regularly, but it's for the horses' benefit primarily not the riders'. I ideally want them to be well balanced all rounders who can be ridden by any many different kinds of people of possible, kids, teenagers, novices etc so that if (god forbid) anything happened and I couldn't keep them any more they would be in best position possible to find a good home. I don't think it's good for any horse to only ever be ridden by one person but it's particularly important for mine, because they are very ordinary hairy cob ponies, not particularly straight forward rides (not suitable for a total novice although one is OK with being lead around on a lead rein) with little to no inherent value (no one responsible would want them to compete or breed from) so it's important they do a job - one is currently on full loan to a pair of young teenagers who do PC activities etc with her - I know for sure so long as she's sound she'll have a home with someone through being successful at PC if nothing else. The other is currently out injured so no-one is riding her ATM but I would want her ridden by others regularly if she ever comes sound again, starting off probably with my instructor and the staff on the yard and hopefully working towards a sharer eventually.

That being said, it's your horse and absolutely totally 100% up to you who rides her and when. Not just for the horse's welfare but in an absolute worst case scenario you could be responsible if they aren't a safe/secure rider and there's an accident. So unless your friends are really experienced riders who could actually help you and your girl out by bringing her on/schooling, I'd say no for now. Depending on how confrontational you could simply say flat out no, or that it's not convenient, or that the yard isn't allowing visitors due to covid, or similar?

Springersrock · 09/10/2020 10:51

Yes and no.

My daughter will only let very few, trusted people on her pony.

Pony can be quite nervy and after a lot of hard work trusts DD. DD is a very gentle and calm rider which pony needs and they are doing brilliantly together

DD let someone on her a while ago who wouldn’t listen to a word DD said, constantly yanked on the reins, used a whip excessively and rode quite aggressively. Very over confident and thought she was some amazing rider who could get DD’s pony going better than DD could.

A year of hard work was undone in 5 minutes flat, so now very few people are allowed on her.

DD is happy for people to hop on for a mooch on the lead rein, a trusted and very close friend rides her occasionally

FanFckingTastic · 09/10/2020 12:26

We don't normally let anyone ride our boy, unless it's going to benefit him. Whilst I'm on holiday etc a trusted friend will keep him ticking over but otherwise we don't encourage or allow others to be riding him. It really depends on the situation - but if it's just because someone wanted to come and 'have a go' then I'd personally be saying no.

Elieza · 09/10/2020 12:44

Get to know the horse a bit longer and then see how you feel.

I was ok with friends having a wee potter round the school with a trot, or a stroll up the lane. Anyone wanting more can go buy riding lessons at an insured venue.

I’d use CV as an excuse and be saying yeah sure you can have a wander round the school after CV has gone/the vaccine is available, in the meantime the yard isn’t keen on visitors sorry.

fluffysocksgoodbookwine · 09/10/2020 19:52

My girl is only 4 and very green, so not at the moment, but eventually I’ll want others to ride her for the same reasons as Maxelly. I think it’s best if a horse has experience of different riders, but I’m not planning to let anyone else on her anytime soon, as we’re still getting to know each other.

Polkadotties · 09/10/2020 20:54

@Elieza

Get to know the horse a bit longer and then see how you feel.

I was ok with friends having a wee potter round the school with a trot, or a stroll up the lane. Anyone wanting more can go buy riding lessons at an insured venue.

I’d use CV as an excuse and be saying yeah sure you can have a wander round the school after CV has gone/the vaccine is available, in the meantime the yard isn’t keen on visitors sorry.

I am using covid as an excuse for my boss who wants to come and ride my horse. She has only been on guided hacks since having a pony as a child, he is a hot, spooky green horse. And in all honesty she is too heavy for him.

Elieza · 10/10/2020 10:24

@Polkadotties perhaps over coming months you could mention details to her where he ‘went a bit mental’ and threw you off. Or ‘bolted when a plastic bag blew about in a bush’ or whatever.

Just enough to make your boss think twice about riding your horse after CV! The day will come that we no longer have that as an excuse!

A pony ride on a riding school pony is waaay different to riding a youngster. I wouldn’t ride a youngster and I’ve had horses for decades but I’m just not sharp enough for a youngster.

She doesn’t know that horses don’t arrive fully trained and totally safe, or she’d not be asking.

If she had a few months of hearing about unexpected bad things happening she may not ask again, and if she does you could always refer back to said ‘unexpected accidents’ as a reason ‘he’s just too young and inexperienced just now, it takes years to train them. You can totally have a go once he grows up a bit but the last few months have show he’s still too unpredictable’. And then just sometimes refer to something bad and she won’t ask again.

I know it feels wrong making up bad stuff when you want to tell everyone how good he is but it’s to protect him from a heavy, inexperienced rider who could injure him and herself so it would be worth it?

backinthebox · 10/10/2020 10:52

I have other people ride my horses. I would not be able to keep them fit enough on my own if I didn’t, plus as others have mentioned I want mine to be nice all round horses used to a range of different riders. However, I don’t let just anyone who asks ride them. I ask people I trust to do specific work with them, always to everyone’s benefit. It works well for me - I have one pony at home who is both a champion in his sport and yet capable of being ridden by small children and disabled riders. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be able to say who can ride, when, and how. It’s your horse and if you want time to get to know her there’s no problem with that and I wouldn’t hesitate to say so. I wouldn’t be making stuff up, I’d just tell the truth. You are the owner of a privately owned horse, not running a tiding school or public service!

Millie2013 · 10/10/2020 10:54

Mines an idiot, so nobody ever asks to ride her The fact that my leg has recently been in plaster just makes them step further away

backinthebox · 10/10/2020 11:13

“Mines an idiot, so nobody ever asks to ride her grin The fact that my leg has recently been in plaster just makes them step further away grin” 🤣🤣

It’s weird, isn’t it? No one ever wanted to ride my older well schooled 18hher, he was a bit opinionated but very steady really. But my young, green, sharp 15hher, when I fell off him and broke something I needed - I had a queue of people offering to ride him! It was the making of him - he’s a lovely placid dobbin now, still takes the piss out of anyone who thinks they can ride but can’t though. 🤣

Floralnomad · 10/10/2020 16:18

@Polkadotties just be upfront and tell her you have been advised he’s only allowed to carry x amount including tack so she’s welcome to come as long as she doesn’t mind standing on the scales holding his saddle etc so you can check your are not overloading him . In answer to the original question nobody rode my thoroughbred but a good friend used to ride my sisters horse , mainly hacking out with me .

SnakesandKnives · 13/10/2020 15:34

@backinthebox :grin: same here. Mine is massive but lovely and several people have said they’d be scared to ride him...but equally want a go on a gorgeous little pony at the yard who is also a dangerous lunatic!

I’m happy for competent riders to borrow him - and tbh his sheer size means we haven’t had any awkward amateur requests I think :)

@Polkadotties tricky one! One thing I would say is that it’s incredibly unlikely she is actually too heavy for him....

fairydustandpixies · 13/10/2020 15:45

A friend asked me to ride her new horse. I was a relatively novice rider at the time. One fractured spine later after being thrown and said horse tap dancing on me meant I never dared ride again.

stevalnamechanger · 14/10/2020 00:14

Of course . My friends let me ride theirs when I didn't have one and when I have one I always let friends ride.

Most of my friends are a LOT better rider than me so works very well :D

RatherBeRiding · 14/10/2020 17:16

Yes I have regularly allowed friends to ride mine over the years. However, all of mine are "quirky" (although all are talented and well schooled) and were well known to be so on yards I have been on, so people never offered to ride unless they were confident and competent!

Friends who've ridden them have loved them, but I'd never allow a novice near any of them.

Plus side - whenever I've ridden one of my friends' horses in return - they've generally been a dream in comparison. No spooking, tanking, mickey-taking......