Help! Am I asking / expecting too much?

[Navygirl]

I've got tiffany up for free share / free riding as when I bought her I wasn't bargaining on her needing to be kept in constant work. Uni team currently are using her but it's for jumping only and in an hour she can have something like ten riders on her and do as many courses so decided to pull her out as it's too much for a young horse. Well any horse really!!

Anyway she's up for free share. Tiffany is on full livery so no stable work all I ask is she gets a good groom before being ridden and isn't left sweaty after exercise. The yard asks for a £10 facilities hire a month which covers the arena stuff, tea, coffee, biscuits etc. I'd expect the sharer to pay this but no other costs and they can use tiffany upto a maximum of six times a week and basically have a free rein to do as they please with her. I've also offered the possibility of riding baron for that rider or as a mother / daughter share or friends but he's still coming back into full work.

Now I work two weeks then home and on leave for two and would want to be able to ride when i'm home so the sharer would only be able to ride weekends when i'm home as i've only time to ride one at the weekend.

I've had loads of enquiries but when i've started to talking to people they've said £10 a month is too expensive for two horses, they'd want more access than two days a week when i'm home or just wanting to compete or be paid. Am I expecting too much? I don't want to full loan tiffany as bought her to bring on as a competition horse. But don't know what to think. Honest opinions please!! Am I being unreasonable? Just if I have to pay someone to ride tiffany i'd rather it be my instructor.

Cookies to whoever got to end of that!!

[fairyfeet]

what do they want, jam on it?
Of course its not too expensive, they are just after a freebie.
Keep looking and someone will snap your hand off.
Riding available 6 days a week, no work and just a tenner a month for use of arena etc is a bargain!
So what it when you are home you want to ride a bit, the rest of the time is theirs.

[lil_legs]

£10 a month is cheap no matter what. However you will be very hard pressed to find someone to happily only ride weekends for two weeks.

I think you may have to compromise on this realistically. To be fair, I would say every other day on the days you are home, which gives you the chance to work on Baron, and then they can have the weekends as well so the sharer feels as though they are getting something other than basically being used to look after your horse when you aren't around.

I would also stop advertising her as a free share because really she isn't, I would put into the advert that you want £10 a month, which is incredibly cheap for one horse never mind two!!

[Navygirl]

Thanks for the replies. Hmmm... That puts a different perspective on things. Can see where you're coming from lil' legs but not sure if i'd want to only be able to ride tiffany basically one week a month maximum (if it was every other day). Especially as baron isn't on full full work. Can only do light to moderate work with him, no jumping etc. Think i'm maybe being bit selfish but just don't want to be paying out livery on her to have someone else get most of benefits?

I would have the loan free if I could but it's part of my livery agreement that loaners have to pay that. Which is fair I suppose.

Just getting really disheartened as all offers i'm getting just aren't right. Think best one I got was coming into port today and had an answerphone message basically telling me i'm not fit to own a horse if I can't be bothered to exercise it or look after it!! If I could I wouldn't go away but I need to to pay for it.

I'll just keep looking... I know it's not right time of year. But I know when I was a kid and horseless i'd have jumped at the chance and not bargained on it...

[lil_legs]

If you are happy enough to hold on someone will come along.

That answerphone message wasn't called for. The thing is, as you are planning to compete her then there isn't much of a reason why you can't build up to you both riding her some days, that will help with her fitness.

Ok so at the beginning you will have to compromise and only work her the equivalent to a week a month but provided you are straight about it with the loaner from the beginning, you can work up to you both doing something with her a couple of days a week and then one day a week she gets complete rest and work out a rota for you both.

Just another idea.

[Navygirl]

That's a fantastic idea lil' legs!! Never even thought of that... Thanks so much. Now to find someone that is happy to work with me. Was also kind of hoping to find someone that would want to come out hacking with me and do some exploring with horses round scotland now i've got my lorry...

[lil_legs]

You shouldn't find it difficult to get that!!

Good luck with your search!

[eeek]

£10/WEEK would be cheap! I can't believe people are trying to haggle with you about this. It sounds like a perfect arrangement. Unlimited riding for 2 weeks, limited riding for the other 2 thus giving the sharer the chance to do other things. I can't believe this number of m0r0ns have replied...

I'm sure somebody will turn up eventually, just keep advertising.