Advert for Sharer - opinions please!

Rubic

Equine Karaoke Queen
Apr 15, 2012
3,771
571
113
Glasgow
Hi all! I'm having to advertise for another sharer and was hoping you could give some opinions on my advert. Last time I found my sharer through her advert looking for a horse to ride and I put up an advert briefly when she was thinking about giving up, I got a few replies but it was mainly people who could only do one day which isn't really suitable for me and Rubic as I wouldn't want to have too many different people riding her.

So here it is!

"Confident adult needed to ride my 14.2hh mare at least 3 days a week.

I currently do not have enough time to spoil my lovely 11 year old, well mannered cob and am looking for a competent adult with their own transport to ride her and help out with some yard chores.

She is fantastic to hack out in company or alone. 100% in traffic including large vehicles (double decker buses, HGV lorries) and bicycles. Will go in front or behind when in company. She can be more nervous/spooky when hacking alone and takes her confidence from her rider but is very willing to please. She loves to go for a gallop! She is also great fun in the school. I am currently working on her balance, rhythm and suppleness. Currently she is capable of a lovely balanced walk and trot however her canter work needs developed further. She has a brilliant jump and is very honest. She can be strong during fast work and jumping so I am looking for a confident rider who can be firm yet kind with her.

I would like to keep her work varied as possible so am looking for someone who is able and willing to hack and do some basic work in the school. There are lots of different hacking routes (some off-road) and a large outdoor school with some poles and jumps to ride in. I take her out to local shows/clear rounds a couple of times a year so there may be the opportunity to come along and compete for a small contribution to travelling/entry fees.

My horse is on a DIY livery yard and is stabled overnight during winter (and generally out 24/7 during summer). I would like someone who would be willing to turn-out and/or bring in, groom, muck out and prepare feeds on their days. I am looking for £25 a week to help towards livery, feed and farrier bills.

I need someone who can commit to helping for at least 3 days a week (or more if you would like!). Days are negotiable however I am looking for someone who is able to help mainly on weekdays as I work Mon-Fri although one weekend day could be arranged.

Please contact me for more information/photos/videos. Serious enquiries only.
"

All opinions are welcome. I'm worried I'll have missed something out that people might want to know or that I've rambled too much! I'm not necessarily wanting someone to school her for me as I'm happy to do that myself, just someone that can walk/trot/canter and do little bits of flatwork (circles, legyield etc), nothing fancy - does that come across ok or is there a better way to word it. Just as long as they are a firm but quiet rider I'd be happy!
 
Sounds really good to me. I know when I was looking for a share horse it was really good when there was detail like you have of what the horse can do and what they need work on. I'd be contacting you if I didn't live across the water and hundreds of km away :biggrin:

Hope you find someone really good for your lovely girl :happy:
 
It's good and very clear. :)

Just spotted a couple of things -not read it as a total proof-read, but added the red bits:

I currently do not have enough time to spoil my lovely 11 year old, well mannered cob and am looking for a competent adult with their own transport to ride her and help out with some yard chores.

She is fantastic to hack out in company or alone. 100% in traffic including large vehicles (double decker buses, HGV lorries) and bicycles. Will go in front or behind when in company. She can be more nervous/spooky when hacking alone and takes her confidence from her rider but is very willing to please. She loves to go for a gallop! She is also great fun in the school. I am currently working on her balance, rhythm and suppleness. Currently she is capable of a lovely balanced walk and trot however her canter work needs developing further. She has a brilliant jump and is very honest. She can be strong during fast work and jumping so I am looking for a confident rider who can be firm yet kind with her.

I would like to keep her work as varied as possible so am looking for someone who is able and willing to hack and do some basic work in the school. There are lots of different hacking routes (some off-road) and a large outdoor school (with some poles and jumps) to ride in. I take her out to local shows/clear rounds a couple of times a year so there may be the opportunity to come along and compete for a small contribution to travelling/entry fees.

My horse is on a DIY livery yard and is stabled overnight during winter (and generally out 24/7 during summer). I would like someone who would be willing to turn-out and/or bring in, groom, muck out and prepare feeds on their days. I am looking for £25 a week to help towards livery, feed and farrier bills.

I need someone who can commit to helping for at least 3 days a week (or more if you would like!). Days are negotiable however I am looking for someone who is able to help mainly on weekdays as I work Mon-Fri although one weekend day could be arranged.

Please contact me for more information/photos/videos. Serious enquiries only."
 
Thanks both of you! (KV I'm surprised I haven't made more mistakes typing this up while I pretend to do work!!!)
 
sounds good to me :), there are people out there, we had a good few replies about Sam & Petri, and think we have found 2 friends for them now (on a months trial atm), so there are people out there, but it is just finding and trusting people with your baby eh
 
Just a few bits, over all it's very good.

Hi all! I'm having to advertise for another sharer and was hoping you could give some opinions on my advert. Last time I found my sharer through her advert looking for a horse to ride and I put up an advert briefly when she was thinking about giving up, I got a few replies but it was mainly people who could only do one day which isn't really suitable for me and Rubic as I wouldn't want to have too many different people riding her.

So here it is!

"Confident adult needed to ride my 14.2hh mare at least 3 days a week.

I currently do not have enough time to spoil my lovely 11 year old, well mannered cob and am looking for a competent adult with their own transport You presumaby mean a car to get to yard in rather than a lorry? could be misread?! could leave this out as personto ride her and help out with some yard chores.

She is fantastic to hack out in company or alone. 100% in traffic including large vehicles (double decker buses, HGV lorries I prob would just leave it as good in traffice, you don't want the come back if she does spook at a bus!!!) and bicycles. Will go in front or behind when in company. She can be more nervous/spooky when hacking alone and takes her confidence from her rider but is very willing to please. She loves to go for a gallop! She is also great fun in the school. I am currently working on her balance, rhythm and suppleness. Currently she is capable of a lovely balanced walk and trot however her canter work needs developed further. She has a brilliant jump and is very honest. She can be strong during fast work and jumping so I am looking for a confident rider who can be firm yet kind with her.

I would like to keep her work varied as possible so am looking for someone who is able and willing to hack and do some basic work in the school. There are lots of different hacking routes (some off-road) and a large outdoor school with some poles and jumps to ride in. I take her out to local shows/clear rounds a couple of times a year so there may be the opportunity to come along and compete for a small contribution to travelling/entry fees.

My horse is on a DIY livery yard and is stabled overnight during winter (and generally out 24/7 during summer). I would like someone who would be willing to turn-out and/or bring in, groom, muck out and prepare feeds on their days. I am looking for £25 a week to help towards livery, feed and farrier bills.

I need someone who can commit to helping for at least 3 days a week (or more if you would like!). Days are negotiable however I am looking for someone who is able to help mainly on weekdays as I work Mon-Fri although one weekend day could be arranged.

Please contact me for more information/photos/videos. Serious enquiries only.
"

All opinions are welcome. I'm worried I'll have missed something out that people might want to know or that I've rambled too much! I'm not necessarily wanting someone to school her for me as I'm happy to do that myself, just someone that can walk/trot/canter and do little bits of flatwork (circles, legyield etc), nothing fancy - does that come across ok or is there a better way to word it. Just as long as they are a firm but quiet rider I'd be happy!
 
That's a great advert, Rubic. I agree with Claire123's points though.

Hope the right person comes along soon!
 
I think it's good and liked the detail. The only thing that would put me off is the very first sentence - "Confident adult etc". I don't know why, because I am an adult and fairly confident, but I think that would put me off. Probably mainly because I'd be trying to read between the lines and think if you needed an adult who is confident to ride and at least 3 times a week, maybe you can't handle the horse yourself because they're a bit naughty etc, and you're looking for someone to help you out with discipline etc. Probably just the way my mind works, but I think maybe just putting 'Sharer Required' at the top, instead of that sentence, would draw potential sharers' attention to the advert and reading on they could straight away see what you were after.

Good luck, hope you get some good applicants!
 
Trust me not to like it. Its much too long and fussy.
Agree with Bodshi whom I have just read. Why start by demanding a confident adult? Lots of excellent riders on NR might not be prepared to describe themselves as 100% confident 100% of the time.
My view is dont make too many demands of the potential sharer before you get to interview stage, meet them and see them ride.
The word "needed" makes it sound as if it is all for your benefit. Why not say you are looking for another adult rider? Why say you need someone who will be firm but kind. No one ever thinks they themselves are unkind to horses!
Be much briefer. To say you dont have enough time to spoil your horse sounds crazy to me. You dont have time to ride your horse every day?
What do you mean by spoil? You dont want a sharer to spoil your or any horse. Rashid and Peace between them have made me wary of horses regarded by their female owners as pets.
You put that she is happy to hack together or alone but later say she may be spooky alone.
Say she is 100% in company and say if there is someone else to ride with. Say she is good alone - if it is just the odd little spook, I would regard that as normal. If always spooky solo then say - I know a horse still being advertised for share after 6 months as they want someone to hack him and he is said to be spooky hacking. What I wonder do the owners plan to do to improve that?
You dont need to go into all the details of what you are doing with the horse. You can discuss that with individuals.
You are right to say what work you require from your sharer. But wrong to emphasise that you are working and might possibly but not necessarily be allowing them a weekend day. If you are wanting a week day sharer say so plainly. If you would consider someone else who has a job, and can give them one weekend day, say so. This is a major drawing point and I notice that most owners have this in their ads.
I think you should read the horse for share ads - especially horses near to you. Model your ad on some good ones that would attract you.
Remember that you are competing with riding schools too. Lots of people assume that there are crowds of us riders who cant afford horses who are longing to spend time with a horse - "spoiling it". Be realistic. At this time of year who wants to be out in the wind and rain on set days each week?
Whereas one can go to a riding school, horse ready tacked and off you go at a time and on a day of your own choosing. Remember that all riding in public places, whether a share or a RS horse, requires a rider that can control a horse and give it direction. We do our best. But be reasonable. Riding any horse is an unpredictable exercise. Your horse is probably an average horse and you need an average rider.
So make it brief and factual. Cut out the emotive vocabulary and try to attract some "average" people to come to interviews. All a sharing ad has to do is to describe the horse - height, age gender, type. What you are offering in the way of rides (hacking, facilities, school etc). What you expect in return - money chores etc. And a photo.
 
I think I agree with Skib, please do not take offence but I think it is to long and involved.

I would try and simplify it, you can sort the wood from the trees when you get a 'response'.

Finding helpers this time of year is particularly difficult, even the most ardent horse lovers generally head for the hills.

Good luck:smile:
 
Maybe I'm looking at this from an owner's point of view, but I like how you've worded the advert primarily, as it gives enough info for me to see that you care about your horse and it leaves nothing out - to the point where it answers all my main questions re time, payment, type of activities to be offered, what the horse is capable of. A couple of points I would make are that unless you don't want someone just to hack, I'd maybe say that being able to do some basic schooling is optional as you will take care of that for the most part.
I don't see any harm in the spoiling phrase, but I think I use language like yourself and maybe other folk have a different interpretation on the implication of the word 'spoil'. To me its about giving the best care I can as opposed to being a negative thing and it suggests to me what your personality and manner are like.
After all, you're selling yourself in this advert, as well as the horse. Folk want to know there's a nice owner behind the horse. Its reassuring. I might cut down a few bits of it around your schooling focus, let that come out in the conversations.
I would maybe change the transport bit - do they really need to have their own car? Can you maybe just suggest the area where the horse is so that they understand that this would be needed. Some folk can be quite resourceful without their own car and it might put them off.
Oh, and :redface: I don't really understand the point of adding 'serious enquiries only' or 'no timewasters' I don't think it serves any point at all other than to suggest that the advertiser is hot headed. Sadly it won't put off those type of timewasting folk as they may not even consider themselves to be timewasters.
hope this helps.
 
I agree with Bodshi and Claire123's comments and Skib's comments with regards to the spooking on hacks.

I like the bits where you say what she likes doing and how you want her work to be varied - That should attract the right people. I'd hesitate to respond to an advert with little detail over one with more as I wouldn't want to waste my time on something which might be no good. I also like your emotive language and the 'spoil' comment makes me thing you're a nice person who loves her horse rather than someone serious just interested in competing etc.

You don't say why you want a confident rider, why would she be unsuitable for a novice? Is it because of the spooking?
 
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I wholeheartedly agree with looking for a confident rider. In my mind, maybe I'm wrong, but a nervous rider looking for a share would require supervision, or I'd worry myself sick that they were OK on their share days!?

(What's an 'average' person?... )

Yep I agree, I don't see any issue with this wording. What I would say though is that before I got Flipo and realised I wasn't confident, I thought I was confident, so no matter what you write, it might not scare off the cocky ones, you just have to use your own judgement to work out if they're right for Rubic or not.
 
Thanks everyone, I've taken the bit out about transport, I suppose that will come up when it comes to where the yard is - it isn't a nice walk from public transport links. I've also taken the confident adult out of the first line, I've put it later on to explain about the hacking. I'm hoping that because I've mentioned she is well-mannered that people will realise she isn't a brute!

I don't know if I'm just being overly sensitive because I'm a bit stressed but there are parts of your post which have made me feel a little :poop: skib. I feel like I should explain myself and my reasoning rather that have people assume I shouldn't own a horse if I don't have the time!

I need someone who is confident as Rubic was tricky to hack out when I first got her. She is great now because I put a lot of work in. It wasn't brilliant riding or great knowledge that got her hacking solo - it was the fact I was confident that we could do it. She needs reassurance when alone or she will stop and do a 180 spin and p off back home. If the rider is very nervous she is very nervous and will spook at everything. Once you get a bond with her she'll hack out alone no bother. She can quite sensitive when it comes to how the rider is feeling and so I don't want to upset Rubic or scare a sharer - why ruin someone's confidence? For example there is a sharer up at the yard who looks after a horse in my barn - she cannot take him out on her own and sometimes has problems in company, she has really had her confidence knocked because of some of his antics out hacking and in the school, the horses owner doesn't care because she is just getting the money and someone to muck him out but having seen the riders confidence being knocked time and time again I wouldn't want to do that to someone. Fine if you are in a situation where you can be there to reassure the rider and help them build their confidence from nothing, spend loads of time with them to get them confident so they can hack alone, maybe if you have 2 horses and can ride out with them on every hack to help them along. I cannot and I need someone who is confident enough to hack out solo once they know her as although there are a lot of people on the yard there isn't always someone to hack out with (which would be explained when someone contacted me).

I put firm but kind in because to me it sounds nicer, I'd rather put firm but kind in my ad than just put firm and conjure up an image or a whip happy rider with iron hands.

No I don't have time to ride my horse, work 40hours a week (and travel to the yard then work, then the yard then home), see my family, care for my other animals, do the shopping and housework, cook for myself and everything else I have to do. I don't get a break and I need one before I have a breakdown. I wish I could spend ages giving her a good groom, riding her, doing bits of groundwork and lunging but I can't. So right now she gets her rug taken off, a quick once over to check she is still in one piece and nothing is out of the ordinary and her rug gets put back on and that is about all the attention she gets. She is a pet yes and to me I see nothing wrong with that. I care for her and keep her healthy and that is the most important thing. She doesn't get fed treats but I cannot give her the attention she deserves.

Why advertise for someone to ride at the weekend when I need someone to ride during the week. At the end of the day she is my horse and if I can spend more time with her at the weekends then that's what I'll want to do! For me getting a sharer for the weekend is absolutely pointless as it isn't solving my original problem of not having time during the week. It might be selfish but I don't see why it is wrong for me to point out my requirements? I'm sure there are plenty people out there who work weekends like I used to who would be happy to only take on a horse during the week when they are free as not everyone works monday to friday. I never specified set days, just a set number of days a week, they can have a weekend day now and again if they want, which I've said and could chat about that.

I didn't think I was asking for Charlotte Dujardin by asking that the rider be capable of basic work in a school and confident to hack a horse out alone.

Yes my horse is "average", she isn't a show pony, she isn't a grade A show jumper or a PSG dressage horse and I'm definitely not saying I'm brilliant for tackling a difficult horse because she isn't difficult but she has her little quirks and I wouldn't put just anyone on her for horse or riders sake. She was briefly in a riding school but wasn't suitable for everyone to ride and was only used in the more advanced lessons. I'm trying to think about what is best for my horse in all of this and getting a sharer isn't something I'm taking lightly.
 
I wholeheartedly agree with looking for a confident rider. In my mind, maybe I'm wrong, but a nervous rider looking for a share would require supervision, or I'd worry myself sick that they were OK on their share days!?

(What's an 'average' person?... )

I wasn't suggesting you shouldn't use the phrase 'confident rider', just that I think I'd like to see a reason why to detract less confident people from applying...

Does that make any sense?
 
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