Advert for Sharer - opinions please!

[eml]

I think I may be having a grumpy day but the advert suggests to me that you need help with your horse during the week and expect that helper to exercise and school and pay you.....doesn't sound so attractive and I am sure not what you mean.

I personally would start as if you are trying to sell your horse to a sharer, there do not seems to be many negatives other other than lacking schooling and being a bit strong. So after you have attracted someone in the first few lines mention that she would suit a competent adult with own transport to the yard and that you are looking for someone to have a three day share , days by negotiation.

It will say everything you have but just angle it to be more attractive rather than suggesting you 'need'

 

[Rubic]

You and me both eml!

I see what you mean. I'm not looking for someone to school her for me, I'd actually rather do it myself, it's more to keep her fit, I just want someone to have fun with her. Her getting strong is an occassional thing now but it's still there (particularly when shes jumping away from home) I and I wouldn't want someone to be worried about it.

 

[crinklesb]

You could say that you'd be happy if a sharer wants to just hack out but if they enjoy school work or want to go to a few local shows then that would be fine too. That way you leave it open and not put anyone off.

 

[popularfurball]

Hmmm Im somewhere in the middle with all of this

I think taking confident rider out of the title is a good plan - a lot would probably see that and not read the rest - but incorporate it into the hacking - explaining that she is a happy hacker, but can at time need confidence and a quiet but firm rider.

If the strong issues are jumping at competitions I would leave it out - you can discuss this on meeting someone.

Otherwise I love how detailed it is - I would want to know as much as I could about a pony before loaning and I think it gives the impression you care.

Oh - and the schooling, if you would rather she hacked, I owuld prob rephrase to "Predominantly happy hacker, though there is the opportunity to school once a week if desired. She enjoys school work though can be a little unbalanced in canter in the school" rahter than explaining all the ins and outs of school work if you want her to be mostly hacked

 

[joosie]

I am really struggling to see the issue with asking for a confident rider. If a horse needs a confident rider then they need a confident rider... why should you pretend they don't? If it puts people off then great, means you're not going to get a nervous rider turning up and then deciding not to share your horse because there's a chance she might spook! Rubic's not providing a riding school service here, she doesn't have to cater for every type of rider - she's looking for someone to ride HER horse to make life easier for HER, and she needs someone who is up to the job. Make it clear from the outset that she needs a confident rider, then nobody can complain that she wasn't honest when they find out the horse is too much for them.

My boss's horses are very well-mannered with competent, confident riders, and although they can spook or nap on occasion, it's barely a blip on the radar because it's dealt with firmly, correctly and CONFIDENTLY the instant it occurs. Put a nervous rider on board who didn't deal with it properly and the situation would be very different. One spook or nap correctly dealt with by a relaxed rider, is just an isolated incident... the same behaviour with a nervous/hesitant/tense rider can become a full-blown issue, and often it's the horse who ends up getting blamed for being "difficult" or "spooky" because they have learned what they can get away with!

Before I found my super share horse at uni I spent about 5 months sharing a 4-year-old partbred Arab mare. First few rides were fine but as time went on she started to take advantage of my inexperience and become a major handful. I had so many hair-raising hacks on her I totally lost my nerve to the point of being ready to quit riding completely. The horse's newly-developed bad habits started to spoil her owner's riding too, it really wasn't working for any of us! Her owner was no more experienced than me but very confident and the mare responded to that - she was a different horse with me because she fed off my nerves.

Asking for a confident rider doesn't have to infer anything negative... Ability and confidence are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Rubic]

I am really struggling to see the issue with asking for a confident rider. If a horse needs a confident rider then they need a confident rider... why should you pretend they don't? If it puts people off then great, means you're not going to get a nervous rider turning up and then deciding not to share your horse because there's a chance she might spook! Rubic's not providing a riding school service here, she doesn't have to cater for every type of rider - she's looking for someone to ride HER horse to make life easier for HER, and she needs someone who is up to the job. Make it clear from the outset that she needs a confident rider, then nobody can complain that she wasn't honest when they find out the horse is too much for them.

My boss's horses are very well-mannered with competent, confident riders, and although they can spook or nap on occasion, it's barely a blip on the radar because it's dealt with firmly, correctly and CONFIDENTLY the instant it occurs. Put a nervous rider on board who didn't deal with it properly and the situation would be very different. One spook or nap correctly dealt with by a relaxed rider, is just an isolated incident... the same behaviour with a nervous/hesitant/tense rider can become a full-blown issue, and often it's the horse who ends up getting blamed for being "difficult" or "spooky" because they have learned what they can get away with!

Before I found my super share horse at uni I spent about 5 months sharing a 4-year-old partbred Arab mare. First few rides were fine but as time went on she started to take advantage of my inexperience and become a major handful. I had so many hair-raising hacks on her I totally lost my nerve to the point of being ready to quit riding completely. The horse's newly-developed bad habits started to spoil her owner's riding too, it really wasn't working for any of us! Her owner was no more experienced than me but very confident and the mare responded to that - she was a different horse with me because she fed off my nerves.

Asking for a confident rider doesn't have to infer anything negative... Ability and confidence are not mutually exclusive.

Thank you joosie, I think you put it better than I did!

 

[newforest]

Would I respond to the advert, yes.

The only bits i wouldn't be sure on is spoil, is there another word meaning similar? A horse that is spoilt makes me think they get away with things or humanized.

Working on balance etc, would possibly make me feel they are schooling nicely but green. Could that be worded differently?

Basic schooling. I am thinking she sounds green again, could be just how i am reading it.

Wanting a confident competent person is fine, what's wrong with stating this. I would gather that to be because of the hacking on their own. Or because you just want someone who isn't a novice. A horse that is strong wouldn't be for a novice.

 

[Rubic]

Would I respond to the advert, yes.

The only bits i wouldn't be sure on is spoil, is there another word meaning similaI'm around horse that is spoilt makes me think they get away with things or humanized.

Working on balance etc, would possibly make me feel they are schooling nicely but green. Could that be worded differently?

Basic schooling. I am thinking she sounds green again, could be just how i am reading it.

Wanting a confident competent person is fine, what's wrong with stating this. I would gather that to be because of the hacking on their own. Or because you just want someone who isn't a novice. A horse that is strong wouldn't be for a novice.

I suppose she is green in some ways - she is a cob and has always been allowed to tank along on her forehand that's what I'm trying to work on. I thought I'd just put that in but it might be better being taken out.

The basic schooling was more what I expected the rider to be capable of, does that not come across very well?

 

[annareeves0]

I think different ads will attract different types of people and I do think you are selling yourself too. Be careful about your language and choice of words but to me a 'chatty' style of ad implies a chatty, friendly person that I could have a discussion and negotiate with. You could put the basics in 3 no nonsense lines, but Id be scared to death to phone you in case you were a BHS sargeant major!

Perhaps you need to look at it more like a job spec; essential and desirable elements. First paragraph are the must haves and the second suggestions you can negotiate on?

I think you'd get interst from this ad. If you dont, or the calls are a waste of time, you'll soon figure out where its going wrong!

 

[newforest]

It can read two ways i suppose. That the horse can only do basics, or you want the rider to be able to. Someone mentioned about hacking, perhaps the loves hacking and some schooling, means they could do some to help you out. When i exercised for someone i only schooled once a week if i wanted.

I have to say, I would be offended that Skib feels your horse is just average and needs an average rider. If someone said that to me without having met me or my horse let alone ridden or handled her, i would be annoyed.

 

[popularfurball]

I am really struggling to see the issue with asking for a confident rider. If a horse needs a confident rider then they need a confident rider... why should you pretend they don't? If it puts people off then great, means you're not going to get a nervous rider turning up and then deciding not to share your horse because there's a chance she might spook! Rubic's not providing a riding school service here, she doesn't have to cater for every type of rider - she's looking for someone to ride HER horse to make life easier for HER, and she needs someone who is up to the job. Make it clear from the outset that she needs a confident rider, then nobody can complain that she wasn't honest when they find out the horse is too much for them.

My boss's horses are very well-mannered with competent, confident riders, and although they can spook or nap on occasion, it's barely a blip on the radar because it's dealt with firmly, correctly and CONFIDENTLY the instant it occurs. Put a nervous rider on board who didn't deal with it properly and the situation would be very different. One spook or nap correctly dealt with by a relaxed rider, is just an isolated incident... the same behaviour with a nervous/hesitant/tense rider can become a full-blown issue, and often it's the horse who ends up getting blamed for being "difficult" or "spooky" because they have learned what they can get away with!

Before I found my super share horse at uni I spent about 5 months sharing a 4-year-old partbred Arab mare. First few rides were fine but as time went on she started to take advantage of my inexperience and become a major handful. I had so many hair-raising hacks on her I totally lost my nerve to the point of being ready to quit riding completely. The horse's newly-developed bad habits started to spoil her owner's riding too, it really wasn't working for any of us! Her owner was no more experienced than me but very confident and the mare responded to that - she was a different horse with me because she fed off my nerves.

Asking for a confident rider doesn't have to infer anything negative... Ability and confidence are not mutually exclusive.

For me there isnt an issue about needing a confident rider - I was under the impression that Rubic is lovely horse from other posts, and as such was selling her short - but like you say, better safe than sorry I guess

 

[Chessy]

I am really struggling to see the issue with asking for a confident rider. If a horse needs a confident rider then they need a confident rider... why should you pretend they don't? If it puts people off then great, means you're not going to get a nervous rider turning up and then deciding not to share your horse because there's a chance she might spook! Rubic's not providing a riding school service here, she doesn't have to cater for every type of rider - she's looking for someone to ride HER horse to make life easier for HER, and she needs someone who is up to the job. Make it clear from the outset that she needs a confident rider, then nobody can complain that she wasn't honest when they find out the horse is too much for them.

I have to say, I agree with this. Rubic has mentioned that her horse will sometimes spook and spin, which will do no good to a nervous sharer's confidence and will just waste everyone's time if they decide to cease sharing.

I'm an ex-horseowner turned sharer and I've been to share a few horses whose owners missed out details in ads. One horse ended up being a total arse from the ground and I didn't want to deal with that in a share horse. It just wasted time and I'd rather they were honest in their ad from the start.
My current share horse is not confident hacking alone with a tendency to nap when doing so, so needed a rider to help him through this issue. I appreciated the owner's honesty about this.

I know it's difficult to find a good sharer and that you don't want to put people off, but if Rubic would prefer a confident, competent rider to share her horse, she should mention it.

 

[Rubic]

It can read two ways i suppose. That the horse can only do basics, or you want the rider to be able to. Someone mentioned about hacking, perhaps the loves hacking and some schooling, means they could do some to help you out. When i exercised for someone i only schooled once a week if i wanted.

I have to say, I would be offended that Skib feels your horse is just average and needs an average rider. If someone said that to me without having met me or my horse let alone ridden or handled her, i would be annoyed.

I have modified the section about riding to say they can hack or school or both. She is capable of doing a bit more than the basics but gets confused and upset sometimes if she doesn't understand what you are asking. I'm hoping to work on that with some more lessons over summer (sharer could also get some lessons on her too then if they'd like but as that is quite a while away so didn't see the point in mentioning all this in the ad but it is something I would bring up with a potential sharer).

I'm glad it wasn't just me who thought that then. I haven't really posted very much on here about me and Rubic and I was a little hurt that someone who doesn't know her would call her average. I know I will be biased but she is special and I've lost count of the number of times that I (a probably less than average rider) have thought about selling her as she is too good for me! I don't think anyone who knows her would describe her as average.

For me there isnt an issue about needing a confident rider - I was under the impression that Rubic is lovely horse from other posts, and as such was selling her short - but like you say, better safe than sorry I guess

She is lovely, but it's not been easy and I worry that if a new rider came along then she would either test the waters or get a little unsure about it. With the old sharer (who was confident and competent) she was fine, a bit unsure at first but they got on well once they got to know each other. She isn't the type of horse you can just jump on and expect everything straight away, she likes to make you work for it:tongue: I would rather be safe than sorry!

 

[JustJas]

Advert sounds fine. Personally I would use sympathetic or empathic to explain my desires of the rider.
Luckily my horses to loan have sold themselves so never had to advertise off the yard I was at the time.

 

[Joyscarer]

Anna has raised the point I was going to, when doing an as for a sharer you're selling yourself as much as the horse. I like the time if your ad and it would appeal to me. However, although I'm confident, I'm not convinced I'd be a good enough rider to meet the expectations of someone wanting to develop a horse although I wouldn't ruin one. That would make me wary of calling.

 

[Skib]

The reason I wrote average was not to belittle the horse. I have read many for sale and for share ads over the last two months. Because my RI advised me to look at availability after my share was retired and I was offered another to buy. I did not draw the conclusion from the suggested ad that the cob was of above average difficulty.
My suggestions for rephrasing were textual criticism e.g. My suggesting that OP say she did not have time to ride (rather than time to spoil) has
been perceived as personal criticism! Ditto the word average.
The purpose of an ad is to solicit replies. Yes you may get some unsuitable phone calls. But the current lack of sharers means you may be lucky to get any. NR is a support board. Lots of lovely people tell you your ad is lovely. You love them and pick holes in what I posted. OH told me I was wasting my afternoon and he was right. But blaming me and feeling wounded is not going to find you a sharer. One person here on NR has been looking since last April. Another ad local to me for a weekday sharer to hack mentions that the horse spooks hacking solo and has run since last August.
I am not suggesting that you con people but that details can be sorted on the phone or when you meet the potential sharer and see them ride.
You are quite right it is your horse and you can do as you please. You may find a sharer , sharers do turn up by word of mouth. But to maximise the appeal of an ad requires careful selection of vocabulary and tone.
In other words it is a piece of writing. Like making a clay pot. It has to be fit for purpose and compete with other pottery on the market. Those of us who write professionally know that when you submit a text for publication, it is more likely to succeed if to some extent it conforms to the normal style. If you choose to take a more original route applauded here, you might succeed as it will hook the perfect person just like your friends on NR who love the ad but you might also find no one at all.
Next Spring more people will be looking for shares and your chances should be better and what goes in the ad won't matter so much.
But why be insulted by the word average. I think I would be quite capable of sharing your horse. If you didn't agree or disliked my riding you could reject me when we met. But as you drafted it, I wouldn't even apply. And I will never again respond to a post about ads. (More wasted time, says OH)

 

[sjp1]

I absolutely think you should keep in the word confident rider.

Most horses, unless they are saints, are much worse behaved for fearful riders or handlers - this I know to my cost with my bully boy.

Nothing wrong at all IMO, in having a horse who needs confident handling/riding and stating it - could be a disaster otherwise.

You know what you want out of a sharer, so I don't think anything wrong with stating it. No point in having people come under a false illusion really, a massive waste of time.

Hope the right one comes along.

 

[Rubic]

The reason I wrote average was not to belittle the horse. I have read many for sale and for share ads over the last two months. Because my RI advised me to look at availability after my share was retired and I was offered another to buy. I did not draw the conclusion from the suggested ad that the cob was of above average difficulty.
My suggestions for rephrasing were textual criticism e.g. My suggesting that OP say she did not have time to ride (rather than time to spoil) has
been perceived as personal criticism! Ditto the word average.
The purpose of an ad is to solicit replies. Yes you may get some unsuitable phone calls. But the current lack of sharers means you may be lucky to get any. NR is a support board. Lots of lovely people tell you your ad is lovely. You love them and pick holes in what I posted. OH told me I was wasting my afternoon and he was right. But blaming me and feeling wounded is not going to find you a sharer. One person here on NR has been looking since last April. Another ad local to me for a weekday sharer to hack mentions that the horse spooks hacking solo and has run since last August.
I am not suggesting that you con people but that details can be sorted on the phone or when you meet the potential sharer and see them ride.
You are quite right it is your horse and you can do as you please. You may find a sharer , sharers do turn up by word of mouth. But to maximise the appeal of an ad requires careful selection of vocabulary and tone.
In other words it is a piece of writing. Like making a clay pot. It has to be fit for purpose and compete with other pottery on the market. Those of us who write professionally know that when you submit a text for publication, it is more likely to succeed if to some extent it conforms to the normal style. If you choose to take a more original route applauded here, you might succeed as it will hook the perfect person just like your friends on NR who love the ad but you might also find no one at all.
Next Spring more people will be looking for shares and your chances should be better and what goes in the ad won't matter so much.
But why be insulted by the word average. I think I would be quite capable of sharing your horse. If you didn't agree or disliked my riding you could reject me when we met. But as you drafted it, I wouldn't even apply. And I will never again respond to a post about ads. (More wasted time, says OH)

Talking about tone; perhaps you should have considered the wording of your post. Plenty of people have pointed out possible issues with the advert which I have taken on board and I have altered the advert because of it. However they did so in a more constructive manner. To me your post did not come across as particularly helpful, it came across as rather judgmental and more like an interrogation. I did not post this only be told my advert was lovely. I expected people to pick out some negative points but I would have hoped that they would have done so in a somewhat sympathetic manner given that sharing your horse can be a potential minefield and not a decision that the vast majority of owners would take lightly.

I'm well aware I probably won't find a sharer quickly having been through this before. I don't want just anyone. Whoever I take on needs to have some confidence and basic understanding of dealing with a horse that is occasionally reluctant alone or strong in a few situations and I know this from riding her very regularly and in many different situations for the best part of 2 years. I don't wish to waste an applicant's time and possibly get their hopes up only to find out my horse wouldn't be suitable for them and I don't want to waste my time by encouraging people I know won't be suitable. I am well aware that my horse won't suit everyone and that will reduce the number of potential sharers but there is no point in wasting anyone's time or upsetting myself, a potential sharer and most importantly, my horse.

 

[Rubic]

Anna has raised the point I was going to, when doing an as for a sharer you're selling yourself as much as the horse. I like the time if your ad and it would appeal to me. However, although I'm confident, I'm not convinced I'd be a good enough rider to meet the expectations of someone wanting to develop a horse although I wouldn't ruin one. That would make me wary of calling.

I have tried to change the wording to make it sound less like I'm looking for a brilliant rider to school/develop my horse!

 

[Mary Poppins]

Please can this not turn into an arguement. Skib was only trying to make you think about the wording of your ad to ensure that you attract the person that you want. I always enjoy the way in which Skib thinks about things from a different viewpoint and raises things that perhaps haven't been considered before. She raised some valid points and was only trying to help. I would hate her to feel put off from replying to future threads because her input is always helpful and valuable for many of us to read.