Been offered a horse, bit of a dilema!

Ace87

Ace87

Quitus & Strike
Aug 8, 2007
6,076
0
36
Bedfordshire
Soo.. went up to see boys last night and ended up bumping into YO and one of the other liveries who recently had a baby..

Got chatting and they said they'd been hoping to bump into me as had a favour to ask of me, (at this point I begin to worry...)

They asked me if I would ride their mare for them, on paper - 15.2hh lightweight tb mare - dark brown almost black, really sweet looking mare, lovely jump, good allrounder etc. Also complete psycho in the stable and viscious as all hell to other horses..

They want me to rider her 3 - 4 times a week - no stabe chores, nothing, just get her out of field and ride her to get ehr to competing fitness after a year off and then start taking her out to local stuff and maybe some affiliated so they can then find a suitable loanee for her..

Sounds cool but I have Ace to do a lot of work with, really want him to progress up from elementary this year and Quitus who I really want doing BSJA 4yo classes or at least some local dressage by the end of the year.. So fairly busy, add to this the fact that the big lad may be getting gelded and come back to me in a years time..

Oh and add also, the fact that this mare KILLED my beloved Cheyenne :(


I know it's silly to pass up an opportunity to improve my riding, I'll get free lessons with her and she really is a lovely ride but it's all the other things :( Head says do it for the experience heart says NO NO NO.
 
if you already have a negative feeling about the mare, it might be better to not ride her. eg horse will sense you have reservations which wouldnt make for very successful riding.

(and id be worried if shes a psycho in the stable! why dont these people sort out THAT aspect of her first, as this would probably make it easier to find a loanr for her ...)

Julia
x
 
Erm...it really depends on if you will have time to put your all into your own first.
You'd kick yourself if you didnt get to where you want to be because you were having to spend time on something that isnt REALLY going to benifit you in the long run.

And also...did she actually kill a horse of yours???? Or am I getting the wrong end of the stick??

S x x
 
Yeah he actually killed my pony! She delivered the fatal blow but for some bizarre reason I sometimes feel a connection with her, she behaves really well for me, think she knows I'll kill her at the drop of a hat!

She is a fab little jumper, only reason she's not still affiliated is her owners pregnancy. She'd be a good confidence giver as Ace can be so so strong over fences.

But yeah nightmare in the stable, biting, kicking out, rearing, weaving like there's no tomorrow!
 
Time may be the biggest issue-I never had enough time to do my two and was a bit relieved when the 'loaner' went back. Also, if she killed Cheyenne, why are you even contemplating this?
 
I know, why am I, I guess I want to prove to myself that she isn't an evilbitchhorse that should have been shot at birth, I want her to prove she has a use and she's not what I expect of her.. it's so weird. I honestly don't understand..

At the same time, Cheyenne was my horse of a lifetime and I would hate to disrespect his memory


AHHHH why do people offer me such things!
 
Sounds like, deep down, you've already made up your mind! I'd be wary of taking on anything else with your current commitments - never mind the emotional aspect of her having harmed your horse.
 
I wouldnt bother. I can see why it is so tempting, it would be sort of proving a point and benefit your riding into the bargain...but you have Ace, plus you have Quitus to bring on. Is it worth cutting down on the time you have to spend with them, especially Quitus, just to ride this mare that no-one else wants, and who may possibly end up hurting you?
 
I agree with Cinnamontoast. Time may be your biggest issue here. You have Ace to work and Quitus to bring on and possibly another - do you have time to ride this mare ?

I know there are no stable chores etc involved but you still have to go there, brush off, tack up, ride, untack, set fair, chat etc etc and all of that can easily eat a couple of hours of time.

A bit different if you were being paid to do it but to give up your own time with your own horses just so they can find her a loan home ? Sounds a bit more than a favour to me (sorry if am terribly cynical atm) ..
 
I totally understand the temptation though...I have done it myself when I knew I didnt really have time because lets face it, you can never have enought horses to ride and its nice to be asked. But I ended up in a right tizz and it took the enjoyment out of it for me

S x
 
I wouldn't take her on as you've already got your project and to make them the best you need to have time split three ways you wont have time for any of them, also most people pay to have a rider school and fitten their horses up
 
I'm flattered to be asked, they said I'm easily the best jumper at our yard (well I did compete international at one point!!) and that's what she's good at... I would get discount on rent for my two so instead of £220 a month it would be £180 but that's what £40 a month for 3 - 4 sessions of riding a week..

Time at the moment isn't a problem, I have nothing else but the horses, but I do start work as an architect in July and will be only riding early mornings or evenings so that could prove to be a problem, I will get free transport to all shows with any of them..

I'm thinking of myself rather than MY horses which is bad of me (bad mum say the boys) so I think I'm just gonna tell her to either up the amount they'll pay me significantly (I'm thinking one of the boys rent free) or find someone else.
 
Oh sorry didnt read the whole post, i couldnt do it personally. If another horse killed one of mine i wouldnt be able to walk in the field with it without belting it as i walked past...............
 
Ace87 said:
I'm thinking of myself rather than MY horses which is bad of me (bad mum say the boys) so I think I'm just gonna tell her to either up the amount they'll pay me significantly (I'm thinking one of the boys rent free) or find someone else.
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That sounds a good plan and also I would say that if you find it all too much when you're working you'll have to quit with her
 
That's what I've been like, she got pneumonia last summer I honestly didn't care if he lived or not - I've never felt like that about a horse before..

But I think I've got to the point in that horses kick each other, it could easily have been another horse kicking him but I saw the whole bloody thing so no chance it was anyone else! Can't stop them kicking, but I do have a bit of a problem in that my YO asked me to put him and cheeks in with the mares even though we didn't want to.. we'd run out of grass..

Sorry bit O/T there!
 
Ace87 said:
I'm flattered to be asked, they said I'm easily the best jumper at our yard (well I did compete international at one point!!) and that's what she's good at... I would get discount on rent for my two so instead of £220 a month it would be £180 but that's what £40 a month for 3 - 4 sessions of riding a week..

Time at the moment isn't a problem, I have nothing else but the horses, but I do start work as an architect in July and will be only riding early mornings or evenings so that could prove to be a problem, I will get free transport to all shows with any of them..

I'm thinking of myself rather than MY horses which is bad of me (bad mum say the boys) so I think I'm just gonna tell her to either up the amount they'll pay me significantly (I'm thinking one of the boys rent free) or find someone else.
Click to expand...

You say that your hart says no, I would go with this, I find that you always regret it when you ignore intuition, and you dont want to spread yourself to thin with your own horses. Plus it does get a lot harder when you are working.:)
 
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