New sharer for old Rosie

juliecwuk

juliecwuk

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Mar 2, 2006
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Well I've decided that Rosie could make someone really happy....so through a friend of a friend I have someone coming to view her in the next few weeks just for part loan.

I'm very nervous about this! I could do with a bit of financial help (only thinking about £10 a week) and I think if I find the right type of person then it could work well....but I have to have strict rules:

Only solo hacking
Only walk/trot (mostly walk)
Treat reinforcement if needed rather than negative reinforcement (smacking)
Allowing to nibble grass sometimes
Mostly 30 mins hacks around local routes
No schooling
Relaxed loose rein
Also must never turn around on the spot to get home as she goes a bit loopy and joggy!

So I know with those sort of rules it's gonna be tricky to find the right person but may as well meet the lady and see!

I am the only one to have hacked Rosie solo over the last year, years ago she was really nappy, so I hope that she won't slip back into that nappiness with someone else.

Also as my friends autistic boy rides her once a week on a lead rein, i allow her to graze her way round the fields when we go on our ride so I worry she's gonna take the piss big time with a stranger...

I have a friend taking her solo on Tuesday to judge how bad she is with a stranger then I will decide whether to have this lady up to try her.

Can I have a virtual slap please cos I am worrying big time!
 
Im not going to give you a virtual slap, but I might manage a little virtual shake. Can understand your worrying though, but at the end of the day if you meet the potential sharer and get a feel for her you'll make the right decision.
I don't think your rules will make it tricky though, at the end of the day we all have rules about our horses and anyone coming to potentially share Im sure will understand that. Good luck and remember if you decide you don't want to let this lady share your horse you don't have to.
 
TBH I think there are a lot of ladies out there who might really enjoy a quiet hack under the guidelines you describe.

I have had a sharer for Ziggy and now have one for Mattie, and perhaps I have just been lucky but they have both been entirely of my way of thinking and amenable to whatever I suggest!
 
must be a thing about Rosie's - my guidelines for Rosie before she retired would have been:

so long as she is putting one foot in front of another (even if she is moving like a drunken camel) accept and wait till she gets tired of it - within 15 minutes of leaving the yard she will finally accept the inevitable and go with relatively good grace

if she stops and does not go forward, wop her gently till she gets bored - this may take 10 minutes but just sit calmly and wait till she moves on - sing a song if you are bored

beware low branches, she can spot them a mile off

beware downhills as she can spot an opportunity to put head down and you find no horse in front of you

if you pass other horses going the opposite directions, expect an about turn sharply within 50 yards - turn her back

allow her to make choices at crossroads and pick the way she wants to go unless you really need to go the other way

never be afraid of any vehicle or obstacle if you are having a discussion about moving forwards - she is oblivious to anything other than your own private disagreement - a pheasant flying into her nose will provoke a mild headshake

praise her for all her good choices and remain silent on her less good ones - only correct the really bad ones

do not allow to graze hedgerows as yew trees may be lurking in them

if she is headshaking believe her that it is genuine even though she has been known to have an attack to avoid working

at all times remember she is a cunning cob and may add to this list.
 
Sounds similar to my share. But there are some big differences.

I have some questions.
Hacking solo only
It so happens that I do hack solo virtually all the time. But if I meet someone else locally, e.g. a lady with an equally elderly pony, we do sometimes ride a little way together. People who hack in any limited local area get to know each other, first by sight and then chatting. If I meet a livery from our yard on their posh young horse we may well ride a little way together too. Another day I was asked to accompany a child - not a success - but as a sharer I wouldnt want a share which forbade me to ride with another person.
Nibbling grass
I would want to know why the owner wanted to allow this? Like how is the horse kept? And whether leading out to grass in hand might be better?
Not turning
I wouldnt feel safe to hack a horse over which I had so little control that if I had to turn on the spot, it might set off for home. Police car or some danger ahead (like someone else's horse bronking on the common and charging about) might make it safer to turn away.

Rather than set out rules, my owner set out the health requirements of the horse (horse and me being old both vary in energy from day to day) and left it to my discretion. I am trusted to be careful with the horse. But the ultimate control is with me.
You mention napping and your fears that discipline will slip. One could predict that it will unless you allow your sharer to ride with total authority over the horse.
My way of control is very different from the owners - like if the horse is napping, I will turn endlessly rather than shorten up the reins and kick on.
But a horse that I was asked to ride always on a long rein and not to turn? Big problem for this old lady rider.
I would want to know too what you mean by no schooling? Even riding in walk only bringing the horse back into work, I expect the horse to heed me - To alter the speed or the walk, to do transitions or go from side to side of the track.
Riding out in a public place on a horse demands that the rider have as much control of the horse as you would have of a motor car. This is Richard Maxwell's advice. Check brakes, steering and acceleration. But in the end the person riding, especially riding solo, has to be in charge of the animal and responsible for the safety of everyone concerned including the animal.

I would meet this lady and see how you get on with her and find out how she rides. If you trust her, then trust her to go out alone with your horse. But dont put her in a situation where you havent allowed her the freedom to ride safely.

You mention your worry that the horse might not accept being ridden by another person? And trying her with your friend. Owners often imagine there is a problem. But horses learn very quickly and good riders teach them - The problem is not with a different rider but in imagining that any two people can ride in an identical manner. We each have a unique way of riding - like handwriting, it is distinctive. This lady will not ride like a carbon copy of you. No sharer ever will.

It has been my owner's great gift to me - to treat me as the elderly, careful, Rashid-orientated rider I am. To give me adult responsibility for riding her beloved horse. And let me get on with it. Sadly yes, I may need to look for a new share, if my old horse is finally retired. But I couldnt cope with an owner who was trying to ride their horse by proxy.

Loopy and joggy
I havent a solution for this in an elderly horse. In her youth, my share horse was known to run away with riders. She has twice with me over the sharing years (in spite of my best efforts) turned tail without warning and fled in a wild canter. On one occasion it was when she was unfit and not supposed to be cantering at all. She is a totally safe horse - no bucking or rearing. But with due respect, safest horse in the world may spook and flee. The horse isnt being loopy - it is only behaving as horses do. And if it happens you shouldnt blame your sharer. Calming a joggy horse is part of the skill of knowing how to hack. And so is controlling and surviving the loopy flight if it happens.
 
Wow they must be long lost sisters! EVERYTHING u describe is my Rosie (except the head shaking!)

I have got her sussed, if she won't go then sit and wait until she offers to go then tap her and give her a treat. If u r on a busy road and cannot risk sitting there then use the crop to annoy her either side, not for force.

The biggest thing I think I may struggle with is making sure they are open to treat reinforcement, it's not exactly traditional!
 
Skib, some interesting comments and advise there thanks :) - ultimately if someone doesn't like my loan terms or parts of it then they don't have to contact me.

They are there for specific reasons for not turning on the spot. Rosie is innately a nappy horse, she hasn't napped for me for a year BUT too much turning on the spot in hacks brings that out in her. I do not (for my or a loaners benefit) want Rosie developing that again. We are fortunate that we have at least 10 small routes of under 40 mins which are loops so no real need to turn on the spot anyway :) If Rosie turns on the spot she gets seriously joggy, now the reason I suggest not to is because this is a completely different Rosie, chances are the person who is loaning the ploddy Rosie isn't going to want a joggy Rosie. The reason Rosie jogs is excitement to get back home, i can't blame Rosie for that lol!

Solo - similar reason, too much company hacking means she gets nappy solo and gets too used to following (she's usually too slow to lead). I've been hacking out for years in my area and have not seen regulars which I have got to know etc so think chances are slim. However of that arises then can cross that hurdle. Rosie is not or has never been the type to be able to split from a hacking buddy so I would strongly advise them not to attempt that. Most people on our yard want to canter or hack far, Rosie just can't do that, hence me outwardly saying for solo hacks only. Obviously I can hack with them or suggest suitable buddies who don't hack far or canter but ultimately I want them to be comfortable hacking solo.

Don't get me wrong I am happy for Rosie to retire but she seems to enjoy her walks so I'm thinking it might improve her life. If however I have proper doubts about it improving her life then that's the end of that idea!

Nibbling grass - gonna judge this later. I don't tend to let her but I need to judge what the person is like and what Rosie does. Sometimes when me friends daughter has ridden her she takes the piss big time, I've found not to allow her is the best, but will figure this out when I see people ride her :)
 
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Well I took her out solo yesterday on a strange route into the village, figured it would be the best test as going a strange route can bring out her nappiness, we didn't have any planting so that's fab, whether she would for a stranger - possibly...through the spooky village I had to encourage a bit more with my leg but tbf she didn't actually nap or spin, so pretty good :) oh she was joggy when back on fields though towards home, one day before full retirement I'll let her have a canter :) not sure if a loaner would be happy with the jogging though, tbh I ride on the buckle so when she jogs I lift the reins and say walk, only need to repeat this a few times and she doesn't jog, but I never feel nervous on her.

Today I let her choose which route up/down hill, she chose up, then at the cross roads she chose left, then right which brought is round in a loop. She was pretty awesome today too, a bit more forward going out, a little bit joggy on way back but tbh I really think the flies had got the better of her.

Is it REALLY sad for me to admit on the way back today I had a tear in my eye! To think she would never go solo before and now she seems to quite enjoy it....I am so lucky to have had her as my first horse, I learnt so much in the early days, I'm glad I can offer her a home for life.

I started day dreaming about part loaning Moët instead in the future when I'm pregnant which I'm sure will happen one day and then keeping Rosie for myself, I do love our little plods :)

Forgot the point of my update - she didn't snatch at grass at all so I'll be able to tell a loaner to decide themselves if they let her nibble or not, I usually don't allow and just reward any forward motion with treats.

My friend attempting to take her solo tomorrow so I'm keen to see how that goes as to whether i have anyone come to try her (i have had three people message me about the loan already!)
 
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She sounds lovely !!! I am sure you will find a good loaner. She sounds a good sort! If the jogging is stopped easily then even a nervous nelly like me could manage her!
 
I have some pics on my phone

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1343157957.421133.jpg

With my friends autistic boy:
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1343157978.109783.jpg

With my friends little boy:
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1343158086.022059.jpg

In her sweet itch attire!
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1343158124.270169.jpg

With my friends daughter who learnt to ride on her years ago!
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1343158175.760886.jpg
 
ok so today was the day she went around the fields with my friend riding her....no real napping, some really slow walking on the way out apparently, but once in the second field walked a bit faster, on the way home jogged a little but walked when told.....

Now i have 4 people interested.....one is a touch heavy i think so i may not invite her up to meet Rosie, but the other 3 - do i have each one out and then make a decision, or choose my fave from their descriptions and then only have the one i prefer and then move on to the next if the first one not suitable?
 
Have them each out. People talk a good talk, but Rosie will decide who she likes best. Horses have a real innate sense about people.
 
i have decided not to have the 'friend of a friend' out to try rosie - tbh the 'friend' isn't really my cup of tea with regards to horses, a bit too traditional and i worry she would influence her friend too much.

i have a lady coming out tomorrow, she's 28, 12st10 (which is a bit heavier than i wanted really, but not too heavy for Rosie). Think she hasn't ridden for about 15 years, she says she wasn't a novice though and just wants to get back into horses whilst the kids are in school. I have specified for the first few hacks i will be there to walk, to teach her the routes and suss her/rosie out, but after that she's on her own.

I took rosie out again solo this morning for a little one, she was super as always for me, i do worry she will take the pi*s out of someone more rusty than me, or just nap....will find out on their first totally solo hack.

The other lady is 14st so a bit too heavy really for my liking, she's also been riding her friends horse so i suspect rosie/her wouldn't really match.

The fourth lady has only been riding a year in walk/trot only, i worry she is too novicey but will have her out if i don't like the lady tomorrow :)

i am still hunting for a retired 60year old though lol
 
i know what you mean about nappy cobs taking the proverbial with someone who isn't one step ahead of them, my rose won't know play up with me, but with someone who lets her slop along she would just have this innocent what you really expect me to go down there, oh i couldn't possibly, let's turn around under that nice low branch or shall we go down that steep hill with my nose on the ground as i break into trot....
 
agree D&T. My friend took her solo the other day. Rosie did stop but didnt nap if you know what i mean?! she stopped and said please Sally lets go right as its shorter, Sally applied leg and she walked on fine, but sally is def not nervous/novice, and knows what she wants but isn't heavy handed with the whip etc. Mind you Rosie has bucked sally off in the past lol! we shall see tomorrow, i suspect the lady may be too rusty....
 
exactly, you don't need to hit them, you just bore them into submission. i have sat with rosie for 20 minutes gently wopping her till she put one foot ahead of the other, then praised her for going forward, with her it is simply refusing to give into her, also not taking her on and arguing, just saying, ok if you want to stand here all day, that's fine, but once you get tired of it you are still going on that hack.

but also if she is in a shit mood taking her the easy quick options as well

pick your fights.

she was a great riding horse, very game, very bold, fearless, i am sad she is retired as we had many a laugh at her antics in evasion
 
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