Riding someone elses horse, great experience

newforest

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
31,422
16,558
113
I would recommend it, not necessarily at a school, but a friends mount that you haven't ridden before.
Today rode a lovely horse who my friend has recently bought. It made me realise a few things about my own, good points and not so good. How I could improve the not so good as I noticed it. And, to appreciate the good points that are important to me, like standing still once on and wait to be asked to move.
It let me know where I was confidence wise to get on a strange horse in a strange school and walk and trot over poles I was eyeing up the jumps as well, but its good for me not to jump just because they are set up.
 
Every time I go out with one of my mates, she insists on me having a go on her rather large but extremely well behaved cob and I always refuse.
When I restarted my riding hobby in my 50's I met a fellow wrinkly (thank you Pink Heather) who had broken many bones from riding other people's horses, so I was determined to just stick to Daisy but I can now see a benefit in having a go on others if only to show Daisy is the best :angel::wink::angel:
 
I have found our warming up to be boring, i found something that worked last session, but i found it great to warm up someone else's horse. It gave me a few other ideas.
 
I remember when Ginger was not able to be ridden and I posted about riding other peoples horses while he was out of action.

I am unsure who commented that they felt they could not ride other horses while their was not right. I added that riding others while Ginger could not be ridden helped me as it kept me in the riding mode (sometimes when you stop it is harder to get motivated to restart) and also it only helps my riding and skills.

I ride a lot of horses of horses all the time both as a reminder of how well schooled my own are and as a learning curve as other horse demand different skills.

Don't get me wrong I would rather ride my own but riding others reminders me of how well schooled my own are and also reminds me how hard riding can be on others
 
I have no plans whatsoever to ride any other horses. The only one that I may consider is my old share horse Bailey, but I'm not even very keen to get on him either. If Ben had 6 months rest for some reason, I would have 6 months off riding as well. I have always been a one person horse and I love having such a close relationship with my boy. I just have no interest in getting on something else - I know that nothing else could come close to him.
 
MP I understand what you are saying but it is not about riding something just for the sack of riding. Sometimes riding a different horse makes you realise gaps in you training or high lights things that you kind of put up with as they are your own and you love them but when another horse does not do it or does do it it makes you realise that you need to adapt as a rider. for example.

One horse I ride does not stand to me mount bit other than that is an amazingly well schooled horse but this annoys me so I demand that my boys stand. One of the others leans on the bit on the right rein to the point it hurts my shoulder so again I do not allow this. That said I let Chanter pick hie gait out hacking so he canter when he wants but to my OH who rides him this is not a good habit I have let him get away with.
 
My RI once tried to get me out of my 'one horse' attitude when I was having weekly lessons with him. I had a favorite cob who I rode for years and did everything on. No-one else liked him or wanted to ride him so the yard were thrilled when I requested him for all my lessons and the competitions they run. We just clicked in a very similar way that I did with Ben.

My RIs attempt to get me to ride different horses failed on all levels. I hated every other horse I rode (bar one who I kind of thought was OK). Each lesson that I was put on another horse was a complete disaster. My RI finally admitted defeat and just let me ride my favorite for everything. I would have given up otherwise. The only reason I looked for my own horse was that his workload was being reduced and he was eventually retired (and then PTS - but that's another story!)

I like the idea of Ben and I being in tune with each other. The only other person I ever let ride him is the head girl at the yard, and she only gets on him if my nerves are hampering me to the extent that I won't do something. In 18 months she has only ridden him 3 times. I don't want anyone else to ride him - we are a partnership and I want us to work at our goals together. I have many faults as a rider but with the help of a new RI, we are slowly improving together. Horses are like people to me. I don't let many people get very close to me, but when I do - they are very special to me.
 
Good for you NF, but have to say I completely agree with MP. I'm entirely monogamous to my lovely Flipo. I think that's because, for me, its about spending time with my boy specifically, our relationship, rather than about the riding itself.

I appreciate that riding another horse might help me improve and will have riding lessons on a steadier neddy at times to help me, but generally I'm not seeking out other horses to ride. Friend wants to put me back on her arab to show me how, but I don't want to. I love my Flipo!
 
Glad you enjoyed NF. I tend to only ride my own atm.

I do think its good too ride others though. Some few years ago now I did an NVQ 2 in horse care (included some BHS exams and riding and road safety).

It gave me the opportunity to ride loads of different horses as well as my own.

It enabled me to iron out some bad habits and learn some new techniques that I was then able to transfer and use to improve my own horses.
 
I don't have enough time even to ride my own as much as I would like - twice a week is pathetic! - but whenever I have the chance I will ride anything. I love Ziggy and riding him is so familiar and comfortable, but it's really interesting and exciting riding other horses.
 
I occasionally ride my friends 17.3 TB, he is completely different to Moët, he is nice to ride but I prefer Moët, I miss her quirks when I ride him!

I often ride Major but we have owned him 8 years so its not like he is someone else's horse!
 
I cannot ride anyone else's horses for my health and trust.

But my daughter loves to ride other horses.

It makes her realise just how nice, wonderful and kind her own is and what a bond they have :ninja: She has had him since she was 8yo and is now 19yo. The only "child" to never outgrow her pony. It is lovely to watch. She has had offers of work in Icelandic studs in Iceland but has refused. Home time is precious these days as she is at university so riding her own horse will always be a treat.

Riding other peoples' horses is ok, fun even but not the same as her own.
 
I am a one person cob and she does get jealous sometimes if I fuss boyfriend who she brings with her I might add!

But what stood out was the fact that half way on and I was already moving, I don't allow that with mine. That's personal I know some would put under manners.

I didn't feel as if this one was listening and the focus was elsewhere-actually they were looking at everything else, I don't think the ears flicked my way once. It showed me that the cob does actually listen and have focus even though I don't get what I have asked for, this is likely because she doesn't understand or just doesn't want to.

As obc says it showed up my gaps, I backed her I will have gaps. It showed my non gaps as well.
 
I thought it was part of my rider education to ride anything offered.
I have three times ridden privately owned horses - 2 from NR and one belonging to a friend in America.
It was early days of my riding and I never did any cantering on them but it was lovely every time. People say that private horses are harder to ride than RS horses. The ones I rode seemed to have much the same horse-brains. I was very grateful to the owners.
 
Not read all replies but I like riding other horses, just as you say it does point out the good and not so good points about your own horse but I just enjoy riding other horses, bit like driving other cars, which I also enjoy, some I love, some I'm indifferent too and others I really don't get on with.
Also I think it's good for us and helps put our own skill/confidence into perspective, never forget riding my old RI's Lusitano mare, super schooled and competed at medium dressage, riding her made me see that I'm not quite as bad a rider as I think.
Don't misunderstand I love Belle, she is my number one and will never be replaced I just enjoy occasionally riding something different.
 
Last time I got on a friend's horse, I congratulated myself on my own ponies and how enjoyable I find them to ride :) Some other horses I LOVE riding, some .... uh-oh, no thanks!
 
It must have done me some good because today in the school I got trot when I asked for trot. Mostly its a head toss, reluctant, wants to chat about it first. Whatever honey but we are trotting, maybe my intention, focus was more positive and not wishy washy.
I plan to have our first canter all being well next week, she definitely felt more forward and keen.
 
newrider.com