At 17:39:30 on 05.02.12, bee20 wrote:
Was wondering what people feel about having several riders ride a horse or pony. I have been critisised for allowing my daughter and a friend to ride my pony. Yes, in an ideal world it probably is better just to have only one rider on her, but unfortunately we can't all afford to have several horses and neither have the time to keep a pony fully fit on our own. I really don't think it has done her any harm, we are all similar weight height and level. What do other people think ?

At 18:06:47 on 05.02.12, OffTheTrack wrote:
I'd say it's good for her :) just as a human needs to try lots of different horses to gain experience, a horse needs to try lots of different humans. If only one person ever rode her, she would get used to it, then when she was given a new rider, she wouldn't understand. I suppose it's like driving the same car for 15 years and then somebody expects you to get in a completely different one and drive away. You can't do it, it takes time to adjust. But the more frequently you change car, the more used to different types of car you become and the easier it is to adapt to a new one. So, in my opinion, it's quite to the contrary- it's good for her! x

At 00:00:05 on 06.02.12, JessAndGrenville123 wrote:
I think it depends on the horse lol riding school ponies are good at teaching lots of different people to ride and adapt their behaviour to suit the level of rider they carry whereas grenville hates having people he dislikes ride him, he is not keen on the idea of anyone but me riding him but if he likes you chances are he will behave reasonably well for you. Myself, my sister, my mum and a few of my friends have rode him and he is very good with me (most of the time) and ok with some and then other he will just be a complete and utter grouch and shut down, he is very much a mummy's boy and a one person kind of horse and my cousin rides him quite often, so does my sister and we are all completely different in the way we ride but he is quite happy with us three riding him, he looks after my sister who has been riding a long time but stopped and started so she is still quite a beginner, he tests my cousin who is jumping etc but needs to learn how to get him to work after getting used to school ponies and he is just himself with me. We are also very different in height, weight and build. However when my friend got on him once grenville hated it but he hates him anyway, when he comes to the stable to talk to me grenville will go out of his way to kick or bite him. Gren doesn't like many people but the people he likes seem to be the non horsey people or the people taught by me how to behave around him but everyone else he hates :P... I am off subject now lol basically i would say if your horse is happy to have different riders it is good :)

At 02:14:01 on 06.02.12, kibby wrote:
I would say if this is your pleasure horse that is really just for enjoying and riding then it's fine for a few others to ride. But with my competition horses the only other person who rides them is my instructor. Because I don't want any aids getting confused when in the ring. But as for my older mare who has been retired from jumping, I let friends and family ride her. So basically if it doesn't effect your riding the horse doesn't mind it then go for it :)

At 09:07:45 on 06.02.12, Flicka wrote:
People love to criticize don't they!! It really depends on the horse-some don't get confused by different riders and are far more forgiving. My husband and I share Farlow and we've also let friends hunt him and there hasn't been a problem. He's a quirky one though and I know when not to let other people ride him. My husband has also hunted Millie and its been really good for her. He rides totally differently to me (he doesn't do dressage lol)but I've been surprised that when I take Millie back in the school a few days after he's galloped her around hell for leather, she goes back to her flatwork in the school really nicely- it doesn't take her long to remember what I want. Also if you are into showing it's really important that different people can ride your horse. That's where lots of people lose out, when the judge gets on! I understand riders in other competitive sports where the horse is fine tuned to their aids as Kibby's are, not wanting to have other people ride them. But I think if it were just a case of hacking out it wouldn't be a problem it's when two different people ask that horse to jump a four foot fence and both ride differently it can cause confusion. Most horses though are far more adaptable than we like to think. I'm sure you're not harming your pony-share the love I say!!

At 11:09:10 on 06.02.12, JaymeeLS wrote:
I can't see how it would cause any horse or pony harm at all. Yeah some may be a 'one person' type of horse, but most aren't. Like Flicka said, the only real disadvantage would be that of the rider who's competition focused and wants their horse finely tuned to their own aids to avoid confusion. If you're not into serious competing, just brush all of those silly remarks off. He's your pony, you take care of him, he's happy and healthy, why do people have to stick their nose in over something so unimportant?

At 18:18:23 on 06.02.12, Dazzle wrote:
Not sure how you are supposed to learn to ride, do these people expect everyone to buy a horse to learn on? How ridiculous, do not listen bee20, stick your fingers in your ears. I am more than happy for people who I teach to have a lesson on Hector to get a feeling for half pass, piaffe. It certainly does him no harm - anything for a carrot!

At 20:48:41 on 06.02.12, bee20 wrote:
I must say I was most put out when I heard that someone at our yard was saying these things. Pepsi is a 13.1hh Welsh pony, we mainly just have fun on her, no serious competing. She's not a childs pony as can be quite cheeky but all 3 of us are perfectly capable of coping with any naughtiness and all make sure she isn't given an inch or she will take a mile ! I'm just pleased that other people can enjoy her as much as I do and keep her fully fit. Thank you all for your comments, they reassure me that there are other people who agree with me.

At 04:16:06 on 07.02.12, noneotherthan01 wrote:
Horses are for everyone to enjoy... skilled or not. Simple as that.

At 07:51:05 on 07.02.12, horse luva 4 eva wrote:
It doesn't really matter to me really. If your horse was a competition horse than it'd probably matter, but if the horse is just really to be having fun on, whats the harm?