# Other people riding your horse



## KiwiRyder (Aug 14, 2008)

Well I have had my horse since Feb he is OTTB and have just started to get him going well, after injuries & winter. I have been dying to have a video of me riding him or see someone else ride him. So I asked one of the girls at my grazing to ride him, lets just say he didn't go so well for her. Went hollow, fought the bit the whole way & wouldn't even canter on the right lead. I still have moments with leads & even accepting the bit but certainly goes better than that for me. One of the other girls I ride with couldn't believe it was Mel in her words a very unhappy Mel hehe
What sort of experiences have you guys had with other people riding your horses? I thought it was a good idea but not so much now her hands were too hard for him
I have asked a friends daughter to come ride him cause I know from riding her horse that she will be the right rider so I can watch his movement etc


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## 4EverPainted (Jul 18, 2008)

No one else can ride my horse, lol. Since i was mostly the one who did his training and all that, he won't even move for anyone else, not even my twin sister, i think it is just they are so used to you riding them, anybody else is too different.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Yeah, same here. When I had Lexi, nobody else but me could really ride her. If someone else did, they'd have to be very advanced, & patient. Like, when I watched other people ride her (like friends sometimes)- she'd be a totally different horse! :shock: She was more of a one-person horse, I guess you could say. But yeah, now with her new owner it's still the same (her new owner is a very good rider! they are doing soo well)- only she can ride her (& me of course).


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## moomoo (Feb 21, 2007)

I hate having other people ride moo :evil: she is mine and i am greedy :twisted: she gets really moody if my sister grooms her :lol: but she is _usually_ ok when others ride her  atleast in walk/trot on hacks


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## moomoo (Feb 21, 2007)

lol poptartshop  moo is a one man pony to me, she wont let the BO near her with the clippers but I can do her face


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

My horse is trained only by me.

I have had a girl show him in the hunter/jumper over the last two years and winning Champion hunter over fences as well as winning in jumper.

Yesterday my rider got sick early in the morning and could not ride in a show he was entered in so another girl at the barn who never rode him before hopped on him at the show and got two hunter over fences placings on him.

Good training produces a ridable horse.


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## KiwiRyder (Aug 14, 2008)

Spyder said:


> Good training produces a ridable horse.


Oh I agree but bad riding ie/ hard hands is something a horse with soft mouth is going to react to no matter what training is done.

Plus this is the first person I have seen ride my horse since owning him, I knew him well racing I was part of his breaking in & race training. During that time I only ever saw one other track rider ride him & 2 jockeys. So Mel really has only had about 6 different people on his back


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

No one rides my horses. My trainer and I are the only ones to get on my horse. When it gets to the point where I want to take someone out on a trail ride and I the horse I let this person ride, I want to make sure he/she is trained enough to not rely on the rider and that won't be for yearssss to come.

So as of right now? no one gets near me horses without me there, no one gets on my horses.


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## myboydoc (May 12, 2008)

PoptartShop said:


> Yeah, same here. When I had Lexi, nobody else but me could really ride her. If someone else did, they'd have to be very advanced, & patient. Like, when I watched other people ride her (like friends sometimes)- she'd be a totally different horse! :shock: She was more of a one-person horse, I guess you could say. But yeah, now with her new owner it's still the same (her new owner is a very good rider! they are doing soo well)- only she can ride her (& me of course).


you sold her! when! I didn't know that! do you have a new horse?


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## Pinto Pony (Jul 28, 2008)

With Kai anyone could trail ride him, he is a great little trail leader, just drop the reins and he will walk and trot on the trail great. But as far as riding him in the arena and making him work, I am the only person who he works for. I was trying to get my mum going on him for when I am away but, didn't work. Kai and I are on the same level, we must have some special connection, I have had him for over 10 years... I think it must be the way I ride, and have trained him too, he was the only horses I was riding for a long while. I don't trust him with other people in the arena but on the trail I would.

Then when Com became mine as well, he used to be my sisters, We clicked pretty well straight from the start, but he is such a different ride to Kai. With my students, it takes at least 2 lessons for them to click with Com. He can be a little moody with people who only "think" they know what they are doing but he is a great teacher. He usually puts riders in their place and builds confidence  I can trust Com to test his rider, and be a safe mount  But I also see he appreciates when he has a rider who knows what they are doing.


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## horsey*kisses (May 12, 2008)

i usually am the only person who rides my horse sometimes my cousin will ask to ride him, he doesnt like it but he doesnt do anything different, e puts his ears back and does whatever she tells him too but i can tell he doesnt like it lol


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I have one horse that I never let anyone ride. I've had him since he was 3 and he's 24 now. I wish I had, because now he's so picky other people can't really ride him, he completely ignores their commands. he's a jerk to them... I think it's important for a rider to be able to ride many different horses, and for a horse to be able to be ridden by many riders.....


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## KiwiRyder (Aug 14, 2008)

farmpony84 said:


> I think it's important for a rider to be able to ride many different horses, and for a horse to be able to be ridden by many riders.....


Good point


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## o0hawaiigirl0o (Aug 8, 2008)

I will let the more intermediate/advanced riders ride my horse(like when I go on vacation or if I can't ride that day). We don't have many of those kind of riders at our barn though.  But since I'm usually her only rider, she doesn't go as well for them. And then both of my trainers can ride her, of course. If I'm taking horses out to pasture, I'll let little kids ride Miss Take out bareback in her halter because I know she's perfect for that.
She'll do okay if I beginner gets on her, as long as they're calm, but she'll look ugly with her head up in the air and short, choppy gaits. I don't want her untrained, so that's why I don't let beginners ride her.


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## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

With Chloe I let anyone ride her... i wont let just anyone ride with the show bit but I will throw a snaffle in and she is good to go. Im not afraid of her being "ruined" since she is 14 already and listens to me like none other (owned her for almost 10 yrs)... i lease her out and when the other girl is showing her I have to walk back from the arena otherwise Chloe wants to be by me.... I dont let just anyone drive her though, too many things can happen there and i dont want the driver or Chloe getting hurt. If Im in the cart with them I will hand over the reins but Im always right there.

With April only 4 people have been on her.... the guy I bought her from, Me, another trainer, and a girl at my last barn. When I had my gallbladder surgery I paid a girl to ride her a few times so that she wouldnt lose her conditioning... but this girl knew what she was doing so i wasnt worried. With April she likes to pull things and I dont want anyone to get hurt.


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

My goal is to teach my horses to be able to be ridden by any kind of rider. Granted I only buy horses to sell them and I specialize in ponies so there's a very good chance they'll be bought by beginner kids. I actually ask the more advanced kids at my barn to get on my horses and ride them around so they'll get some kid experience but I've even let a few beginners on a well. The way I see if, if some beginner can get on and flop around and my ponies still pack them around, it tells me I'm doing my job! But I do have to say, it hurts me twice as much if someone accidentally hits him in the mouth over the fence or something!


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## FledgeOfNarnia (Apr 18, 2008)

I only let people I completely trust ride my horses, and only those who know horses . . .because my horses get naughty and take advantage of a new rider. :x :lol:


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## JetLagaside (Sep 12, 2008)

I'm very very picky with my young mare  so far there have been only 4 people on her and ones that I trust like my trainer. It's nice to have a horse that "anyone" can get on but on the other hand I don't have to say no to anyone because everyone knows I don't let people ride her. I actually had to stop letting my step son ride because she was learning really bad things in a very short period of time from him


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## claireauriga (Jun 24, 2008)

Sloppy riders can make your horse less responsive and train them into bad habits, sure. That's why it's unwise to let just anyone ride your horse. But a well-trained horse should be _capable_ of being ridden by anyone, as appropriate to their level. Obviously a beginner is not going to be leg yielding on them, but the horse should be capable of listening to a beginner as well, even if you wouldn't let one ride him regularly as it would mess up his training.

Obviously there are differences when it comes to hot-tempered or superb, top-level horses, who for example might not understand a beginner's instructions to canter because they're used to more sophisticated aids. But for the average horse, you should be capable of putting people with varying experience on them for a short while.


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

claireauriga said:


> Sloppy riders can make your horse less responsive and train them into bad habits, sure. That's why it's unwise to let just anyone ride your horse. But a well-trained horse should be _capable_ of being ridden by anyone, as appropriate to their level. Obviously a beginner is not going to be leg yielding on them, but the horse should be capable of listening to a beginner as well, even if you wouldn't let one ride him regularly as it would mess up his training.
> 
> Obviously there are differences when it comes to hot-tempered or superb, top-level horses, who for example might not understand a beginner's instructions to canter because they're used to more sophisticated aids. But for the average horse, you should be capable of putting people with varying experience on them for a short while.


I agree as I have already stated. My horse is actually extremely well trained. He is capalbe of jumping over 4' and is trained well into FEI dressage but as you can see by these pictures he has more than capaple of accepting a new rider.

This rider has NEVER ridden him before but my regular rider got sick on the morning of the show and the other girl in the barn just hopped on at the show grounds and did some hunter rounds. Certainly is good advertising for his abilities and good stallion temperment.


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## .A.j. (Aug 29, 2007)

He's gorgeous Spyder!!

I'm really picky about who gets on my horse unless its a little walk around the ring with me walking beside. Simply because he's not "bombproof" and I don't want him or the rider getting hurt.

He's nervous about not knowing what to do and if anyone but me or my coach gets on his back he get very ansy.

But it's something we'll work on soon.


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## whitetrashwarmblood (Aug 24, 2008)

my horses can be and have been ridden by other people
i just don't like them to be :lol: 
playboy used to be a trail horse for the place i work at, so he's pretty safe
But athena, even thought she's an awesome trail horse, is a speed demon and has a mind of her own. If you don't know how to control her she's known for taking advantage of others. lol


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## *ArabianPrincess* (Nov 8, 2006)

I wont let anyone ride my horse.
I have worked to hard to long for someone to come along and ruin it all. In saying that i have let people ride my horse before it resulting in them screwing him up and i having to start again (what a fantastic learning curve), One person rode him see saw'd to get his head down and made him flick his head all the time.

He's fine now, but never again will someone ride him.


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## PG'sGal4ever (Sep 25, 2008)

i'll let anyone RIde My horses, When My non-horse freinds come over I make them ride with me lol , its soo funny I'll have to dig up some pictures :lol:


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I think from a training point of view it's probably better to have you horse be ridden by different people so they get used to different styles and ways of riding.
I think my issue is how protective I am of my horses. I have issues with a lot of other rider's ways of riding and it bothers me when I know I have spent so much time and money into a horse to get it to where it is. Seems like a waste to have someone else get on and wreck what I've done.

I like my boy.


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## jeddah31 (Jun 11, 2008)

I think it's important for a horse to be able to carry more than one rider. If for some reason, you ever needed to sel the horse, no one would ever buy it if only you could ride it. And it that case it's probably because you've taught it in correctly so it can't respond to basic aids. (This depends obviously on the rider who gets on the horses level of riding)


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## lizzie_magic (Sep 18, 2008)

My horse is not at all sutable for beginners and he is not quiet. I do let other people ride him but only people I know can ride well enough. If I hadn't seen them ride or I didn't think they were good enough I wouldn't let them ride him.


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## TwendeHaraka (Oct 5, 2008)

I used to have a friend who rode and had her own horse, and I let her get on my horse once and she couldn't do anything with him. My mom can get on and make him do what she asks to an extent. My trainer can make him do whatever he wants him to, but that's about it. My best friend comes out sometimes and gets on and walks him around, and he listens all right after I've ridden him.

But really, the only ones he'll listen completely are my trainer and I. The girl I used to be friends with was turned off to him after the first time she rode him because she couldn't make him do what she wanted.

He's not a beginner's horse at all.


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## SkylarkandWinnie (Aug 28, 2008)

I don't let many other people ride Winnie. One of my friends who is 10x a better rider than me can get on her, and my mother has the option to get on her (but for some reason believes she's a fire breathing dragon...really she's not bad just quick).

an "instructor" got on her and needless to say I'm not taking lessons from that lady again. she could barley get Winnie to trot (haha winnie kept gaiting, come on when that horse was a lesson horse the beginner that (should not have been riding her because she more an intermediate horse) got on her could get her to trot!) , and when she did Winnie was bracing her and racing (not to mention I don't really think this lady was a very good rider). She was making me ride her with alot of contact when we had done been riding on a loose rein and some light contact for god only knows how long and I've spent the last few weeks cleaning up the mess. Now were almost back to where we were before the month of disaster....So usually no, unless I know their riding ability or there better than me/family, they don't TOUCH my horse. End of story.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

I'll let people ride my horse as long as I'm there to watch to make sure they don't do something to hurt him, themselves, or ruin him.
There has been one girl that I know of that I would not let ride him, but thankfulllllly I don't have to see her anymore. She was sooo POed when I wouldn't let her ride him.

But as long as I'm there, I'm okay with most people riding him. Sonny for the most part is fairly sane.


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

Both my horses are ridden by whoever in lessons or at shows with the trainer. My gelding is even half leased (so he is ridden by her without my trainer). I think it's good for them, which is why I let my mom trot around on Herbie even though she is kind of a beginner. My gelding is really only picky about jumping. With Nani anyone can hop on and walk, trot, canter, and jump.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I haven't had my horse very long but I'm the only one who has ridden her lately. Before I was dedicated to really keeping her, I let a girl ride her who had passable riding skills. My mare ran off with this girl and bucked her off. :shock:
Since then the only other people who have ridden her are my trainer, my trainers daughter, and myself.
I wish she wasn't so "special" but I suppose she is and I'm just kinda going with it. Hopefully she will become more accepting of other riders as time goes on.


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

I don't let people ride my horse..
But .Delete. rode my horse one time because she wanted to feel her jog and man let me tell you what you learn a lot about your horse by watching someone else ride it.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

If I'm not riding with them, we only let more experienced trail riders take them out. Our mares are very responsive and light in the mouth and with the leg, and a lot of people tend to kick and be very tight in the mouth when they ride (and wonder my our mares don't like that).


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

i used to be really against letting anyone ride my horses.

but now i really don't mind -- gives you a pretty good idea of how you are doing


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

I want people to be able to ride my horse, I mean whats the point of having a barn full of horses that no one can ride? Yah there are some horses that you dont want a novice to climb on and ruin all your hard work. But I think its good to have horses well rounded and use to many people riding them. (jmo)


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## equineangel91 (Oct 8, 2008)

When i first got dusty i wanted to lease him. however I very quickly changed my mind. No one else ever ever ever rides my horse lol Not only do i not want this because it could potentially interfere with his training....but I dont like the idea of someone riding him wrong. Plus...he has never allowed it. My friend tried to ride him once....and there was no having it. He tried to throw her, bucked, refused to liste, stood dead still and would not move, went where he pleased, ate etc. He was not having that lol however whenever i get on he's an angel ha! another girl at my barn tried to ride him once too....and the same occured. SO we've determined...he's a ONE GIRL HORSE LOL


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

When I only had Vega, i wouldn't let anyone ride her. She was too green and I was the most experienced rider that could handle her (out of my family)
I did have my niece ride her (only a pony ride) and me, my FIL and fiance all were there by her side (i was leading and they were on either side)

My fiance did ride Vega and I didn't mind. They did so well together.
I haven't had anyone else want to ride any of the horses. 
My mom has talked about coming up and riding and I would like to do that. She'll have choice of whatever horse she wants.

I do remember reading this a while ago and thinking "I wouldn't want someone else riding *my* horse" but now that i've had a lot of time to think about it, I feel it would be good for the horse (though that depends on the training level of the horse)


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## Ottakee (Sep 26, 2008)

I let others ride my horse but only those that are better riders than I am who I know and trust.

My friend where I board my horse is allowed to ride him when she wants (only took me up on it 3-4 times though) as she is a very good rider, he knows her, she knows him, and we agree on riding styles, etc.

My riding instructor will often ride him for 5-10 minutes at each lesson to help me figure out his cues, what he knows, doesn't know, etc. as I am a beginning rider.

I will let my girls ride my guy but only in a round pen with an adult there. He is good but fast so I want them closely supervised.

I don't let just anyone ride him. I would be very afraid of something happening, someone jerking on his mouth, etc.

I did let my riding instructor's 14dd ride him 2 weeks ago to run him and see how he did. She is a very good rider---but I still made her wear a helmet on my horse


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## Kura (Nov 16, 2008)

I'm very choosy about who gets to ride my horse...So was his previous owner, so I hear. He's very picky himself, so it's not like I don't have a foundation for this. In the right hands, he can do whatever you want, but I've seen him with his nose in the air and his back hollow from the one time I let a friend ride him, and it was not a pleasant sight. Apart from her, trainers have been the only other people who've ridden him. I'll probably let another one of my friends ride him soon, because she asked, but she's been riding longer than I have, so I feel he'll do fine with her.
I guess I'm so protective of Frosty because of how much training I've put into him. It makes me nervous to even think about someone inexperienced riding him, because I know he tends to test people (nothing serious, don't worry), and I don't want someone to get hurt or frightened and then upset him more and it just become some huge mess. Maybe I'm paranoid, I dunno.


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## QtrHorse (Oct 13, 2008)

If I was doing competition I would probably not let anyone ride who was inexperienced due to the time, energy and expensive put into the preparation process. However, right now I love to have other people ride our 2 horses. My 8 yr. QH mare came to us just out being trained for NRHA competition. She was highstrung and all she knew was to work, work, work (I don't think she liked being part of the "competition production line"). She'd never been out of the arena. No trailriding or fun and games. She had no pleasure in her life. If brings a big smile to me that now I can see her having fun in all aspects of her life. She has the ability to size up a new rider before they even put their foot in the stirrup She knows if they are experienced or have never been on a horse before in their life. This past year she has had classes of school kids, my kids friends, a Scouting group and some of my adult friends who are "fraidy cats".
I do keep them limited to the arena and the ride accompanied with a light snaffle or just the halter. However, the most important part is they are all having fun and learning about horses while she is learning about people.
Our other QH gelding spent 7 years as a lesson horse and he goes with anyone who comes to ride with us. He is a super trail horse and teacher.
Here is "Lady" with some Scouts in our arena.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

I am paranoid about having anyone else ride my pony, particularly because the fact that she's a pony draws kids or inexperienced adults. Everyone assumes that a cute pony will be a great ride.

I know what you mean about the fact that your QH mare didn't know anything but work. It was practically the same with my pony. She was bitter and burnt out on being the cute eventing pony for a preteen girl, mostly because the girl rode her with iron hard hands and "locked down" on her face as they went over jumps. This caused her to start rushing the jumps, even rearing at some times.

It has taken me several years to get her going nicely and happily again. There was certainly a huge improvement just within the first month or two of getting her when she discovered how light my hand was, but we had a lot of work to do. Namely, she was very heavy and unbalanced on the left lead. The left lead had always been her weaker side and it still is, but the girl who had her exacerbated it hugely by keeping constant pressure on the left rein.

My pony and I are doing wonderfully now, but college is quickly approaching and my sister probably won't have enough time to work with her consistently. I may end up having to let someone else ride her... but I might scare them all away with my protectiveness before they even get a chance. >.<

Ah well, come what may... I trust her to dump any bad riders on their bums in the dirt.


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