# Do you let other people ride your horses?



## BarrelRacer86 (Jul 6, 2010)

From reading other threads, being on other forums, and some people around the barn I get the feeling not many people do.

Pretty much all of my horsey friends have ridden my horses, and I've ridden theirs as well. I've let beginers ride my mare and gelding. Kids have gotten on my mare and walked her out for me (helmet included). I usually stick a hack on my mare when i put a beginer on her, and just tell them to keep their hands low by her neck. Patty(mare) and Brady(gelding) both neck rein, and Brady is a big babysitter. Even Patty turns into a babysitter with other riders. Now I won't let people run Patty through the barrels, I have some but it's not a common thing. Brady on the other hand, I plan to give lessons on him he's an old very finished horse that would take alot to ever ruin. My colt, Eightysix, is a bit different. He's only 3, It's either me or my mom on him, or once my boyfriend whose ridden his whole life. Not that I don't trust him, he's pretty laid back and broke, he's just my colt and not everyone can ride a colt without creating bad habits.

Just my thoughts on the matter. I like knowing that anyone can ride and handle my horses, and if I ever decide to sell one I have that knowledge. So what are your opinions?


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## BFFofHorses (Jan 29, 2010)

I don't mind people riding my experianced mare, doesn't matter how bad of riders they are she is fine!! My mare that has some issues though, I am very picky about. First because she is super sensetive and I don't want someone on her that isn't a good rider. She does not need to be undone, still has too far to go to start over! Also she sometimes buck- so I don't want anyone to get hurt, and spooks at the most random times- by spook I mean either stop suddenly, or jump sideways five feet. Either way someon could get hurt. So, for me- it depends on the horse and the person.


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

Nope. They will screw her up! Only me! She isn't going anywhere anyway.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

At this point pretty much no one else touches my horse, because I'm working on training her, and as quick a learner as she is, and as sensitive as she is, I don't want someone teaching her something in a completely different manner than what I'm working with her on. I used to switch horses with friends years ago, except for the fact that no one wanted to ride my Thoroughbred lol, and I had no problems with it, but we were all in lessons by the same trainer, my horse's were well trained, and not as apt to pick up bad habits ect. I do want someone to start working my mare a little just so I can feel comfortable knowing she'll listen to someone else, and not be a pain, but for right now, I'm the only one working with her.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

My 22yo and my 5yo have been ridden by others. The older guy anyone can get on, but only good riders I let on the 5yo. 

I'm the only person to have ever ridden my mare, I'm not ready to share ! The first person I would let on her is my twin sis lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DunOverIt (Dec 14, 2010)

Depends on the horse.. the forgiving steady eddies are ok. Otherwise, no.


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## BarrelRacer86 (Jul 6, 2010)

I suppose I should mention that everyone rides with me or my mom around. Nobody's riding my horses when I'm not there, and their just riding. Going in a circle, walking, trotting, cantering.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Only if I am completely confident they can handle them. I'll let anyone on Arthur, provided they're not too heavy for him to comfortably carry, because he's the best horse in the world and is the perfect kid/beginner boy.

Excel I let my two horsey friends ride sometimes, but as he's still learning I like to be the sole person working with him so it's consistent for him.

Molly I don't like anyone less experienced than me riding because she is well-trained but she's headstrong and takes advantage of riders who don't actively "ride" her.


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## MyLittleHunter (Jul 20, 2009)

I don't let anyone ride Dallas. He's had a really rough time of it with some different trainers, and I've had to retrain him myself. He isn't trusting of other riders and gets stressed. Plus I have him really nicely trained to my aids, and don't want that messed up. So even when I'm training him in something new my trainer instructs me on how to do it but I do all the riding. 

Shaymus, my 20 year old ranch pony, is a blast. He had some rough handlers on the ranch and so he isn't a huge fan of men. But he's fantastic with my 12 year old friend who has been riding her whole life, she can do anything with him. And I had another friend who had only been riding 2 weeks take him to a show and she champed. He's just a really good boy.


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## mumiinek (Aug 4, 2010)

The only person allowed to ride my horse is my trainer. That might change in the future, but at the moment I don't want anybody else riding/handling my horse.


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## Strange (Jan 11, 2009)

Depends on the horse, depends on the rider. 

My previous mare already had a lot of bad habits I was trying to train her out of, so only myself or my trainer ever rode her. With Willie, I honestly don't mind if someone wants to try and ride him. He's extremely quiet and understands when he has a raw beginner on him. Plus, I'm always there and in the arena/round pen with the person on. If it's a beginner, he's well aware of that and knows to listen to cues I give him in conjunction with rider cues. If it's a more experienced rider he just acts how he would with me, plus trying to test them to see if he can boss them around. Pretty much though if I know the person and they're honest with their skills I have no problem with them hopping on for a ride as long as I'm there with them.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Yes, but I am picky. If there are days where I cannot get out to the barn to ride when an HT is approaching, I'll have my little buddy get on him for me and "leg him up". I trust him completely, he's a very competant young rider who, in no doubt, will make it to the top one day.

If he can't ride, then I'll have my other buddy get on him for me if she can do it.

Or, if there is a day where Nelson feels "off" I'll hop off of him and have one of my 2 buddies mentioned above, to get on him for me so I can watch him move, and have them feel as well while they are on his back.

And, the only others who I will allow to ride Nelson, are my Coaches - but that's always during a lesson.

That's it


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## BarrelRacer86 (Jul 6, 2010)

MIEventer said:


> Yes, but I am picky. If there are days where I cannot get out to the barn to ride when an HT is approaching, I'll have my little buddy get on him for me and "leg him up". I trust him completely, he's a very competant young rider who, in no doubt, will make it to the top one day.
> 
> If he can't ride, then I'll have my other buddy get on him for me if she can do it.
> 
> ...


I like to just have other riders on my horses just to watch how my horses move in general lol, since I can't see it from the ground.
And if anyone is wondering where I mention my mom riding all my horses, she is my "trainer". She gets paid to start barrel horses and such, hobby not job.


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

Right now I'm the only one who rides Scout. I'd be willing to let *most* people ride him while I supervise, though. I wouldn't just let anyone ride him anytime, nor would I put a rank beginner on him and turn them loose unsupervised. He's still got some green-horse kinks that a totally new rider wouldn't be able to deal with easily. 

The only person I would trust to take him out for a ride while I'm not there would be my sister - she knows Scout and she knows what she's doing. I would be fairly comfortable with that, if a little irked that I didn't get to ride, too! :lol:


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## Lonannuniel (Jun 13, 2008)

my horse has been ridden by many people in his time. I've had 6 people tell me what a great horse he was after i bought him. So i have the feeling he is very forgiving when it comes to different riding styles. Never the less, since buying him, only my trainer has ridden him.


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## JessXxX (Oct 30, 2009)

I have let a begginer ride my pony but that was just a short ride so she could practice before she got her loan (she had riddden before and had her own pony but had taken a break) I was suprised at how well behaved he was with a begginner as she was unbalenced he wasn't sure what to do but was constantly trying to rebalence her ^^ and I was very suprised as with me he's a little speed demon NOTE: I put her on the lunge first to make sure he wouldn't scare her and shes also a very confident rider just not very experienced. but with her he did what she asked and never went faster than a slow comfortable canter, when I got on him at the end he immediatley took off with me round the field at a gallop!! (although I did have control he was just a little excited so I let him go and have his fun)  haha funny how they change with rider experience  oh and occasionally with people up my yard on a hack we'll swap horses on the way back or something ^^ although I'm dreading having to put my baby on loan when I go to university...


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## Romantic Lyric (Dec 31, 2009)

I'll let anyone walk my horse with my supervision. Most of my family members have walked her around. She's very calm, and seems to recognize when a beginner is on her back. Anything beyond walking she can be kind of a handful. She does not buck, but she could dump someone by cutting a corner sharply if they weren't really steering her or just by bouncing them off if they don't know how to post. As long as I've seen someone ride before and approve, I'd be willing to let them ride her. I'm sure it benefits her because I've noticed that sometimes she is so "in tune" with the way I ask her to do things that other people have trouble asking her to trot, canter, steer, etc.


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## hflmusicislife (Dec 15, 2010)

It depends. I only have... 2 horsey friends. One of them rides as well as me, if not better, however she's a foxhunter & steeplechaser. I do hunters. I'm not sure I'd let her do any more on my mare even though she could handle her, just because I wouldn't want her to start any bad habits. My other friend likes slow western horses, and could never handle my mare. She's ridden our bomb-proof paint gelding, but that's it. I think it just depends on the horse and the rider. I'll let anyone walk on my mare, as long as she's being good (she certainly has a go button when she wants it but that's probably about it.


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## Reiterin (Mar 28, 2010)

My horse is very sensitive and I don't trust her Or other riders. There are only 1 or 2 other people who I'd really feel comfortable letting them ride my horse. - There are a couple other people I know who are really great riders and I'm sure they could handle her calmly and competently... but frankly, I don't like them and I don't want them on My horse.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

It very much depends on the horse. I've had horses that are so lovely and quiet that I don't have a problem with letting other people sit on them. My main horse at the moment, although I don't own him I have just been given the ride, is so incredibly sensitive that at this stage, not even my coach rides him. He is super unpredictable, and will react strongly if you do not ask 'right'. I'm slowly getting him to the point where he is still sensitive, but his reactions are not negative 'blow ups' and at that point I will start asking my coach to ride him occasionally. Other than that, I will not allow friends or other riders on him in fear of him 'blowing up'. 

I am quite happy to people that are less experienced to ride my horses, but only if they just want to have a little play around. I will not allow them to try and 'train' my horse anything as I have been there done that, allowed a less experienced rider to take my horse on for a month while I was studying, and I got him back running around on the forehand, in an inverted frame and not allowing me to put my leg on him. So I won't be doing that again.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

It always depends on horse. Noone is getting on my paint, and I'm happy if my trainer rides my qh, but she does it very rarely. I'm not jealous about other people messing with my horses, but I do NOT trust my horses to be ridden by other people (I had a bad experience in past). 

My qh is surprisingly good with my current trainer, and I actually let my visiting aunt (who never been on horse) to get on her to take some pics, and they both did great. But she didn't ride her per say.


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## Caitlinpalomino (Nov 16, 2010)

My sisters friends,my friends,my cousins and my family all ride my 7yrold mare she is fine letting anyone ride her!! At the moment my sister and i both ride her until she gets/finds a new horse!!but my dads horse only him and me ride only because he isnt very goood to ride he sppoks to much and is always edgy(we are working on him!!) . My other mare can have absoloutly anyone on her ...we put my 3 yr old cousiin on her bareback and my cousin has only ever been on a horse twice!!!!!


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

Absolutely no issues with my Trainer riding my QH, she's done it many times. I just bought a 4yr old Morgan and since my trainer's specialty is Dressage, a friend of my trainer's will be starting him in jumping. I trust my trainer's judgment and know she wouldn't put anyone on my horse that wasn't suitable. 

Neither of my horses are exactly "beginner friendly", so I wouldn't be tossing anyone up there who wanted a pony ride unless I had just worked my QH and then they could walk around on her while supervised.


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## paintluver (Apr 5, 2007)

Not if I am not there. Someone rode my gelding (The BO's daughter) and when I went to ride him he bucked everytime I asked him to canter.... I was Pi****.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

For me, it completely depends on the individual rider and which horse.

Jesse and Nester, I am comfortable putting anyone on either one of them. They are both virtually bombproof and neither have any super training that could be ruined by an inexperienced hand. They are both really broke but don't really know much other than how to plod around.

Dobe, I am okay with lower level riders getting on him so long as I am there with them. They do need to be able to ride effectively, even if they don't really ride well. So long as they are soft with their hands and legs, Dobe is content to pack them anywhere they want to go.

Pokey, I would be okay with an intermediate rider on him. He isn't untrustworthy but he isn't exactly bombproof either.

Most of my others wouldn't be suitable for anyone outside my family to ride.

Denny, I wouldn't put anyone on him even if he was still being ridden. I don't even like letting my family ride him because they don't understand his quirks. He and I get along great because I know how to ask him for things but if someone were to get on him and try to 'cowboy' him into anything, he'd kill them.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Most of my horses - Absolutely. I consider it a part of my horses training to be able to carry other riders safely. I regularly lend my horses to people who don't have a horse/their horse is injured. 

However, I do have one exception - Latte. No one has ridden her yet except me, simply because no one WILL! Lol! They all think she is much worse than she is and it will take some convincing to get anyone on her.


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## tbstorm (Dec 16, 2010)

nobody but my closest friend, who i know can ride, can ride my sable!! it totally depends on the horse, and the experience of the person that your considering!!! even my boyfriend isnt aloud on him! well sometimes we go on together but thats different!!! but yea it depends!


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## kimber769 (Aug 11, 2010)

only the people I know can ride are allowed on my horses and that's only if I am around. Except for my son, I trust him with my babies.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I do let others ride my horse. As much as possible, I find it a great pleasure to be ablet to share my joy of horses. I also believe that it's important to keep bringing in newcomers to horses, because it keeps the sport/hobby alive. If the general populace never has the chance to firsthand experience horses, they will not be as supportive of issues that we find dear to our hearts, such as: Protecting wild horses, keeping equestrian trails open, preserving equestrian properties in areas threatened by urbanization, making laws that protect the wellbeing of horses such as laws agains abuse of horses. Many people don't see why horses are important anymore and it's up to us to help them to see that and stand with us on these issues.


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

It depends.

I would normally say absolutely, since my TB and my mom's two horses are all used for lessons, but my new horse, GQ, will not be ridden by anyone except for me and my trainer. Not only is he very green, but he's also a investment/resale horse and I not only want to make sure he doesn't revert in his training, but I also want to protect him from injury.

I'm way less concerned about my other ones. Even though I do show my TB year round, he's not green and has yet to pick up even the slightest of bad manners from anyone riding him. I personally think that having different riders makes the horse more ridable.


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## Mocha26 (Oct 27, 2010)

I only let people ride my horses when I'm there. But when I'm not no.. Simply cause most of the people that do ride them just are irresponsible & if something were to happen & someone or my horse got hurt it could get ugly.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RadHenry09 (Mar 22, 2009)

Yes , I do let others ride my horses. I can put anyone on my Paint and he will be happy to walk around without any demands on him. He is a steady eddie sort and has proved himself to me in the few years I have owned him. My hubby will even get on him and walk around every now and then.

My Mustang it depends on the person, if I trust them not to haul on his mouth because that really bothers me. I have had several experienced riders on him and he although he hasnt done anything really bad , he will test every new rider to see what he can get away with. The girl who rides him now , she is so light with her hands it is a dream to watch  
I also believe that it is good for my horses to be used to other people riding them and handling them, it makes them more well rounded IMO


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## Tymer (Dec 28, 2009)

If I had control over this, it would be great. "My" horse is a school horse. I am the main rider. Over the summer I ride her every day except Sundays and Mondays. At the end of the summer she is completely different horse. Relaxed, responsive, and does all sorts of things beautifully. 

Then we get back to the school year, where she is usually ridden 3 times a week, twice by me (sometimes only once.) Well, one rider does absolutely nothing with her. She's 50-something, and just walks around an canters half a lap in one direction. This rider makes her lose sensitivity to leg. (During the summer I can just add the least bit of leg and she'll trot.) Another rider makes her run. This rider is perfectly competent, but she doesn't know how to ride a horse that isn't slow. She pushes her hard, and the next time I ride her she runs away from all leg. This girl will hit my poor horse for doing nothing wrong. Then lastly, there are the "beginners." These kids are beautiful riders on a well broke self-sufficient horse. My horse is not well broke, and needs a strong leg on her to make her properly respond. These kids whip the hell out of her, calling her a slow and stupid horse. Augh. She stopped a fence with one of them (something she hasn't done in ages with me) and they came up to me and said "She's so stupid! She's having a bad day!" I told them to put more leg on her before the jump. They told me that I don't. I said "It just looks like I don't because I have strong legs." They understood. Lo and behold, horse takes the jump.
Some people are fine riders though and I get back on her and find her exactly the way I left her.

Sorry for my novel, I just get a little irked when people screw up my hard work.


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## Gizmo (Dec 19, 2010)

It depends on the horse. I would have never let anyone ride my Mustang when I had him unless they were experienced. That is why I don't have him anymore though he was even too much for me. So now I have my Gizmo. He is a sweat heart I let everyone ride him just as long as I am at home. My dad is going to start riding him in the spring and I put my boyfriends two year old on him and she loves it! My cousin's son I saw today and he remembers seeing him so I told him when he comes down next time he can ride him and he is two as well. My great aunt who is in her fifties and LOVES horses and doesn't have one of her own wants to ride him as well. The little kids and the ones that have never ridden before I would lead line him but I would trust him with a person that would know the basics of steering he neck reigns so he is pretty good with that.


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## KawaiiCharlie (Nov 17, 2010)

Most people i know dont usually let other people ride there horses. ive ridden a friends horse a few times, and she said she would only ever let me ride her horse because she trusts me. i dont personally let people ride Charlie, but thats only because hes unsafe & i dont want any harm to come to anyone that rides him, because it would be me that would get in trouble for it. but if i had a safe horse, sure id let people ride him/her as long as i was there with them.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

I made things very difficult for a horse once as I was the only one to ride it. He was a big beautiful chestnut gelding, I have posted pictures of him on here before. He was 4yo when he came off the track, his owner paid a slab of beer for him as the horse had a reputation of being difficult. He was never actually _my_ horse but I was the only one to ride him. After a lot of hard work (he _was_ rather 'difficult') he turned out to be a beautiful show hack, many champions, qualified Melbourne Royal Show and Barastoc (any Aussies here wil recognise those shows). I worked with him for two years, 3-5 days a week and showed him all season, I was the only one to touch him in that time.

Well I had a falling out with the owner and as a result stopped riding the horse. He went through several different riders with disastrous results (hospital visits). Was it because I was a good rider? I don't believe so. I think it was just because after two years of nothing but my riding that was what he was used to and comfortable with. If someone had have persisted with him I suspect he would have been fine. But who wants a decorated show hack if you have to spend the first few months doing battle with them when they should know their job?

After six months of unsuccessfully trying to find someone to ride him, the owner had him PTS. I still believe it was done out of spite. Never even told me he was going to have the horse destroyed, I would have taken him in a heartbeat. I didn't find out until several years later and was devastated.

So I think it is good to have others ride your horse if you think the rider is suitable. Of course I am not suggesting putting beginners on highly trained horses or anything like that but it prepares the horse for different riding styles if the situation ever arises where someone else _needs_ to ride the horse or if you have to sell the horse on. Of course some horses don't mind so much but there are those that do, which category does your horse fall into?

It is a bit like humans really, if you only ever rode the one horse for 5 years then jumped on a different horse, it would feel unfamiliar, no?


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## Mickey4793 (Sep 24, 2009)

My horse will take advantage of anybody. He flat out will NOT listen to other people. He's getting better for my mom but he's only an angel for me and my trainer (who only has to ride him when he's being a bird for my mom)


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## Clair (Jun 7, 2010)

I let my completely inexperienced friends ride my 5 year old quarter. They don't presume to know anything about riding, so no worries about messing him up. Also, I supervise the entire time!

I think it's good for Kelty to be ridden by a variety of people now, so that I can give lessons on him or something if I wanted to later!


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## Azaria (Nov 10, 2010)

I let a few friends ride my 14 year old mare but my new 5 year old I think it's going to be 'for me only'. She's my dream horse so I sort of feel possessive to the point of greed. LOL (The 14 year old is my baby but she's so good at babysitting it's a shame not to let others enjoy her. I am picky about who rides her and I am quite bossy when someone else is in the saddle, ha ha.)


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## cfralic (Jan 17, 2011)

I used to let people on but I'd stay with them just to make sure they were nice to her... She was a little spooky so I would never let them go with her alone or outside of the pasture/ring.


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## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

Yup, I love it when other people get on my horse.

I let this 10 year old girl who was about 4'8, or well, really really short, on my 17.3 hand gelding and she jumped him 2'6-2'9 fences! Also, my trainers encourage us to switch horses in a lesson, or even switch horses in a senior class at a AQHA show just so we can get used to riding other horses, if we want to go on an equestrian team for college! Also, my horse is broke to the point where it doesn't matter who rides him, he knows his job and will tell you when your doing something he doesn't like or if your doing something wrong. Hes such a good boy


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## TheLovedOne (Jan 26, 2011)

Justjump is your 17.3 hand gelding an Quarterhorse? I'm sure I've never seen one so big.

I have let other people ride my horses and find that people that know nothing are generally better or more respectful. People that say they know something have always been mean to my guys - I had one women get on and whip one of geldings for no reason and someone get on and just had no idea that you don't keep a death gripe on the reins to the point where my mare starting head tossing. Took me three weeks to convince her that it would be easier not to do it. 

Of course, you have to consider the liability of letting others ride - you know should something happen are you going to get sued.


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## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

TheLovedOne said:


> Justjump is your 17.3 hand gelding an Quarterhorse? I'm sure I've never seen one so big.
> 
> I have let other people ride my horses and find that people that know nothing are generally better or more respectful. People that say they know something have always been mean to my guys - I had one women get on and whip one of geldings for no reason and someone get on and just had no idea that you don't keep a death gripe on the reins to the point where my mare starting head tossing. Took me three weeks to convince her that it would be easier not to do it.
> 
> Of course, you have to consider the liability of letting others ride - you know should something happen are you going to get sued.


He's an appendix, mostly TB


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## aliciaspence (Jan 14, 2011)

*Riding your horse*

No I dont let other people besides family ride the horses.


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

I'll let some people ride Jesse. Technically, almost anyone could. He's very laid back and well behaved, I just get paranoid :lol:. My last horse I would only let a specific few ride him because he was a sneaky little one and could buck like a saddle bronc. I've never really like sharing anything with anyone for that matter in case they wrecked it. I have problems....


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

TheLovedOne said:


> Of course, you have to consider the liability of letting others ride - you know should something happen are you going to get sued.


You won't necessarily get sued. You need to let the person understand that accidents can happen, which they would be responsible for, and you can have them sign a vaiver/release form, which I thought many stables require when someone rides as a guest.

We let others ride our horse but only with us around.


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## sitbacnroc (Mar 3, 2010)

It depends on the horse, my older horse Doc I let my friend ride and if we have people with children that want to just be led around we use him. Sampson doesn't really like anybody else riding him so I don't have anybody else on him. And most people are too scared to ride my percherons because of their size xP But Ash can be a little unpredictable so I don't think I'd be comfortable having other people on her.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

I have a weird thing about people touching my horses in general. I don't let anyone handle them if I'm not there. I don't have a problem with letting my friends hop on Victor and lead them around, but I wouldn't let them off the leadline because Vic is kind of quirky.


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