I’ve seen the memes, and I truly don’t understand them!
“Can I ride your horse?”
“Can I crash your car?”
Can I just say, that I think this is quite honestly the most selfish thought!
There is no way I would be where I am today without the generosity of a huge number of people in my life who have allowed me to ride their horses.
Each horse that I have ridden has helped me learn something new. It has improved my skills and given me more knowledge of how to handle different situations than any ONE horse could.
If you truly think that your horse can be ruined by allowing another rider to ride your horse while SUPERVISED then you haven’t trained it well enough!
Clearly you would choose the people who can ride or you would assist them by leading them around. You wouldn’t choose an unkind rider, a rough rider or someone who isn’t prepared to learn or listen. There is nothing wrong with a beginner getting on your horse, maybe it just needs to be a led ride not an independent ride.
We are all learning. If we are no longer learning, we may as well stop bothering because no body likes a know it all!
I get so much pleasure seeing Mooney ridden by multiple riders. It shows just how good a horse she is to adapt to different types of rider of all abilities. She can go from plodder to pocket rocket. She’s not dead in the mouth or dead to the leg. Instead my students are taught to ride her softly and with kind hands and legs so that she can continue to teach others.
Some of my more experienced students have also ridden the much younger and more sensitive Ocean. He too has responded to the challenge well and accepted other riders, and guess what? I believe the experience has been beneficial to both him and those who jumped on board.
I’ve had situations where I’ve had a sore horse and been unable to hunt, yet generous offers from friends have rarely seen me unmounted and as such I’ve been lucky enough to experience the hunt field on a variety of trusted steeds. The other horse owners have been kind and generous and the rides have benefited both me and their horses to keep them out and about and staying fit.
I remember once as a kid going door knocking in Naracoorte, when we were staying there with rellies, to ask if I could ride their horses. Back in those days people were much kinder to each other and less wary of lawsuits and the answer of “YES” gave me so much pleasure to join in their activities for a few days.
I’ve had friends who have no riding abilities and they’ve been more than welcome to throw a leg over my horses. Why? Am I concerned it will damage my horse? Of course not! I am excited to share the privilege of enjoying these beautiful animals.
Your friends kids want a pony ride on your dressage horse? Stick a helmet on them and lead them around! Take the necessary safety precautions and make sure they have a great time.
So while I don’t condone handing your prized horse over to someone to do as they please with, I am 100% encouraging you to share your horses with others. Let those who can’t afford it enjoy themselves. Let someone who isn’t keen enough to invest in a full time basis enjoy the smile that some horse time will bring them.
If you’re concerned damage will occur, teach the horse or show the rider. Look for a way to improve the situation not just shut it down.
Kellie Summers – Educational Horse Rider Here’s a lovely selection of me enjoying other people’s horses!!
******* I will send some photos of me riding other people’s horses here
