Can you take me riding? - a cranky rant

[trubandloki]

I am another person who uses my insurance as an excuse. “Oh, I am so sorry, my insurance does not cover that.”

Then I give them the name of some lesson places.

Many many years back when I boarded and I had an appropriate horse I did have some of the people from work come out with their kids to do pony rides. It was funny. The one lady could not stop complaining that it was dirty there (in the barn aisle, in the indoor ring). Um. Yes, it is a barn with large hairy critters living in it, there is some dirt involved.

[clanter]

Over the years since we do live in the middle of a few million people there will be the person who asks, we just say No without a reason then they leave, But it is very rare for any one to ask. (I guess it helps when there is a large German Shepherd dog setting at your feet who is looking into the eyes of person asking)

We have thousands of people walk by our place as there is a public sidewalk and four schools within a mile, we are centered between two elementary and one middle school, the fourth school is just over there out of the way.

As a suggestion from our insurance providers when we first move here in the 1980s we double fenced the common sides of property which provides separation and a run for the patrol dogs to work.

The Great Pyrenees who is larger than one of the miniature horses and often is mistake for the small gelding, she barks at anything that moves and that sidewalk she believes is within her territory to defend.

[2DogsFarm]

@RMJacobs

I wasn’t thrilled when I found out Crackers had given a pony ride.

IME, horses can be incredibly tolerant with kids.
My experiences:

1-my TB, who could be reactive because: TB.
Coworker came to the barn we boarded with his 3yo daughter.
DH & I were riding in the indoor & I put her up in front of me for a Ponyride.
She kept saying Faster! So I had him trot.
Which produced giggles & again Faster!!
So I threw caution to the winds & cantered him slowly.
Despite the high-pitched squeals of glee coming from his back, horse never sped up & positively loped

2-different barn, boarder with a big (16h) TWH, puts her 2yo grandkid on his back AND TURNS HORSE LOOSE in the indoor. Kid is fine at the walk, then horse starts gaiting & kid SCREAMS for granny.
That saint of a horse slowed & stopped, standing until Grandma of the Year could get to him & remove now-wailing kid.

The Horse God of Idjits works OT

[chestnutmarebeware]

There has been at least one thread that contained the most hilarious responses to requests like this—basically many “Of course! Which hospital is in-network for your insurance?” types of replies.

I’ll have to see if I can find it.

[Bluey]

Once helping our neighbor drive some cattle, we were coming back to headquarters and one of his grandkids, 4 years old, was tired and kept falling asleep in the saddle.
We watched the super nice ranch gelding scoot over low and, like you do shoving a back pack, get the kid centered when it leaned in his sleep one way or another, time after time.

That was another saintly horse, deserving all the hugs it got.

[chestnutmarebeware]

This one’s from 2009:

When Can I come ride your horse?

Yes, I got asked that today at work by a guy I’ve known a total of 3 days. What is it with people that think everyone who owns horses is just dying to have someone come out for a trail ride and you get to play outfitter? I told him I don’t have any horses suitable for him and he and his girlfriend would have a good time at a rent-a-horse barn. Then he asks if I have any ponies for kids to ride? WTF? What do I look like? A fugging day care? Oh, and get this, he even says “wel…

I think this one from 2012 is what I was remembering:

Can I ride your horse?

I’ve heard of this happening but never had someone ask that. Until recently. I started working through a temp company and the very first day at a new job mentioned I have horses. Someone asked if they could come ride. I told her I don’t have beginner friendly horses. She told me she can ride, her uncle has a ranch. She used to ride this beautiful brown horse with a black mane and tail. I had to make them both sound a little crazy to get her to back off. Now a friend has put me in that sa…

[George_T_Mule]

I’ve never had anyone ask to ride one of mine. Wonder if it’s because I’m a guy?
The answer would be “No” in any event.
OTOH, most anybody is welcome to interact with them; My 17hh TB gelding “Oily” (RIP big boy) absolutely loved little kids, and George just likes people in general.
A foto just for fun: George at liberty in his pasture, visiting with a neighbors little girls. “My, don’t they look tasty . . .” :-D.

[Walk_N_Gal88]

I don’t let anyone ride mine anymore unless they’re the people I claim and can put up with.

The whole Problem Boarder issue started with “just letting Kid get saddle time since her previous barn didn’t work out after 2 years” Yeah maybe Kid not listening to a damn thing anyone says is why y’all had to leave. Grr. THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!

[Christa_P]

I get asked and the general answer is no, my horses aren’t suitable, here is a number for a place that does guided trail rides.

My current 2 are a 15.1H OTTB mare and a 14H TWH. The TB I won’t let others ride - she can buck hard and spook fast. These don’t happen often, but it’s not worth the risk.

My TWH I have loaned out to a friend and really don’t have an issue if an experienced friend wants to ride. She is a little quirky on the ground which tends to scare people off, but she is a fun ride and is seriously incapable of bucking - watching her try in pasture is funny and a little sad. In the summer of 2020 a good friend of mine was between trail horses so we had a lot of fun with her riding the walker and I offered the walker to another friend last summer for a few rides, but they didn’t take me up on it.

[Blueeyedroan]

It was very public haha! I’m a pretty hefty girl… little bit CHONKY. If anyone wants to be obsessed with my large, white, jiggly rear end i’ll take it as a compliment. I have very little shame, if any LOL.

[Blueeyedroan]

Until recently I had a 6 year old step-daughter with no riding experience. I would bring her out and put her on my Roan, and knew with utmost confidence that the child was safe. Not on a leadline, I set them loose in the arena and she would toodle around for 2 hours while I got some sun and relaxed. Set up a barrel pattern and some ground poles - hours of child entertainment.
But that was MY CHOICE, with a child I knew very well.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

“Sorry. I don’t have appropriate insurance for you, for me, or for my horse”

Marvellous thing, insurance.

[Blueeyedroan]

I tastefully markered some bottoms on…. Here you all go!

[clanter]

@Bluey

4 years old, was tired and kept falling asleep in the saddle.
We watched the super nice ranch gelding scoot over low and, like you do shoving a back pack, get the kid centered when it leaned in his sleep one way or another

my daughter used several of our horses for teaching young riders, often you could see the horse sidestep to re-center the kid back into the proper position

[Old_Mac_Donald]

@Sarah616

(PS if anyone has been on any dating apps and used a picture with a horse… this gets asked a lot. If you were wondering)

My first and only time on Tinder, I used a pic of me on my dressage horse. Gotta weed them out early, like.

I matched within minutes with a local bloke whose picture was of a nice paint horse. “Great!” thinks I.

The conversation went something like this:
Hi
Hi
Nice horse
Thanks! you too. Paint?
You do reverse cowgirl?
block

Deleted Tinder after that.

[Spudsmyguy]

I’ve been asked more times then I can count. One co-worker told me he was coming over to ride my horse - notice the told me. I said great! While you’re riding, I’ll take your car out for spin (he just bought a new corvette) Never told me again.

[beowulf]

I never have this issue – but I realized, I never tell people I have a horse. I wonder if some of this aggravation could be avoided by not bringing up in casual conversation you’re into horses?

ETA: On the few occasions it’s come up unavoidably that I own a horse, I’ve always welcomed people to come meet them. I do think more people could stand to get into the hobby.

[tabula_rashah]

I get asked all the time and I’m very happy to take people out riding, esp because I have 5 horses and am always riding by myself. 99% of the people that say they want to ride with are full of hot air. I always say sure, just let me know when you want to go and literally no one ever takes me up on it

[TWH_Girl]

@Blueeyedroan

And at the end of the day this all bothers me because I’m a people pleaser. I do not like saying no! It makes me feel very guilty and very pressured. Which in turn makes me cranky.
And I don’t know how to explain these concepts to people who don’t understand. Or that will be offended by my explanation.

Don’t ever let saying no make you feel cranky or like a bad person, or feel guilty or whatever. You don’t need to offer explanations or excuses to anyone. Just politely decline. Nothing further is needed. The older you get, the less you try to please people because you can’t and they really tend not to appreciate it all that much anyhow. They are responsible for creating their own adventures, not you. Being a good person does not equate with saying yes to everyone.

[S1969]

I think I would respond “no, thank you.” As if they asked if you wanted them to do it. LOL.

“Can you take me riding?”
“No thank you.”
“Oh, no - I meant, I would like to ride, and maybe would take me along?”
“I know what you meant. No, thanks. I don’t need riding companions.”
“I mean, I want to ride.”
“Yes, I get it. No.”

I didn’t have people who wanted to ride my horses as much as they wanted to board their horses at my barn.
“No thank you. I don’t need boarders.”
[Why on earth would you think I would want to take care of your horse in addition to my own?]