New twist on can I ride your horse....

[heronponie]

[QUOTE=netg;8217561]
I’m grateful to have a horse who pretty much anyone can ride. I tell my friends who say “that sounds fun, I’ve never ridden a horse!” that “I have my mom’s horse who she rode until she quit riding, and she’s really good for new people to ride. Just get in touch with me and let me know when you want to.”

It turns out most people are saying it more to make conversation than an actual desire to ride! But I have given nearly every kid in the family pony rides or longe lessons. I actually put one on my gelding who is schooling some upper level dressage work, on a lead rope, and taught him all the lateral work at a walk. Let a little kid learn he can control how a horse bends and crosses over, and watch the kid light up! I would NOT let anyone but a more experienced dressage rider on my gelding off a lead rope anymore, because it’s too easy to get him to canter or do other unexpected things. I explain that to people, too - he has so many buttons, they can be hard to miss pressing. :)[/QUOTE]

This is exactly how I handle it. Tons of people ask to ride, a very small percentage will actually come out and do it. I’ve done pony rides for all the kids in the family on my most reliable horse (who is also my most upper-level horse) and the kids really love being able to “control” her through voice commands. They don’t know that I’m the one steering and stopping

I mean, I’ve had a few eye-roll-worthy requests for rides, but for the most part I am happy to share my horses with friends and family. It’s how I fell in love with animals… so I feel good about paying it forward. Under my watchful eye, my horses are just fine in the hands of newbies.

The biggest problem I’ve encountered are actually the intermediate riders… experienced folks who know just enough to think they know everything. Woe betide the 13 year old who thinks they are going to “train” my horse for me.

[NoSuchPerson]

I’m always amazed when I read threads like these for two reasons.

First, I never get crazy requests to ride my horses. Maybe, like DJohn, I just don’t look very friendly.

Second, I’m always happy to introduce friends and family to my equines and when I do have a horse or mule that is suitable, I don’t mind giving pony rides. I especially enjoy trying to infect other people’s children with the horse bug.

[charismaryllis]

[QUOTE=shiloh;8218065]
OH!OH!OH! I have a question - WTF??? Really? Oh, wait - sorry - that was two. my bad :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

I know, right??! ! :eek: i looked into her a bit; she holds herself out as a dog trainer. And there’s a bunch of other drama.

[MaybeMorgan]

I don’t think I have ever gotten a random request to ride my horse.
But one of my favorite memories is being at public park, the number of people who came up requesting to see and pet my horse, especially for their kids :).

[Chocoholic]

I recently acquired a horse for the first time in a couple of years, and the requests have started. My new boarding stable offers lessons and seems to have good instructors and lovely school horses, so I just direct them to call and arrange lessons if they want to ride.

When I had a mature, well-trained, reliable horse I was willing to give pony rides to young relatives and close friends.

[OTTBs]

[QUOTE=Field of Dreams Mini Horses;8217200]
My Dad offered to let one of the people that worked for him come out and “use” my horse. I gave him the best blank stare I had- I didn’t even LIKE this person. I don’t remember but I’m pretty sure she never came out. My horse was an Arabian- hot, wired and flighty. No WAY am I letting anyone “use” him. [/QUOTE] This reminded me of when my Dad bought a used car from a woman who had horses and I was with him. He told me that she offered for me to come and ride her horses. It was the total opposite of this thread, but who offers to let a stranger’s kid ride their horse?

[Calin]

Hehehe, some of these are hilarious.

I’ve never had anyone actually ask to come and ride my horse, but my best friend (who has horses at the same place as mine) does occasionally bring her non-horsey friends out and we give them pony rides followed by a showing-off session of double-dinking, bareback jumping, riding backwards, whatever we can think of

At ag shows, when there are lots of non-horsey people and their kids around, I often offer to let people pat my horse on the nose and I have no problem with people who politely ask to do so. However, when you see one little kid in a wheelchair patting him gently on the nose, that does NOT make it okay to come up in a swarm of about 10 people and start touching my horse all over without even asking!! (sorry, had a little vent there)

[microbovine]

Well, I guess we’re the exception. We invite families to our farm quite often to ride. Our old reliable gelding, Phoenix, knows the routine…give a ride, with me leading him, and then get a treat. He seems to enjoy it. Our son’s pony gives rides as well, but only if our son agrees beforehand (he always does).

Even our new donkey, Xavier, got into last time. He gave the deacon from our parish a ride. The deacon was so thrilled. He is on the smaller size, so his weight was no issue. He really enjoyed the experience for obvious biblical reasons. Xavier was such a good boy.

My rule is that I ride a little first to assess the mood of the animals and make sure I didn’t miss anything tacking them up.

Our green pony and my riding horse are fed treats, but no rides. They are too spirited.

We have gentle enough animals and I like being an ambassador of sorts. Hey, I should call Xavier our ambASSador, lol!

So, we’re probably the reason you guys get hit up for rides, snork. But we’ve also never had anyone be rude or expectant about riding our animals. I think we would turn them down if they were rude.

[microbovine]

Regarding the couple with the bull rider that wanted to ride…well, my guess is they talked you up a lot. I suppose you can be a little flattered in a way. There is more going on there, though. I suspect they are desperate to connect with their son.

[Ambitious_Kate]

I think there’s a big difference between having a family day at the barn and accomodating rarndom strangers who are all of clueless, entitled, ignorant and without boundaries. Learning to say no to the latter I would think is the kind of boundaries we learn as teens - as an example, we don’t go around with our front doors open to the street and let people wander in and lounge on our couch and wander around our house, do we. Nor those that we invite in, do we just sit on our hands and worry while they rifle through our dresser drawers. Some people aren’t allowed past the front gate. Some people are polite, so we cook dinner and enjoy their company, but they stay in the living room or out on the back terrace where we invited them.

I don’t know why anyone would accomodate a stranger who bullied their way into your barn or onto your horse. It wouldn’t be responsible.

Family day at the barn is a blast, and everyone enjoys your horse. Big difference, though.

[trubandloki]

I can not recall any rude ‘can I ride’ requests. Maybe I look unfriendly like some others here.

My most amusing letting someone ride story was when I had a bunch of the woman from work out with their kids, to give pony rides.
One of the mothers was horrified that there was dirt and such all around (indoor ring, outdoor ring, etc). Just so much dirt. She would not put her son down, because he was going to get dirty.

[QUOTE=shiloh;8218080]
Well, these situations don’t all work out so badly. I had a woman come out to my barn and ask my BO to ask me if they could use my large white horse in some of their pre-wedding photos. He was simply supposed to be background - well, guess who didn’t get the memo…:rolleyes: He photobombed every picture. The worst was when the happy couple wa standing side by side and she was holding up her hand to show off the pretty ring. My horse stuck his head in between them and I swear if he had had fingers he would been holding up bunny ears behind both their heads. The worst worst one was when they were seated underneath a large oak tree and he was supposed to be white horse in the background. Oh no, there they were looking soulfully into each others’ eyes and there he was leering around the tree at them like some giant white peeping tom. I was mortified.[/QUOTE]
I think there are rules against posting something like this and not providing us with at least one of the photos.

[Pembroke]

[QUOTE=shiloh;8218080]
Well, these situations don’t all work out so badly. I had a woman come out to my barn and ask my BO to ask me if they could use my large white horse in some of their pre-wedding photos. He was simply supposed to be background - well, guess who didn’t get the memo…:rolleyes: He photobombed every picture. The worst was when the happy couple wa standing side by side and she was holding up her hand to show off the pretty ring. My horse stuck his head in between them and I swear if he had had fingers he would been holding up bunny ears behind both their heads. The worst worst one was when they were seated underneath a large oak tree and he was supposed to be white horse in the background. Oh no, there they were looking soulfully into each others’ eyes and there he was leering around the tree at them like some giant white peeping tom. I was mortified.[/QUOTE]

Best. Post. Ever. I was laughing out loud.

Horses really are hilarious

I have two horses. My boy does tricks and is pretty, and everyone who wants, can pet him and give him treats. He is definitely not a horse who I’d let a beginner on. He spooks really easily. But everyone loves his tricks

My mare is pretty bombproof, though. So, I usually let children ride her, if they ask or if we offer. It’s usually friends’ kids and such. They can walk with her, after I have ridden her and I will be walking next to her, holding on to the reins. She’s really delicate in the mouth, so I don’t let people hold the reins. My mom rides her sometimes, too. The kids always light up after riding her, and it’s really awesome (= And then they can pet her and hug her and feed her treats. She loves the attention.

I have no problem what so ever with introducing horsies to kids, letting them ride a bit, showing them tricks, letting them pat the horses, etc. Kids and beginners I’m always fine with, on my horse.

A few weeks ago we were in the city with one of my horses in the trailer. Mom had to take care of some work things real quick after a show. I was waiting in the car, and I saw a woman trying to peek in through the windows. I opened the door and let her pet the horse on the nose, etc. She said it’s the first time she has seen a horse so close up

I have had a WTF instance once. A French girl I knew through a friend of a friend of a friend (you get the idea…) wrote to me how her boyfriend in France is a professional rider and he should totally come and ride my horses when he comes to visit her I said I only let people I know ride my horse, but they are welcome to come and see them.

[CourtneyANYC]

Completely agree. Never have I been less pleased with someone riding my horses than when it was an intermediate rider. I’ve had a few people that I know that have their own horses, and I’ve offered to let them ride my retired gelding so that we can ride together or so they can try one of my saddles or something. I mean…my horse is a saint and how bad can they be if they ride their own horse every day?

Bad. The answer is bad. Never again.

Also, living near NYC where lessons are anywhere from $100-$150, I get MANY offers to “help” me around the farm. Interestingly, seems like the only help they ever want to offer is riding help. Those offers have declined a bit since I named my newest horse Megatron…

[ilmjumper]

[QUOTE=OTTBs;8218206]
This reminded me of when my Dad bought a used car from a woman who had horses and I was with him. He told me that she offered for me to come and ride her horses. It was the total opposite of this thread, but who offers to let a stranger’s kid ride their horse?[/QUOTE]

Someone trying to sell a car

[Pat9]

The stories are hilarious, but Shiloh,

He photobombed every picture. The worst was when the happy couple was standing side by side and she was holding up her hand to show off the pretty ring. M
, there is something that could have been much worse…if your wonderful horse had decided to drop and show off all of his accessories for the camera. Of course the photographer could have fixed that with retouching, but it would have been a nuisance.

[Pocket_Pony]

The one time I mentioned that I let Mr. PoPo’s business partner’s kids ride Paddy, the girl fell in love with him in about 10 seconds. After she rode him we went back to the barn to put him in his paddock and she didn’t want to leave. She called him Patey (which is now what we call him) and drew a picture of him that we still keep on our fridge. When it was time to leave altogether, she had a meltdown.

“Patey, I love you!!!”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I don’t want to leave Patey!!!”

It was pretty cute, actually.

I do like to be a horsey ambassador when on the trails, and when I’d take Paddy out I’d always carry extra treats and offer little kids to give him a treat and pet him (Paddy is very polite and gentle). Mac, OTOH, wasn’t the kind of horse to have a stop-and-chat with. But since we had to share our trails with hikers, bikers, people with strollers, etc., I wanted to make sure everyone had a good impression of horse people - at least when I was riding.

[4THEHORSES]

My husband is another one who has a habit of telling friends/work mates that they can come ride the horses.

We’ve agreed he can allow people to come visit the horses. If they want to ride I usually tell them they have to work the horse in the round pen first. Some of them, when they realize how big my mammoth Clyde is, won’t even get in the round pen wit her. If they are game for working her in the round pen I teach them ‘join up’ until both horse and prospective rider are tired. After that a lot of them no longer want to/have the energy to ride. The ones that do still want to ride are happy with a little ‘pony ride’ around the round pen and I’m happy to do it because, at this point, my horse is tired enough that she’s ready to just cool down with a passenger aboard.

It amuses me that the ones who claim they are horse savvy are often the ones who won’t even get in the round pen with her.

I also insist they wear a helmet and boots.

[PushersBlue]

I board at a lesson barn where the kids are thankfully well behaved. My gelding is a total goof whose claim to fame is to stick his tongue out at anyone and everyone even wants you to touch it, so it’s impossible to resist and I’m fine with that.

A few kids have thought he was a lesson horse and random people have asked to ride over time and I just gently explain that if riding was a video game, the child/person was like around level 1-5 while horsey was level 176. Kids get it every time.

[Schatzi09]

My ex-husband called me after our nasty divorce was finalized to tell me he would be in the area with his new “young girlfriend” (his words, not mine!) and wanted to know if he could bring her over to ride my horses. All I could do was burst out laughing and hang up! He was put on medication shortly thereafter. What was he thinking? LOL

[Kwill]

You should have said, sure, dear, and then given her the green 17hh warmblood and told her to go trot (outside!)