Suggestions for finding saddle time with a young horse?

[TatteredDaydreamer]

I currently have a 2 year old gelding that I purchased in November. I adore him and this whole process has been so much fun! I work with a fabulous trainer and she’s done an amazing job the past few months with his ground work/manners/life skills. He had lived out 24/7 with a bunch of other youngsters and was fairly feral.

I’m really enjoying not feeling as pressured to get out to ride during the winter/crappy weather but am starting to miss having something to at least hack! Trainer doesn’t have many available lesson horses so it’s not likely that I can take lessons on something from her. For those that went the young horse route, what’s the best way to find saddle time? I unfortunately don’t have the funds to board my baby and lease something else. I’ve also got an older mare retired in VA living the life. Any suggestions are welcome, I’m happy to think outside the box! I don’t believe my current trainer would take issues with me riding elsewhere to get some saddle time as long as I continue to take lessons on the ground with her. Thanks everyone!!

[Scribbler]

How good is your riding? Are you someone who adds value to a horse when you ride it? If so there may be folks out there happy to have you have or exercise their horses for free, or for a much reduced lease fee. It would likely not be a high dollar horse, but could be a retired competition horse that needs to keep moving. You aren’t going to get a tuned up high end horse for free but you might find something quite rideable

[Equkelly]

I feel you! I second the suggestion to see if you can catch ride or exercise ride if you know people that need it. I also went this route and that 2 year old year was rough not riding but honestly I kind of had to find ways to make groundwork rewarding for me too.

For me, I spent the 2YO year doing “fun stuff” like liberty work, and taking my horse for hand walks/ hikes/ runs on trails and this kept me busy so that I was always working on something and didn’t get the FOMO from not riding. In addition, all the “work” we did in the 2YO year made the 3YO super peaceful and easy.

[TatteredDaydreamer]

@Equkelly Absolutely! We go on tons of trail walks and adventures to get him used to as much as possible! When it warms up and we have more daylight hours I’m going to take him to our local horse Park for adventures too!

[TatteredDaydreamer]

@Scribbler I’m decent when I’ve been riding regularly. Can be a bit timid on the hot/sensitive/reactive types. Unfortunately I haven’t been riding regularly since August and need to work on getting back into better shape. Some lessons somewhere first would probably be ideal.

[Redlei44]

Lessons somewhere first will also probably be your only way “in” for catch riding, if you do not already have contacts or a barn who know you and your riding and will trust you to ride.