Nobody does it like "mum"

[skihorse]

Is anyone else having someone else ride whilst they're pregnant and unable to ride themselves?

I originally found one girl who had utter histronics and failed to do the one thing I specifically asked her to do - that was, trim the mane & tail.

I found two new people and let the girl go - she'd ridden 4 times in as many months.

Got an email last night saying "had a horrible ride and I've hurt my lady bits".

I'm wondering why I bother - seriously - I'm letting people ride my horse FOR FREE and nobody is capable of cleaning brushes before putting them back - heaven forbid someone should clean her tack and I had to specifically ask that her numnahs were taken home and washed.

Can't wait to be back in control.

Sorry for the rant - I'm just pissed off that you can't even GIVE free rides away in exchange for some basic help. I had to go up on Friday night to "help" the girl with the sore lady bits and she wanted me to walk out with her on a hack. I'm 36 weeks ffs, if I had the energy to walk alongside a 17.2hh horse for a few miles I wouldn't need anyone else to exercise her... I went about quarter of a mile and turned for home. She was back 10 minutes later saying horse was napping.

[LisaD1]

I feel your pain Skihorse. I often tell my fiends I could write a book about the weird sharers I have had over the years, sometimes I wonder if it's worth the hassle but then this year we didn't have one for the pony and she came down with laminitus

I used to have a 16.2 BWB who I evented and I advertised for a sharer for him when I was pregnant, my ad clearly stated he was sharp/not suitable for the faint hearted and needed a capable rider, one girl turned up all full of the talk, he did a TINY spook on the way out of the gate and she burst into tears and got off!!

The world is full of nutters and lots of them think they can ride!

Hope you find someone sane and capable soon.

[skihorse]

Lisa - I'm not sure I am going to find anyone capable. The one girl who isn't scared has absolutely no concept of impulsion - gah, maybe I'm expecting too much.

Still... I'm due to pop in a month so hopefully it won't be too long before I can get back in the saddle myself!

[LisaD1]

Looks like a summer holiday for your horse then and lots of lunging!

Looked at your profile to see if you were local and your scan photo is sooooooooooooo cute!

[skihorse]

Thank you! I am a little biased of course...

[horseymum]

sorry about your experiences! i have just moved my horse from a lovely loan home as her work has changed, so did not need sharer when pregnant this time. WIth the other two pregnancies, horse was at work (an RDA centre) so getting ridden but specifically shared by one girl. It worked fine although you always think you can do it better than them. It is just a case of letting go for a bit. it is a short time in the grand scheme of things, I'm sure you will be back on board soon I'm due end of July so hoping there will still be some nice summer weather and will get to ride my horse in her new home occassionally.

[skihorse]

I "let go" and asked them to cut her mane & tail.

I could've cried tonight when I walked in to the field. Instead I took a deep breath and figure it'll grown back and thank fuck I've not got the shame of hacking her out in the next 2 months!

I confiscated the scissors and left before saying something I'd regret... sent an email an hour ago.

I've decided for the next pregnancy that either my boyfriend learns to ride her or she just gets paddock time - there's just no point trying to get help. The standards are pathetic.

Wtf happened to all the eager 14/15 year olds who'd beg for rides?

[horseymum]

oh dear, when i was a teenager i would have loved that kind of opportunity. Maybe a rest for her might be better next time, sounds like it would be less stressful for you anyway.

[skihorse]

horseymum - tell me about it, I used to leave postcards all over local tack shops begging for free rides in return for work. I was lucky enough to get use of a very nice horse (couldn't go out on roads though, thankfully good hacking without roads!) - and I worked my arse off looking after her.

You can't even pay someone these days.

[sykes]

Well, I would beg to differ. There is THE most amazing, lovely, mature 16-year old at our yard who is just fantastic. She rides quite nicely and is just a lovely girl. Helpful, polite, massively enthusiastic and always wanting to ride - even if the horse is not as sane as it should be. If my girls turn out anything like her I'll be very pleased. Maybe she's a rare breed?

[skihorse]

sykes - please provide her phone number & address IMMEDIATELY!

Actually I'm really glad to hear that there are still girls out here like this. A friend of mine runs a riding school and she's flabberghasted by the fact her Saturday "helpers" will piss off to the cinema of an afternoon - I think at that age my parents had to drag me kicking and screaming home from the yard.

[sykes]

We must be very lucky as I thought that was normal - I'd have given my eye teeth to hang around stables at that age. Am hoping my daughter will be the same. She mucks out with me every weekend and just loves being around ponies/horses. Even my other daughter who isn't into horses is really happy to groom and muck out. I really hope it doesn't change,