I have recently had surgery which means I can't ride for 6 weeks (Booooo!), before I went in for my op I managed to find someone to ride my horse for me to keep him ticking over. I don't normally let other people ride him, but I thought it would be better for him than 6 weeks standing in a field losing fitness, & the rider I found has ridden him before ( years ago before I got him). The surgery was rushed through so I only had a weeks notice, & by the time I met this woman it was the night before my op so didn't get a chance to vet her properly but she came well recommended. So she has been hacking my boy out with a friend of mine for a couple of weeks, seemingly without problems, then last weekend decided to take him out on her own. I had a phonecall from another girl at the yard who had passed her on her way back to the yard & stopped to chat. Apparently Romeo had been a total firecracker, he had napped, spooked, bucked & pranced his way along the ride & she had dismounted & led him at one point. I know he is a little more on his toes on his own but he's not normally like that. After speaking to the friend she has been hacking out with it seems that she has pretty much let him walk all over her, if she wants him to go in front but he doesn't want to she just lets him do as he pleases etc. Am now wondering if it is a good idea to let her continue to ride him, I don't want him all nappy & p!ss-takey when I get him back!! Also she clearly lacks confidence with him, she told me that she dismounted because she was afraid he wouldn't walk back home & would just bomb off, not something he has ever done, he has very good brakes & is always ridden in a snaffle! I dunno, at the end of the day I need to do what's best for my nag

I agree you have to do what is best for your horse and I think given all the doubts and your gut feelings you have you about this lady you have decided on the best route yourself.

If she lacks confidence with him and is afraid he'll take off, chances are she's hanging onto him and causing the problem. The wisest thing she could have done was get off him tbh. If you don't want to have to undo it when you get back in the saddle, I'd agree with what you're already thinking and that you're better off leaving him in the field for 6 weeks. If he's already fit, he won't lose that much and I'd guess you'd have to start off gently yourself anyway after an op?

Is Romeo the grey in your muddy pic thread? If he is, you'd noted yourself that he'd lost weight, so a few weeks off probably wouldn't do him any harm at all.

Give him the time off in the field, then you can both regain your fitness together

She doesnt sound like the right person for him sadly, she is not confident with him, and who knows what may happen one day when they are out, does she have her own insurance, does yours cover her whilst out hacking?

Hope you feel better soon .

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Thanks peeps, you have just confirmed what I was already beginning to think really, at least it will only be 4 weeks off now. Elles yes that's him, he has put on some condition now thankfully wasn't looking forward to winter hitting & him looking like a hat rack! Grrr this is why I don't let other people ride him usually, it's so hard trying to find someone who will ride him how I want him to be ridden! At least now he can have a month of just being a swamp donkey, he likes that!

Sorry Bea didn't answer your question, yes she has rider & public liability insurance & I also have my own separate insurance too, I wouldn't have let her out on him without it! Thanks for the well wishes too

I'd agree with what you're already thinking and that you're better off leaving him in the field for 6 weeks. If he's already fit, he won't lose that much and I'd guess you'd have to start off gently yourself anyway after an op?