Horse-sharing guide (Switzerland)
In-depth guides on costs, contracts, finding a share, insurance and care around horse-sharing in Switzerland.
Finding a Match
How to find the right horse share, from the first listing to the trial ride.
- Offering your horse as a horse share: how to write a good ad – How to write a clear ad for a horse share: required information, photo tips, Swiss data protection law and where to publish. With a checklist and sources.
- Finding a horse share for beginners: realistic, safe, patient – Not riding for long? You search for a horse share differently from an experienced pair. How beginner search works in Switzerland: matching horses, matching stables and realistic expectations.
- Clarifying expectations and rules in a horse share – Which expectations should be on the table before the first riding day and which rules help keep them? Concrete topics, a template and Swiss key points for an honest agreement.
- Horse share trial ride: questions and horse profile checklist – What questions to ask before and during the trial ride for a horse share? A practical question catalogue covering horse, stable, riding skills, insurance and days, plus a horse profile and Swiss context.
- Horse share for kids and families: what to watch out for – A horse share is the natural next step after lessons for many kids. How Swiss families find the right constellation, from horse choice to stable culture.
- First meeting for a horse share: how to run the introductory call – The first phone call or meeting decides whether an ad becomes a real horse share. Questions, topics and warning signs for an open, honest first conversation in Switzerland.
- Does the horse share fit? The key match criteria – How does a horse share match horse, rider and stable? The key match criteria from Swiss practice, plus a checklist for the first gut feeling.
- How to find a reliable horse share in Switzerland (2026) – How to find a reliable horse share in Switzerland: concrete steps, selection criteria, warning signs and the main Swiss platforms and associations, with sources.
Costs & Money
What a horse share actually costs and what really drives the monthly contribution.
Contracts & Law
The clauses, rules and Swiss-specific points that belong in your agreement.
- Horse animal-keeper liability insurance in Switzerland: what you need to know – Who is liable when the horse causes damage? Animal-keeper liability in Switzerland, its coverage, typical conditions and notes on selection, without product recommendations.
- Horse share liability: who pays for accidents and damage in Switzerland? – Animal-keeper liability under OR Art. 56, rider's fault, damage to the horse: who is liable for what in a Swiss horse share? Overview without legal advice.
- Terminating a horse share: template and OR notes – How do you correctly terminate a horse share in Switzerland? Written form, deadlines, special cases, a template letter and notes on the Code of Obligations. Not legal advice.
- Horse share with minors: what parents in Switzerland need to know – Horse share with young people under 18: capacity of judgement, parental consent, insurance and liability. Swiss benchmarks for families, without legal advice.
- Which insurance does a horse share need in Switzerland? – Animal-keeper liability, personal liability with horse module, accident insurance: which types of insurance are needed for a horse share in Switzerland. No insurance sales, just an overview.
- Horse share contract: the 12 most important clauses (+ Swiss templates) – Which 12 clauses belong in a Swiss horse share contract? A clause checklist with OR references plus links to published CH templates. Not legal advice.
- The "riding other people's horses" insurance module explained: what it covers – The Swiss insurance module "riding other people's horses" closes the most important gap of personal liability. What it covers, what it does not and what to look out for in the policy.
Care & Upkeep
How to share riding days, stable chores and grooming fairly.
- Groundwork and lunging: basics for the horse sharer – Groundwork and lunging are the underestimated part of horse sharing. Which exercises are safe, what equipment, and when an indoor arena beats the paddock.
- Horse feeding plan template: structured documentation – Which fields belong in a horse feeding plan? Structural template for documentation, without quantity or feed recommendations.
- Hoof care and farrier interval: what the sharer needs to know – Pick hooves daily, recognize cracks, plan farrier appointments. What the sharer handles in hoof care, what stays with the owner, and Swiss shoeing practice.
- Body Condition Score (BCS) in horses explained: understanding the 1 to 9 scale – What is the BCS and how is it determined in horses? The Henneke scale 1 to 9, its evaluation points and how the sharer spots changes.
- Horse deworming: overview and structure without medical recommendation – How is a deworming program structured? Fields, frequency discussion, observations and the place of selective deworming. No treatment scheme.
- Horse feeding basics for the sharer – What the sharer needs to know about feeding horses: hay first, order, water, what to watch. General basics, not a feeding plan.
- Shared horse care checklist for owner and sharer – Daily, weekly and monthly care tasks for a horse, split fairly between owner and sharer. With a printable checklist and Swiss animal welfare key points.
- Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance for horse owners: overview of the key requirements – The TSchV sets concrete minimum standards for horse keeping in Switzerland. Box size, exercise, social contact, lying area: a practical overview with BLV reference.
- Horse vaccination schedule in Switzerland: structure and administration – How is a horse vaccination schedule structured and which fields belong in the documentation? Structural overview for schedule management in Switzerland, without medical recommendations.
- How to groom a horse correctly: step-by-step guide for the sharer – From picking hooves to the tail: how to groom a horse before and after riding. Order, tools and Swiss practice for the horse sharer.
- Horse in summer: heat, flies and pasture for the sharer – Hot days, flies, sunburn and pasture management: the main summer tasks for the horse sharer in Switzerland, with thresholds and care tips.
- Horse in winter: tasks for the sharer in the cold season – Blanket or not, riding in snow and frost, stable climate and water troughs: the main winter tasks for the horse sharer in Switzerland.
- Sharing riding days fairly in a horse share: models and template – Fixed weekdays, 2-3-2 rhythm or alternating weeks: how owner and sharer split riding days fairly, including rules for holidays, cancellations and bad weather.
- Mucking out and stable chores in a horse share: split fairly – Mucking, feeding, water, pasture: which stable tasks belong to a horse share and which don't? Swiss practice and a template for clear division.
Emergency & Safety
Be ready for the worst, from an emergency plan to a QR tag on the halter.
- First aid for horses: structured emergency response – What do you do in the first moments of a horse emergency? Structured flow, observation points, what vet and owner need. No medical recommendations.
- Recognizing toxic plants on horse pasture: the most common in Switzerland – Ragwort, yew, oak, sycamore: the main toxic plants on Swiss horse pastures, their poisoning symptoms and what the sharer must observe.
- Recognizing colic in horses: signs and structured immediate steps – What are typical colic signs in horses? Structured recognition, immediate steps and what not to do. No medical treatment.
- Horse emergency plan with QR code: printable stable template – Who to call in an emergency, which data goes on the horse? A printable emergency template with QR code for stable, halter and trailer, including Swiss emergency contacts and legal key points.