I’ve got a moral dilemma
A month ago I started leasing my mare out to a sweet teenager who wanted to be around horses but couldn’t own them. As a horse trainer, I will be the first to admit that sometimes working your horse after working other people’s horses isn’t as appealing, so it’s beneficial to me.
The first two weeks were great; it’s an onsite lease and she’s always riding when I’m there. Calypso and her are getting along great. But recently I started noticing she’s posting calypso a lot and calling her her horse and saying she owns her, and she’s brought out visitors before (this would be fine if she gave me a heads up; however, she doesn’t and just brings them with), and tells them calypso is hers. She takes credit for the farrier bills and makes up stories for how expensive her vet bills are and how she’s dishing out so much money and she’s so rich. This irks me because calypso was an emaciated rescue and I have poured so much time and effort into shaping and forming the horse she is now. She’s perfectly healthy and I haven’t spent a dime on her since her initial treatment.
Am I being petty? Should I just let it slide? Or talk to her and her mom about it? I’ve been where she is and I was so excited and grateful for the opportunity to ride, and I’d hate to take that away from her… however, it’s not her horse and she hasn’t put the work and blood sweat and tears in and seen the struggle I had to help her thrive.
A month ago I started leasing my mare out to a sweet teenager who wanted to be around horses but couldn’t own them. As a horse trainer, I will be the first to admit that sometimes working your horse after working other people’s horses isn’t as appealing, so it’s beneficial to me.
The first two weeks were great; it’s an onsite lease and she’s always riding when I’m there. Calypso and her are getting along great. But recently I started noticing she’s posting calypso a lot and calling her her horse and saying she owns her, and she’s brought out visitors before (this would be fine if she gave me a heads up; however, she doesn’t and just brings them with), and tells them calypso is hers. She takes credit for the farrier bills and makes up stories for how expensive her vet bills are and how she’s dishing out so much money and she’s so rich. This irks me because calypso was an emaciated rescue and I have poured so much time and effort into shaping and forming the horse she is now. She’s perfectly healthy and I haven’t spent a dime on her since her initial treatment.
Am I being petty? Should I just let it slide? Or talk to her and her mom about it? I’ve been where she is and I was so excited and grateful for the opportunity to ride, and I’d hate to take that away from her… however, it’s not her horse and she hasn’t put the work and blood sweat and tears in and seen the struggle I had to help her thrive.