# Meredith Manor



## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Has anyone heard of or taken a course there? If so what are your thoughts on the place?


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## Draft lover (May 11, 2013)

I graduated from there in 94' with both a teaching and riding certification. Fantastic education. Regardless of what disapline you ride, (including western) you learn to ride with the basics of dressage. They are VERY serious about teaching you to ride, so you better be ready to learn to ride if you go there. I learned more in my year there than I have my whole life.


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

Draft lover, what's up with former students saying that they feed seed corn to the horses, & the dorms are converted school buses & such? Also, what's the food like? TIA!


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

They feed cracked corn.

The dorms are converted buses or shipping crates, or tiny actual dorms (I heard half of them just flooded with 4" of water too).

The food isn't bad, it's not the grestest either though. Definitely better than my high school food though.

I was there for 2 months and drank everyday before I dropped out. I'm not a bigger drinker, nor can I legally, so that should say something.

I think they changed from when Copperhead and Draft lover went to when I got there (last year).

I honestly felt that it was a slave camp. I understand having to clean stalls, feed, etc..But it was too much sometimes. I don't mind cleaning a stall, but I'm not going to take an hour to do it perfectly, their way. I have no problem feeding..but I won't have to wheel the hay every morning and kill my back.

I LOVED my farrier class, but that was just about all I enjoyed while I was there.

I was able to deal with the workload, but the people I couldn't deal with. I have NEVER seen so many people with such an ego and attitude. I didn't like the fact that heaven forbid I hit a horse if it bites or kicks at me. I use their "heading" technique (which isn't new), but if I have to grab the lead and shank a few times, I don't want yelled at for it.

The crates are actually pretty nice..but they just aren't big enough for two people. ESPECIALLY when they don't get along. My roommate was absolutely insane, and I could never get away with her if I wasn't out at the bar or somewhere else (usually drinking to get my mind off being miserable emotionally).

I can't say too much about the riding classes, because I was only in those for three days before I switched out to a science master. What I did get with my six lessons was that you better hope your assigned horses are in close barns or your classes are more than an hour apart. I was late to each of my second classes because I'd be given a barn on one side of campus, and then a horse in a barn on the opposite side. It takes me 5-8mins to saddle a horse up..even with boots or polos. It took me atleast a half hour with the horses I was assigned. And you were suppose to take a half hour to cool your horse down and curry/spray them off.

And if your horse is in a training class, better hope you don't want to ride it, because you won't be allowed. Can't ride alone, can't ride on weekends, etc. I find that ridiculous.

But anywho..I didn't like it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Draft lover (May 11, 2013)

Northern said:


> Draft lover, what's up with former students saying that they feed seed corn to the horses, & the dorms are converted school buses & such? Also, what's the food like? TIA!


When I was there in 94', they didn't have the converted buses or whatever. Just two dorms, one is a converted barn the other a converted arena. It's definantly a no frills type school. They concentrate on horses, and the whole place is considered a working facility. Don't let the looks scare you away.

They also fed whole corn when I was there, and owner Ron Meredith claimed (at that time) they had had no colics since feeding corn. I would guess if they still do feed corn, he would say the same thing. 

The food was okay from what I remember. Just like any school food I guess. Nothing super great, but not terrible either.

I must say I really enjoyed being there, and would like to be able to go back.


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

Thanks, Draft lover & Iseul, for answering about the feed, & giving us many more details!


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your feedback!!


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Iseul said:


> They feed cracked corn.
> 
> The dorms are converted buses or shipping crates, or tiny actual dorms (I heard half of them just flooded with 4" of water too).
> 
> ...


Just curious, but how many stalls did they expect you to clean in 1hr?
And tbh comparing what u said to the work conditions my friend is currently in... Not sure which one is worse. She's doing a student position at a farm where she works & rides from 6am- about 8pm 6 days a week. She does stalls, feeds, hauls hay, turns in-out in the morning-afternoon-and at night, plus 2-3 lessons. Grooms horses, and usually does a nightly hack in a group. But is staying in a tiny apartment with 3 other girls, and one is nasty to her.


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

You only cleaned one/two stalls a day, but I didn't have a problem with that. The way they wanted me to clean the stall took me almost an hour each, not the 20mins they said.
Basically they want you to strip it (4-7" of shavings) with everything moved to the walls, scrape the "dirt mat", sift through the shavings and fling it at the wall to separate from the shavings, and then put the shavings all back down.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Draft lover (May 11, 2013)

I don't remember having a time limit or a specific way of cleaning the stalls. As long as it was done was all that mattered. You got a grade on how well it was done.


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

There isn't a specific time limit, but I was told to do it as I explained or it would get a bad grade, especially if your barn manager saw you doing it a different way. They just told me it should only take 20 minutes doing it that way. I use to do 8 stalls in an hour before I went there in exchange to ride..I think it's mainly the fact that they're bedded down so heavily and the horses like to spin circles, paw, etc and get everything everywhere, lol.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MudPaint (Aug 14, 2010)

I am headed down for a tour on July 1st. It has been something I've considered for years but because I was told horses weren't a professional option to go to traditional school routes. Now that bills are paid off, I am doing what I want. 

I have been a working student, and while making that connection can be a great opportunity, you are only getting one person's view point. This seems to be an opportunity to get multiple ways of riding/working with horses. 

I'll let you know how it pans out.


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your input 
And I can't wait to hear about what it's like MudPaint!


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## andisofia7 (Jun 20, 2013)

I am currently attending MM, and the stalls do have to be done a specific way to get full points. 

I dont mind doing stalls and feed but with my schedule right now its almost impossible. I am full time and i have 2 ride classes in the morning one at 7 and one at 10, at 9 i have my internship for teaching, then for 1-3 i have my teaching class 3:15-5:15 i have training class and on Mondays i have theory from 6-8pm and tuesdays i have showing from 6-9pm. its way to much to do in one day i had no other choice than to do morning feed at 5:30 which really isnt too bad except for the fact that i have to turn out 3-4 horses. 

i personally think that the way they scheduled the classes are horrible, leaves no time for anything specially stalls, so i end up getting points deducted bc i didnt do the stall perfectly. also we have 4 absence "free-bees" and if we go past 4 we fail the class, unless you do make-ups which some are absolutely ridiculous. i do feel like a slave here. and i feel that the horses are honeslty unhappy here. being cooped up in a stall all day, there is no pastures, and they are always spooking on just about everything. i have ridden and been around horses all my life and ive never seen such jittery unhappy stiff horses. i dont like it here. oh and its really expensive. i do like some of the instructors but the class themselves i dont. i really only like the training class. Definitely not what i hoped for, the dorms suck, a lot of the students here are stuck up and egotistical. i honestly cannot wait to be out of here.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

you cant ride on weekends? What are the riding restrictions if you board the horse not within the program? You get yelled at for wacking a horse for biting at you? I was hoping to go there but if they are going to be that difficult i will find another school.


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

To add on what andisofia7 (I might know you? Lol) said..
I also couldn't stand how the horses were used. They were not thought of at all when they built the campus. I do not agree in the least bit that those horses are stuck in stalls 24-26hrs/day..not to mention those that they don't use for classes that are stuck in there with no turn-out. A half hour turn out is not enough for a horse, IMO.
Oh, you're also expected to feed/water/clean stalls if the power goes out too. I refused when I was there. I am NOT going to go into a horse's stall in the dark and poke around, I won't even do it with my own mare. They preach about safety, but some of those horses there are dangerous, and I'd much rather be allowed to tie them up outside as opposed to tip-toeing around in the stall trying to keep from being kicked or bitten.

If you board the horse out of the program, you can ride it in one of your daily riding classes and that's it. You can turn-out on the weekends, but you can't get on your horse. The horse has to always have a bit in (snaffle only) to be ridden, no sidepulls or hacks allowed. There is a boarding barn about 10-15mins from the school if you want to actually be able to ride your horse.
And yeah..I'll be damned if I can't hit a horse for biting/kicking at me. I've always whacked for biting and I've been known to kick a horse back if I'm close enough or hit it with whatever is available.

I do miss Elvis and PeToo though..PeToo was the only stall I actually cleaned because I sat in the stall with her and scratched all her itchy spots, I felt so bad for her being on stall rest for months on end.

But basically, their theory is that you don't have to touch a horse to get it to do as you want on the ground, which is complete BS, in my opinion.
And the people are definitely stuck up and egotistical..I mean, -I- have an ego and they were all worse than me!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

should I look into Colorado state or Texas A&M? i can't use my mare at Meredith manor (and she will have way too much fun getting me hurt in just a snaffle) so if i can get into a program that lets me use her that would be fantastic.


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## Draft lover (May 11, 2013)

I guess I am the odd one here. I enjoyed my time at MM, and learned more there in a year than I have my whole life. The way they teach you to ride, by using your seat so much than reins has saved my butt from hitting the ground more than once. It's not the greatest looking place for sure, and they are pretty strict about a lot of stuff but for me, it was worth it all the way. 

Really, about the only thing I didn't much like about it was the whole turn out thing. We had about five or ten minutes before each class to turn the horses loose in the arena with a whip and make them run and buck to try to get it out of their systems. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not so much, depending on the horse you are riding. I only hit the ground one time doing that way in my year there, and considering no real turnout that's not really that bad. You just have to REALLY be ready to learn to ride if you go there. Since my graduation in 94', I have never ridden ANY horse in anything but a snaffle regardless of the horse or the situation. I didn't believe any of the junk they were talking when I first got there and begged my parents to come all the way back from Alabama to get me the next week. Thank God they didn't and made me stick it out, because now it's the only way I will ever ride. Basically dressage with a western saddle.


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## TurkishVan (Feb 11, 2013)

I didn't attend MM, but my riding instructor did and she always talks about how wonderful it was. I think she was a '98 graduate. She went straight from high school to the manor, and said that when she arrived, she thought she knew everything already. She told me that it was definitely tough, but she enjoyed her time there. 
I didn't know about the "no hitting" rule, but she did describe a time that a particularly nasty mare bit her in the thigh, and she kept herself in check. I think the main lesson there might have been self control, even when in pain (and she still has the scar...). She also described to me how even the schooling horses were hopped up, and how you could lunge them 5 minutes before your riding class. She said that the lunging arena was 5 minutes away, and usually it'd be completely full of crazy horses being lunged, so most people just opted out and decided to ride them as is. She knows how to keep her seat on a high energy/rambunctious horse though, so I'm guessing it worked in her favor.
The programs seem to be pretty short (1-2) years, so they have to be intense to pack everything in. It's the same for condensed nursing programs. 

I think that no matter where you go, you're going to get out what you put in. Maybe you should ask to sit in one of their classroom teachings, and observe a riding lesson as well, before committing to any decision.


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## xlionesss (Jan 30, 2012)

I would love to go, but it seems all the good reviews are from the 90's
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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I have been reading and it seams that after the 90s the school went downhill to the point that people are NOT employing MM graduates. Sooo looks like I'm looking elsewhere.


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## littleamy76 (Jun 30, 2011)

Is there a specific reason as to why you would want to go to MM? There are a few other good equine colleges that you could look into.


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## xlionesss (Jan 30, 2012)

I think the reason people are so intrigued by MM is because it is mainly a trade school. You spend a majority of your time and studies hands on or in the saddle rather than in a traditional school environment.


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

That's the exact reason I chose MM over TAMU and Findlay..I think I'd have been much happier at either of those as opposed to MM, and I do regret my decision.

The only way I plan to go back to MM is for the farrier short course to finish learning that since I missed out on shoeing and only learned how to trim. The only time I enjoyed there (actual classes, drinking was fun too, lol) was my farrier classes.
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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

I would look into Colorado State as you suggested earlier. I'm partial because it's the school I attend. It's a great program and I've really enjoyed it. Plus they're breaking ground soon to do a revamp of the facility and adding two more indoor arenas. Hopefully it would be done while you were here.
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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

For $18000 one can become a John Lyons certified instructor.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I don't have 18000 I can spend. Im at the mercy of student loans and FASFA. Im thinking Colorado because its not to far from home. Another thing is I am not to interested in academics. If im going to do academics Ill become a biologist. But Id rather be able to work with the horses then look at them through lab equipment lol.


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your insight 
And yea I do not agree with horses being in stalls 24/7, and only having 5mins to warm ur horse up for a lesson... But from what I've seen of photos and videos I really like their methods of teaching both for you and the horse. I would also like to base my horse career around bareback & bridleless reining, and I think the reining program would give me a start on that. I am also interested teaching both horses and people, and extremely interested in massage therapy stuff. I am near the University of Guelph, but not only am i not eligible for university, I am not nearly as interested in the things they teach there. I am also much much better at learning hands on. So to me MM sounds right up my alley. Also in comparison to other places it is not nearly as far away from home


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## Draft lover (May 11, 2013)

Nokotaheaven said:


> Thank you everyone for your insight
> And yea I do not agree with horses being in stalls 24/7, and only having 5mins to warm ur horse up for a lesson... But from what I've seen of photos and videos I really like their methods of teaching both for you and the horse. I would also like to base my horse career around bareback & bridleless reining, and I think the reining program would give me a start on that. I am also interested teaching both horses and people, and extremely interested in massage therapy stuff. I am near the University of Guelph, but not only am i not eligible for university, I am not nearly as interested in the things they teach there. I am also much much better at learning hands on. So to me MM sounds right up my alley. Also in comparison to other places it is not nearly as far away from home


I can say MM had some issues that didn't really thrill me, but I dang sure learned to ride, and what I learned has kept me in the saddle more than once. If you do decide to go to MM, just do be ready to learn to ride, because they are serious about it. No they don't have a lot of "turn out" time, but once you are able to handle those rides, you will be able to ride anything. So, lack of turn out can actually be a benefit to you as a rider.


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## albertaeventer (Feb 5, 2013)

If you do a search on some other popular horse forums the topic has been discussed quite extensively and is very interesting. I agree, it seems like in the past was a good school but lately has seemed to really go downhill.

If you want to do the horse thing I wouldn't recommend it, just based on what I've read and heard.


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Draft lover said:


> I can say MM had some issues that didn't really thrill me, but I dang sure learned to ride, and what I learned has kept me in the saddle more than once. If you do decide to go to MM, just do be ready to learn to ride, because they are serious about it. No they don't have a lot of "turn out" time, but once you are able to handle those rides, you will be able to ride anything. So, lack of turn out can actually be a benefit to you as a rider.


Haha I'd love that


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

I went to MM. In my area, you can't learn anything above keeping your heels down. When I graduated, I was hired as a fox hunting/ polo pony trainer in Georgia. $550 a week salary, housing and insurance came with the job. When I started looking to progress my résumé, I had all expense paid interviews in Texas, Wisconsin, Washington state and Arizona. 

The only reason my career was put on hold was because I became pregnant and I put family life ahead of my career. The people whom I attended MM with have gone on to ride for Olympic competitors or have started their own successful facilities. One of them recently rode a horse right into the aqha hall of fame.

The school is not for everyone. It's an extremely hard and physically demanding school. But as stated before, once you learn how to ride a Manor horse, you can ride just about anything.

We had a horse who Parelli said needed to be put down because he was so vicious. The owner took him to MM instead and he turned into a 5ft jumper.

There are downsides to MM. There are always downsides to a collage. I attended MM a while ago so I don't know how the program has changed. 

Although I'm not training for cash anymore, I frequently get questions about injury advice, training advice and other inquiries that I wouldn't have been able to answer if I didnt get my start at MM.

I enjoyed the school but it is not for everyone. By the time I left I was jumping 4ft for interviews and trained a horse to do canter half pass, all from my humble start of being a western trail rider who couldn't ride a buck to save her life.
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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

To add, MM does not have a "no hit" rule, last time I checked. They teach you how to discipline the horse in a way it understands, not in a way just the human understands. There were plenty of times I've seen a horse laced or have laced a horse myself for dangerous behavior. It's all in the timing and application of the discipline.

They teach you degree of pressure based on behavior. Not every bad act is equally punishable by the same pressure, and they teach that. 

They will correct for over punishment. And yes, they do teach you how to maneuver the horse without touching it. That's how I taught my horse (who was given to me because she was so dangerous on the ground and in saddle) to safely be lead by my 4 year old, willing and ready and quiet.

The program requires patience to understand and grow in its knowledge, but once you understand, it's gold.

I've not known of a place who wouldn't hire someone because they are from MM. I never ran into that problem while interviewing and I was accepting interviews all over the country. I'm sure they are out there though. I know of someone who won't hire anyone from Findley college or Hocking college, so they are out there.
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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Copperhead said:


> To add, MM does not have a "no hit" rule, last time I checked. They teach you how to discipline the horse in a way it understands, not in a way just the human understands. There were plenty of times I've seen a horse laced or have laced a horse myself for dangerous behavior. It's all in the timing and application of the discipline.
> 
> They teach you degree of pressure based on behavior. Not every bad act is equally punishable by the same pressure, and they teach that.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for your input 
I think that from what I have heard on here, despite all the bad things said about it, I definitely would like to go there now


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## TAPITOTTB (Jul 11, 2013)

Nokotaheaven said:


> Has anyone heard of or taken a course there? If so what are your thoughts on the place?


I cannot speak of myself as i've never been, however both my barn manager and farrier attended and have nothing but poor things to say. FWIW....this is just "word of mouth" since I have no experience myself.


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

I've heard nothing but horror stories from people come out of this place.


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## Draft lover (May 11, 2013)

MM must have really changed since I was there. I had a really good experiance with it. I think it's a "to each his own" type thing. Either it's for you or it's not.


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

I think I agree with you Draft lover


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## mpj92 (Aug 20, 2013)

*Run*

I'd like to say, first, that what I'm about to say about MM is MY experience, and if there is someone here who had a much different experience, that is wonderful! I am not saying you're wrong, or trying to take away from your time there whatsoever. My time, however, was the worst time I have ever had.
I should probably give you a little back story. I went to MM right after high school, had been riding since I was 9, eventing at Training/Prelim level for several years, and brought my 18 (at the time) year old thoroughbred with me to board on campus. 
I attended MM as a full-time student in 2010, for a nine-month riding masters program. I lasted six months. This is the type of school that you will spend thousands and thousands of dollars on, and then walk around campus wondering "where the hell does all my money go?" There is NO turnout. What they consider turnout is letting your horse free-lunge around the ring for 10-30 minutes at a time, depending on how early you woke up, how many other people are waiting to turnout their horses, etc. There is NO grass-grazing allowed, whatsoever. 
The horses are fed corn, it's the owner, Ron's, defense against colic. MY horse, however, did miserably on this diet. He lost a lot of weight, and got very sick. Think about it people! When you eat corn, what happens? You see it in your poop the next day (graphic, but true). And it's because it goes right through you, there is very little nutritional value from it. Do you think it's much different for horses? I don't.
The barns aren't hideously constructed, but they aren't great either. They're wood, with dirt floor, and the wood only goes as low as the ground. MM is located in a valley, and if you've ever been to West Virginia before you know it tends to rain, and often. Many of these barns were placed next to a creek. It rains, the creek overflows, the barns were flooded several times throughout my stay there. And when horses feet get constantly wet, they develop thrush. There were few horses that I remember not having gotten thrush at least once. My horse had never had the issue before, but he certainly got it there. And they're "cure" for this was to spray athlete's foot spray on the bottom of the hoof. Yeah...No. 
The dorms feel like a prison cell, if you're in the main dorm. No windows, all cinderblock walls, unless you're on "co-ed" side. You're allowed to paint and decorate and write on the walls and do whatever you like, which helps, but not much.
The other students were either all racist, or extremely stuck up. I made few friends, but you could always put that one back on me I suppose. 
I never ate food at the cafeteria, personal thing, so I couldn't tell you much about it, or about the "bus" rooms or "trailer" rooms. I hear they were better, but I never tried them, so nothing i could say about them would matter much.
The instructors were nice, but I didn't learn anything I didn't already know, and I felt they changed my riding style quite a bit, and in a way that doesn't seem widely accepted in other areas. I was actually taught back OUT of a lot of the positions they taught once I came home and began working with other instructors again.
I like a lot of the theory of MM, like heeding (a way they teach of leading and communicating with the horse), and using grooming as a key communication tool. However they didn't teach it well, or with much patience. And when I took my first Training class with Ron, MM's founder, where we sat with him in a room while we watched an upper-level student work with a new horse in training, he would prattle on and on about a lot of things that didn't even pertain to the lesson. I think some of the most memorable advice I got from him were "don't fart while spooning." and "Don't take a sleeping pill and a laxative at the same time." Funny? Absolutely! Worth the money you spend? Absolutely not. 
I did feel like a slave there. I've cleaned stalls since I was nine, there was a period of a few years I would clean 15-30 a morning without much problem. The way they have the schedule set up here...just prepare to not have free time, ever, and when you do being far too exhausted to use it. I would not consider myself a lazy person, and this seemed far too much for me. 
When my horse and I came home he was extremely underweight, and almost...sad. This sounds corny, but he was not his old self. It took awhile to get him back to normal. He seemed uninterested in everything. 
My personal, personal advice is run. Do not risk your own mental well-being, I certainly did.


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## ThisIsMyUsername (Jul 29, 2013)

-Sigh- I graduated high school earlier this year and I want to go into an equine field, I had Meredith Manor picked as my college but I don't know. Reviews seem to be really bad. Then there are a handful of really good ones. 

My main thing is that I am not an experienced rider. I've only ridden for about a year, and none of that has been official riding. It has been all "back-yard" instruction. So I don't want to go into a program where I would be put on the back burner from being extremely inexperienced. I want to go somewhere where I can get what I put in. I also don't want to go to a college where I am doing equine studies but the horses aren't the main thing.

I already feel a bit silly for spending so much money on it when I could just do an internship or something. But I am one of the first people in my family to head towards college and I want that.


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## littleamy76 (Jun 30, 2011)

ThisIsMyUsername said:


> -Sigh- I graduated high school earlier this year and I want to go into an equine field, I had Meredith Manor picked as my college but I don't know. Reviews seem to be really bad. Then there are a handful of really good ones.
> 
> My main thing is that I am not an experienced rider. I've only ridden for about a year, and none of that has been official riding. It has been all "back-yard" instruction. So I don't want to go into a program where I would be put on the back burner from being extremely inexperienced. I want to go somewhere where I can get what I put in. I also don't want to go to a college where I am doing equine studies but the horses aren't the main thing.
> 
> I already feel a bit silly for spending so much money on it when I could just do an internship or something. But I am one of the first people in my family to head towards college and I want that.


I don't know anything about MM, however may I suggest looking into Midway College in Kentucky. I went there for a semester. Beautiful area, tons of grassy pastures for your horse to run around in, 2 barns (although looking at their website, looks like they added another barn so that would be 3 barns), an indoor and outdoor riding arena. They have an Equine Studies major but also have many other majors. I've known several people that graduated with a Business Major with a concentration in Equine Studies and have gone onto working at some really decent barns. Some people do internships at some of the Thoroughbred racing farms in the area. They also offer riding classes both English and Western as part of your courses. I went there as a beginner, pretty much being backyard taught myself and came out knowing how to post correctly, change leads, etc..I orginally wanted to go to University of Louisville, but Midway seemed like it had more hands-on work along with class work. I remember hearing about MM when applying for colleges, but something didn't sit right with me not to mention it was too far away from home.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

There are lots of Unis with Equine programs that are worth checking out, and may have a bit more clout/be better for networking. Plus, many colleges have Equestrian Teams (mine does).

Just toss'n that out there!


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## RedDunRoanOvero (Aug 21, 2013)

Your best bet is to go to a real, four-year college and look into Equine Management degrees.

With that being said, you will earn next to nothing in the horse industry. Be prepared to be horse-poor your whole life!

As far as MM goes, I've managed training facilities and hired MM graduates. It's going to be hit or miss as to whether they know anything because they either go into the program with the knowledge or they go in expecting to learn something... and don't.

Sure, you get your ride time but I've seen kids come out of their Training course who can barely post a trot. And who, when given the opportunity, actually reverse the progress on horses because they were apparently never taught how to train, merely to school a horse at w/t/c and let them get away without going round or balancing. (I have pre-teen students who can do that for free.)

Additionally, there are a ton of real-life scenarios (workplace hazards) that don't get taught. That's life experience that just doesn't come from a book or a controlled environment.

Typically, pony club turns out more solid, knowledgeable people (being said from a hiring perspective) than MM does.

I've come to believe that good horsemen and women learn more in either of two situations. You're born into a family with horse knowledge and the financial stability to provide you with a barn full of horses to grow-up with OR you take working student positions from any trainer who will have you.

Looks like the latter is your option here, being that you've already been born. It's going to cost less than going to a camp-like setting such as MM and will give you working experience. The perks are that most of these situations offer housing, a stipend, and/or boarding & lessons for your horse.

If you really want to be in the industry, it could be worth taking a year before college to really see what it's like. You may find that the business side of horses isn't what you thought and you'll save yourself from devoting four years to a degree you don't want. You may like it even more but you'll be better prepared with the new hands-on experience and networking you've gained.


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## sarah0531 (Aug 30, 2013)

worst place I could have ever chose for schooling I brought my horse with me which was a bad idea no turn out cracked corn and my horse came out of there mean and nasty and aggressive toward ppl.  trainer graduated from the Meredith manor program but had no real life experience outside of the manor nit turn off. I would NOT recommend that place to anyone who is serious about riding. did not like It one bit


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I got my experience, starting as a young teen, often by what wasn't said but absorbed. After 5 years of the usual barn chores and having horses of all temperaments to ride, plus various stages of training, by 19 I knew what having my own horse or running a boarding/training facility would involve. It was like a 6 yr apprenticeship. I was paid in experience, not money.


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## Kfunckes (Oct 13, 2013)

From what I see, Meredith Manor looks great, and I'm planning on going there maybe next summer for a 12week session. I have not been there yet (I live in Michigan, so quite a drive just to visit) so can't answer any spicifics. 

Iseul, sounds like no matter what place you go, you would have trouble, given the information from your original post. As for the stall cleaning, I do the same method you described in your second post, and each stall only takes me 20-25 minutes. That is including dumping the wheelbarrow, loading fresh shavings, and spreading them in the cleaned stall. But then I have a high work ethic, and work quickly and efficiently. 

I would suggest that if you are interested in MM: check out their site, order resources (they are free), and if close enough to be reasonable, visit and talk to a few of the administrators, students, instructors and professors. Between all of them, you'll get tons of information!


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## NeryLibra (Oct 9, 2013)

MM has a spike-drop sort of pattern going on, I've noticed. Students from the 90's rave about how good their education and experience was, students from '00 - '09 rant about how there's marijuana, poor management and poor skills coming from the school. From '10-present, you'll get mixed reviews from many different sources. The dorms, converted buses, horses' feed and turn out regimens, quality of other students or education are all argued in these reviews. Some students enjoy the school and what it offers. Others argue that it's a waste of time and money. In the end all you can really do regarding this school is take each opinion with a grain of salt, write up a list of pros and cons from each review and Visit The School for yourself.

They have a facebook page. Check it out and maybe talk to the people posting on it.


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## Nokotaheaven (Apr 11, 2012)

Thank you to everyone who has answered this  Sorry it took me a long time to get bact to this thread, I haven't been on here much these last few months. What I have decided to do is I'm going to take a year to get a bit of money, then I'm going to try to get a full time job on a farm doing various things to get 1-2 years of barn maintenance and horse handling experience under my belt while still furthering the knowledge I have. Then after that I'll go to a equine college and will hopefully be somewhat prepped for what they require of me


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