# Am I being unreasonable? Riding school troubles



## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

No you're not being unreasonable. You call ahead if you need to cancel, I assume, & you should have gotten the same courtesy.
I wouldn't have paid, not full price anyway.
Talk to your trainer about it. She will probably give you a free lesson. I would.


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## twh (Feb 1, 2010)

Why did you ride when you had figured out no one would be there to instruct you?


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

twh said:


> Why did you ride when you had figured out no one would be there to instruct you?


 
After reading the post, I took it to mean that the OP was not told the instructor would not be in that day until AFTER she had showed up for her lesson.

This happened to my son once. Instructor scheduled two lessons at the same time...on purpose i guess.....and worked with the other student while my son was left to figure out what to do on his own, which meant he ended up riding around in circles in the round pen.

When the other lesson was over and she wandered over to us about 45 minutes later, I was not only steaming, I was fully cooked. And I let her have it. 

We never went back there.

We also had another instructor who would talk with other students about their latest show or talk on her cell phone or order pizza for her family's supper during my son's lesson time. Again, not so nice words followed.

Find another trainer who is willing to devote 100% of their attention to YOU during the hour of their time that you BOUGHT!!


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## jinxremoving (Apr 6, 2009)

natisha said:


> No you're not being unreasonable. You call ahead if you need to cancel, I assume, & you should have gotten the same courtesy.
> I wouldn't have paid, not full price anyway.
> Talk to your trainer about it. She will probably give you a free lesson. I would.


Agreed. Whenever I had to ride without an instructor because they cancelled at the very last minute, I always paid what an "extra ride" costs which is usually 1/2 of a lesson. Although when I leased a horse, if the instructor had to cancel I obviously didn't pay anything then.


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## twh (Feb 1, 2010)

Beauseant said:


> After reading the post, I took it to mean that the OP was not told the instructor would not be in that day until AFTER she had showed up for her lesson.


But why did she keep riding and not dismount once she'd figured out no one would be there to instruct her? I'm taking it she was riding one the barn's lesson horses.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

You paid for a lesson, not just an hourly ride. I would not be paying full fare for that. My other concern is that after 12 lessons, what have you learned if you can't keep your horse in the arena?

I'd be looking for another place to give my money to.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Iride, I think she's been taking weekly lessons for a year, so more like 50+ lessons which makes your question even more important.

Hlwk, I would not be happy with that situation in the slightest and would've told the girls there immediately that I was unhappy. Also, if you have truly been taking weekly lessons for a year and still cannot keep your horse in the arena or keep him from breaking into a trot or are unable to slow him down... I would suggest finding a different trainer right away. In my opinion you should be much further along unless there are other factors at play.


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## Beauseant (Oct 22, 2010)

twh said:


> But why did she keep riding and not dismount once she'd figured out no one would be there to instruct her? I'm taking it she was riding one the barn's lesson horses.


 
The reason I didn't have my son dismount and just leave is that we travelled very far for these lessons, and I wasn't leaving until I had a "talk" with the instructor......

IDK why the OP didn't just leave....

But in any case, OP needs to find another trainer/instructor.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

After 12 months you can't control a horse from leaving the arena? Definitely time for a new instructor. You should have progressed well beyond that by now. Unless you have a signed contract, if it were me I'd just move on and tell her you no longer need her services. It's good to change coaches and horses, you learn more.


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## hlwk (Feb 27, 2011)

Thank you for all the replies, it's a long post and I appreciate everyone having a read and helping me out. 

twh: I had traveled an hour and a half for my lesson and was only informed my instructor was not there after I had arrived.

Horsie not leaving the arena was 100% my fault. I have just been working on having a contact when riding, and horsie managed to swing his bum toward the arena exit and was listening to the contact rather than my leg, as that is what would get him out of work faster. At first, I couldn't put two and two together, but after she came to help and said this to me, I was fine. Loose rein, leg on, he came back into the arena no problems. I know it may seem like a simple solution, but it's something that in the heat of the moment I didn't really think about.

My instructor as a really "give 110% every ride" approach and I took that mindset into the arena without having the horsie problem solving skills to back it up. The horse definitely had it over me that day, but I have been able to ride him fairly well and iron out his kinks before, but only with an instructor there.

I have a lesson booked with another riding school today, so if all goes well then my previous instructor can kiss my $60 a week goodbye.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I just cant fathom a situation where I would ever pay for a lesson I didnt receive. SOunds like you are just letting people walk all over you. Stand up for yourself. handing them money before you left was just telling them what they did was ok.


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## ChristineNJ (Jan 23, 2010)

I would have looked at riding alone as a challenge! It gives you time to practice what you have learned! I love my alone practice time. I think you just psyched yourself out. You probably know more than you think after taking so many lessons. Just have more confidence in yourself and show that horse that you are the boss!!!


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## sandy2u1 (May 7, 2008)

If the only issue here were the trainer not being there and you not getting your lesson, then assuming this is the only time it has ever happened, then I would give your trainer the benefit of the doubt and at least talk with her about this. An emergency may have come up. She may have worked out a replacement that just didn't do her job. It is worth discussing with her.

The bigger issue here is, IMO, that you had no control over that horse. As somone else already mentioned, you should be able to at least do that. He was breaking out into trots whenever he felt like it, balking and just generally messing around at the gate and even left the arena. You really should be further along, IMO.


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## SarahAnn (Oct 22, 2011)

Before we all hate on the trainer, let's keep in mind that we don't know her side of the story. We don't know why she cancelled. Her mother could have died for all we know, and maybe she called the barn and said "I can't be there, but if she wants to ride without me she can. She should be comfortable after a year to do it alone." Then the other employees said "oh you're riding alone." You know? We don't know the full story, but a year there is a long time, its worth trying to understand why there was a communication gap there, before you say screw it and go somewhere else. At least hear her out and tell her how you felt...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

I agree SarahAnn however if there is someone riding a school pony, I would expect someone to be there at all times. 

Its all good and well saying these things, but I would get miffed too if I had driven that far to be told to plod about on my own, when a simple phone call would have suffised. I'm fairly experienced in the dressage side of things, but the first time I rode my new horse on my own I went blank! It can be an experience that is nerve wracking!

I would have asked for a refund.. that is a LOT of money, but I'm really glad you have found elsewhere, good luck with furthering your learning


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## catsandhorses (Aug 6, 2011)

It would not have occured to me to pay for a lesson that I didn't receive. If anything my take would be that I exercised their horse for an hour and while I'm happy to do that for free, I didn't travel for 1.5 hours to hack around the arena for an hour. Lesson learned: don't pay for a service you didn't receive. 

Good luck with your new coach!


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