# Beware of packages



## Jdangleis (Aug 6, 2021)

Hi
just making people aware of stables selling packages without a verbal or written agreement. I was taking riding
lessons and after my 4th lesson out of 8 lessons, she was giving me the 9th one free, I had a flare up of plantar fasciitis and my doctor told me not to ride. I gave the owner the doctors note and she asked me “what are you trying to pull’. Then proceeded to tell me she
doesn’t give refunds. This was not discussed when she sold me the package and there was no contract signed. Very surprised by this outcome. Lost 200$.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I don't know many barns who would refund you half a package, honestly. Perhaps they will let you use those rides down the road, or maybe consider letting you transfer the package to someone else, but they aren't under an obligation to do so (still, you can ask, and then sell what's left at a discounted price to someone else at the barn?). The problem is that they reserved a spot for you in the lesson program, and it may take a while to fill it with someone else so they are out that money if they provide you with a refund. The horses still need to be fed and cared for, whether you are riding or not. 

Say you booked at hotel room for 7 days, and decided to leave after 3 because you couldn't enjoy your vacation due to an injury, would the hotel be obligated to refund you for the remainder of your stay? 

Sorry about your plantar fasciitis. I don't mean to be unsympathetic, just trying to explain that this is pretty normal. Some barns might refund you, but that would be out of the goodness of their hearts, not because they are in any way obligated to refund you for something you can no longer do due to a pre-exisiting condition that got worse.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I don't think I've heard of people refunding riding packages before. I've seen them hold the package until a rider could return. To be honest, I'm not sure how plantar fasciitis would be effected by riding - you aren't putting any pressure on your heel. Did your doctor say why you should stop riding? (I'm just curious - not knocking the doctor).

My suggestion would be to ask if she can hold your spot for when you are able to ride again.


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## Jdangleis (Aug 6, 2021)

Acadianartist said:


> I don't know many barns who would refund you half a package, honestly. Perhaps they will let you use those rides down the road, or maybe consider letting you transfer the package to someone else, but they aren't under an obligation to do so (still, you can ask, and then sell what's left at a discounted price to someone else at the barn?). The problem is that they reserved a spot for you in the lesson program, and it may take a while to fill it with someone else so they are out that money if they provide you with a refund. The horses still need to be fed and cared for, whether you are riding or not.
> 
> Say you booked at hotel room for 7 days, and decided to leave after 3 because you couldn't enjoy your vacation due to an injury, would the hotel be obligated to refund you for the remainder of your stay?
> 
> Sorry about your plantar fasciitis. I don't mean to be unsympathetic, just trying to explain that this is pretty normal. Some barns might refund you, but that would be out of the goodness of their hearts, not because they are in any way obligated to refund you for something you can no longer do due to a pre-exisiting condition that got worse.


thanks for the info. I’m still surprised at this practice. Feel like she should have at least told me there were no refunds because If I had known I would have never bought them up front considering we both knew I was struggling to ride. Yes someone with a heart would have refunded the money. I would have and did when she asked me to refund her prepaid tutoring sessions for her daughter after she used half the lessons Live and learn.


farmpony84 said:


> I don't think I've heard of people refunding riding packages before. I've seen them hold the package until a rider could return. To be honest, I'm not sure how plantar fasciitis would be effected by riding - you aren't putting any pressure on your heel. Did your doctor say why you should stop riding? (I'm just curious - not knocking the doctor).
> 
> My suggestion would be to ask if she can hold your spot for when you are able to ride again.


Yes my doc told me not to ride and gave me a doctors note. I’m not sure if you know about tendinitis but you can’t keep your foot in the correct position to ride. I’m in a splint at night.. Again just really surprised that people will take money they haven’t earned. Old school I guess


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I was just curious. The cast makes sense. What if you try to sell your remaining sessions to someone else?

I used to buy my packages up front a million years ago and it seems to me that if I missed one session it just rolled to the next week but I'm not sure every place would do it that way. I have a feeling your money was already spent the minute you paid for your session which is why she won't refund.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I think that if someone isn't sure about committing to a new activity they may or may not like or may or may not be able to do physically, it is wisest to pay for one or two lessons, not a package of 8. That way, if it doesn't work out, you just stop going. 

You say the instructor didn't earn the money. She trained for many years, fed the horses, cleaned the stalls or paid someone to do so, provided a barn, fences, and pastures/paddocks which she probably mortgaged, bought several horses as well as all the tack that comes with them, and spent years training her horses so they could be used in a lesson program. When you're paying for a lesson, you're paying for all of that, not just the 45 minutes of someone's time.


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## Horsef (May 1, 2014)

I just looked at pottery lessons and they don't do refunds either plus you have to use up the lessons within 30 days, so I don't think it exclusive to horse riding. I think the principle is the same - they booked that slot and would struggle to refill it fast enough. The pottery place did spell it out on their web site so that is much better from the customer service point of view.


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## Jdangleis (Aug 6, 2021)

Horsef said:


> I just looked at pottery lessons and they don't do refunds either plus you have to use up the lessons within 30 days, so I don't think it exclusive to horse riding. I think the principle is the same - they booked that slot and would struggle to refill it fast enough. The pottery place did spell it out on their web site so that is much better from the customer service point of view.


unfortunately she doesn’t work that way. ☹


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

Sorry to hear about this. I had plantar fasciitis terrible in both feet. It impacted my day to day life as you know with the agony and severely impacted my ability to work a role standing for too long. Thankfully it went after two years and better footwear. I had to wear boots at night but was never so bad they put in a cast - even with a broken ankle I had a boot. Casts seem to be less used here in the UK at least. One recommendation for future lessons you may take buy your own stirrup leathers and stirrups (or just stirrups I guess if western?). Buy wider stirrup treads with shock absorbers. Have a look at composite stirrups you can get very affordable versions. I know plenty of people that used their own stirrups even on lesson horses. Honestly I never had any problems with plantar and foot position, but the grippy/wider tread did help with ankle stability. I worry that maybe you keep your heels down in an exaggerated fashion that might exacerbate it? Lastly unless the doctor rides horses too its unlikely they know exactly how riding (even a specific discipline) will be affected by your loss of mobility. Even still, if it were that bad I'd have taken the lessons and gone stirrupless. What better excuse to force me to train a better seat? 

I imagine its too late to mend that bridge. I am not in the least surprised the package was not refunded, especially where animals are concerned. It's not in stocks, its literal feed and manual labour that makes money go poof. The most I've requested and been granted was rescheduling.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I understand why the instructor is like this. I had someone come for a lesson 45 minutes late. Then they wanted to split the lesson into 2 different 30 minute lessons instead of an hour. Another person wanted to bring their dog- with no shots because they just got it. Or people bring friends in flip flops... Or the abused child who doesn't talk, while the parents want to ride... Or they just don't show up at all. Or they tell me it's raining when they are clearly in bed sleeping in.


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## Jdangleis (Aug 6, 2021)

4horses said:


> I understand why the instructor is like this. I had someone come for a lesson 45 minutes late. Then they wanted to split the lesson into 2 different 30 minute lessons instead of an hour. Another person wanted to bring their dog- with no shots because they just got it. Or people bring friends in flip flops... Or the abused child who doesn't talk, while the parents want to ride... Or they just don't show up at all. Or they tell me it's raining when they are clearly in bed sleeping in.





4horses said:


> I understand why the instructor is like this. I had someone come for a lesson 45 minutes late. Then they wanted to split the lesson into 2 different 30 minute lessons instead of an hour. Another person wanted to bring their dog- with no shots because they just got it. Or people bring friends in flip flops... Or the abused child who doesn't talk, while the parents want to ride... Or they just don't show up at all. Or they tell me it's raining when they are clearly in bed sleeping in.



I get it. I just wish she told me it wasn't refundable


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## Jdangleis (Aug 6, 2021)

I just wish she told me it wasn't refundable, I would have never purchased it. Thanks for your responses. I am going to consider it a donation to the horses.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I wish you the best with your ailment.
I don't know much about it, but it sounds painful and debilitating to have to be cast to help the heal.
Thoughts for a fast and forever recovery and maybe a "try-again" in riding at a future date.
🐴...


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

If it was me, to be professional, I would have refunded you, however most would not, nor under obligation to do so. However, telling you "what are you trying to pull?" is just rude.


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## Rainsong (Sep 29, 2009)

Wait a minute....she paid you for a specific number of sessions to tutor her daughter...then ASKED you to give her a refund halfway through (obviously not for a medical reason). You were nice enough to do it...then when you have to stop taking riding lessons for a medical reason, not only is she rude* and unprofessional, she refuses to extend you the same courtesy!?!
* What did she mean by "what are you trying to pull?" It was a doctor's note! She wasn't going to give you a refund no matter what so how is giving her a note from your doctor "trying to pull" something?
I'm sorry you're going through this, and lost a significant amount of money, but I can't imagine someone like that would be pleasant to take lessons from...


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## Jdangleis (Aug 6, 2021)

Rainsong said:


> Wait a minute....she paid you for a specific number of sessions to tutor her daughter...then ASKED you to give her a refund halfway through (obviously not for a medical reason). You were nice enough to do it...then when you have to stop taking riding lessons for a medical reason, not only is she rude* and unprofessional, she refuses to extend you the same courtesy!?!
> * What did she mean by "what are you trying to pull?" It was a doctor's note! She wasn't going to give you a refund no matter what so how is giving her a note from your doctor "trying to pull" something?
> I'm sorry you're going through this, and lost a significant amount of money, but I can't imagine someone like that would be pleasant to take lessons from...


To be fair she didn’t refund me. She never paid me upfront bc I trusted her. but after one lesson her daughter said she was all set so she just paid me the discounted price of one lesson. I should have seeen this coming. It was one of many red flags.


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