# New barn-confused about rules



## eburnham (Jun 23, 2014)

I just moved to a new barn that is very nice. The trainer gave us a Barn Rules sheet to sign-this included things like no jumping without a trainer, helmets are required, no riding on the trails because they're someone else property, clean up after your horse, etc.

Now I go to ride yesterday on a rainy day and get kicked out of the indoor because there is a lesson coming in. I've always ridden at places where boarders can still ride while a lesson is going on, they just have to stay out of the lesson's way. So it was different for me. Also, the girl hand walked her horse for a half hour, THEN had a lesson. So...why did I have to leave just so she could hand walk?

Is it common for trainers to not allow other boarders to ride in the ring while a lesson is going on? I am a bit ticked off that I wasn't told this the first day as well-as a college student, I give up a lot of time to ride, and that particular day was pouring so basically I went there to ride just to find out I couldn't. 

Also, I've seen from social media that other boarders are always using the trails and going on trail rides. But the barn rules stated that we couldn't..? 

Has this ever happened to anyone? Would it be weird to request a lesson schedule posted at the barn so I could see when I could ride and when I couldn't? especially since winter is coming and the outdoor will be unusable soon. I am new here so I don't want to push any buttons, but I also think I deserve to know...? Especially about the trail availability-nobody should have special treatment! 

Any help appreciated!


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

This is something you need to take up with the barn. I have been at a barn where you couldn't share the ring during lessons and that was because the riding ring was too small to share it. I wasn't at that barn for long.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

You'd be shocked at the number of barns with such rules. The boarder always takes the back seat though I don't know why they should, they live there! I wouldn't stay at a barn like that because like you, my day is busy.

When I teach a lesson others can ride. Part of riding is riding & knowing how to control the horse. The only time I won't let someone else ride is if I'm working with an unpredictable horse ( or they are) & that's only for safety & seldom for very long.
A schedule would be nice.

Ask other boarders where the trails are.
The real money is in lessons vs boarding.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

I don't think you're out of line to want a lesson schedule posted. All the barns I've ever been at that did not want boarders sharing the arena with their lesson goers posted a strict schedule of lesson times that way everyone was aware. As for the rest of it I would just check and see, there may have been some miscommunications or things that have changed before the list went out.


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## Aigoo (Jan 8, 2014)

I would request for lessons times to be posted, if they don't want to announce publicly then you could request for a private e-mails. That way you won't waste any trips if it works out.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

With regard to the trail riding part of it -- I see no reason why you couldn't ask the owner of the property that the trails are on for permission to ride there.


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## DreaMy (Jul 1, 2014)

I would ask for lesson times. I once rode at a barn where they split the arena straight down the middle... so they could teach their kiddos how to open and close the gate properly. Why they couldn't use the stall gates I have no clue. They also complained that we couldn't control our horses... until one of their kiddos got bucked mid-lesson and my friend rode up to the loose horse caught in by the reins and ponied it back over to the mounting block for them.

So:
-Ask for a lesson time sheet
-Ask for clarification on the rule if you want (they made up the rules, if you trying learn them is an inconvenience, they obviously aren't that invested in them)


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## MaximasMommy (Sep 21, 2013)

What's so nice about it if you can't ride whenever/wherever you want?


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

I'm wondering if this instructor is just making up her own rules as she goes along or if this truly is a real barn rule.

I say that because virtually all of the stables in my area that board consider the boarders to be their bread & butter and they take first priority. Usually if someone is giving lessons, they are paying the BOs a commission for use of the facilities and have no right to make rules. At our barn we had a guy who started giving lessons to a 5 year old girl on a very, very unpredictable horse. He started trying to lock us out of the arena, saying he was giving a private lesson. We all went to the BOs and he was told that under no circumstance was he going to deny access to any boarder and was free to use a round pen if he was that nervous. Boarders pay a lot of money for a certain amount of access to their horses and also for use of the facility. Talk to the BO and tell them you cannot stay at a place where you cannot freely ride your horse.

As far as the trail riding, sometimes BOs have to put things in the rules to cover themselves liability wise but don't really enforce. We routinely trail ride in an area not specifically owned by our BOs but owned by their whole family. There is nothing said because most of us would move out with no trail riding available and the barn owners know it! In this case, I'd approach the people who are riding on this property to find out what the real deal is. It may be a rule that is not enforced.


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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

You're probably paying extra for a place with an arena so it makes no sense to pay for something you're not able to use. I go with the others who posted; ask for a schedule.


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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

Yes, you should request a lesson schedule be posted. This way you can plan your rides accordingly. That said, there's no reason they need to oblige. I wouldn't stay if they wouldn't. It's not an uncommon practice.

Personally, I would not board at a facility where I was paying for an indoor arena and couldn't use it during lesson times. This is particularly true if I couldn't know the lesson times in advance.


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## cebee (Apr 4, 2010)

I would ask the other boarders about the trail rides. Possibly they ride someplace besides the property in question. Possibly they just know that no one really cares..or its easier to get forgiveness than permission? I would ask to join them on a ride sometime. Its a great way to meet other boarders, and get some idea on what rules are enforced.


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## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

As others have mentioned -- ask. It's best if you can have open communications with the barn manager anyway, because who knows what might come up in the future that you need addressed. Don't be confrontational, just admit that being new, you would like clarification on a couple policies.

I will say, at one place I used to board we trail rode on private land. Some people got told to stay off, and they passed the word around, but some others chose to continue riding there. Soon several "no trespassing" signs popped up around the property, but some people still chose to ride there. Soon a huge, bright red "no trespassing" sign appeared just inside our entrance to the trails, no way to miss it -- and yet some continued to ride there.
Some people are willing to take risks, others are not. The barn might be covering themselves "officially" with the rules in case anyone questions it, but they might turn a blind eye to people ignoring it. Then you'd be on your own if the land owner chose to pursue it. You'll have to ask yourself what you can live with.


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## danny67 (Nov 27, 2012)

Would love to see that trainers students in the warm up ring at a show. Pass the popcorn!


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The barn needs to have a list of when the indoor is booked for someone's sole use. We've booked indoors like that and would be pretty annoyed if we arrived to find a crowd of people also riding in there - and in the same way if I booked a private lesson I don't want to be dodging other riders while I try to jump or do dressage. 
These things work both ways - I went twice to one riding school near me and couldn't even ride a circle without having to avoid other riders - not what you pay good money for
Speak to the BO and clear things up


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## sunnyone (Sep 4, 2014)

What bothers me the most are the surprises like the one you encountered.

Or they tell you about the pasture you think you will be able to have your horse in and then you get there...no, your horse can't go there. The more you board, the more you think you have asked all the possible questions beforehand, but there's always a new surprise.

Not being able to use an arena, especially when it is raining and no other place to go - is a big deal breaker for me.


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

ive had that happen once at my friends place we were crazy on her barrel horses and were asked to leave but we just went outside because we knew we were being silly! when going to school we were working will a very green horse and i was riding him being on a loung line with another person in the ring as he gave a lesson and she was new rider and he started to crow hop and stuff and he didn't seem to care even though he was our teacher and he was trying to get me off! he watched and after i climbed off he said that's probably a good thing he was getting hyper! i also rode him by myself as another rider was in there and he was all energy and he didn't even stay to watch or anything and left us with a boarder and her horse. but he does have times boarders cant ride when class is in schedule but they don't usually change and they know a head of time so it isn't a waste of time to come out and see someone having a lesson or something


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