# Traveling instructors?



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

What are your thoughts on traveling instructors who come to your farm to teach? And how much do you generally pay for lessons?

I've always wanted to start my own lesson barn, but I don't have the funding at this time. I'm thinking maybe I should see if I can build up a client base of people who would like lessons on their own horses and maybe assist with training (or teaching people how to train their horse). If I ever have the money, I would like to buy a few ponies and start a children's lesson barn. 

The only issue is that my teaching skills are rather rusty and I've spent more time starting green horses than I have working with advanced/well trained ones. So if it is someone who is showing at a higher level, then I probably won't be much help (although someone like that can probably pay for top quality lessons at a show barn).


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## SEAmom (Jan 8, 2011)

I have an amazing trainer/instructor who drives an hour to my barn for my lessons every week. I past $10 for gas and only $40 for the lesson. She works with us as long as she needs to until we reach a good, positive stopping point. I got incredibly lucky with her, though. Most will charge per hour or half hour and that's all you get. I used one person who did strictly an hour for $50. There was another I looked into who was $40 for an hour and $20 for gas.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

I love traveling trainers, I know so many people who would not be able to get lessons of it where not for them! 

A few have come in handy for me in the past when I was in the times of transition.

I too have this dream  Highly doubt I will ever have the income to support my own barn with many horses though. What I love, love doing when I have time to spare to learn more and help friends is go watch lessons from trainers I respect and agree with the methods. Clinics, weekly lessons and fallowing along in the process and progress!

This though take gas money, car maintenance, time of travel, and INSURANCE lol
All things to keep in mind!


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I would be leary of a traveling instructor. I would wonder why they are not established in their own barn


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## tbcrazy (Sep 27, 2012)

stevenson said:


> I would be leary of a traveling instructor. I would wonder why they are not established in their own barn


I have a barn- I also have clients who are willing to pay me extra so they don't have to trailer their horses in to my facility. It's a win-win- the horse gets worked in a familiar environment, which is sometimes important, and the client doesn't have to trailer upwards of 30 minutes to get a 1 hour lesson. Just because an instructor doesn't have their own barn, it does not automatically mean they aren't reputable. Cost is another thing- to be able to afford a facility, depending on the area, sometimes isn't possible. This does not necessarily correlate to questionable teaching


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

I did both in AL. And concentrated on people who were learning to ride and learning about horses. I gave them solid advice, and lessons, both on ground and astride.

I actually preferred going to their barn/place and working with their horses, as gave me much better insight into what they were doing, i.e. high handed, letting horse run them over, and could then work with their horse too.

Amazing at how quickly they could understand why their horse was jigging under them and rooting through bit due to their high hands, when I got on the horse, and it wasn't doing it for me, because my hands were low and quiet.

It was like watching a light bulb go on!

You might charge so much for mile maybe? Not tons, but something?

I would though, set some ground rules, as if they have friends/kids/dogs hanging around, that can make it aggravating to you, and ruin lesson.

And figure out if you are going to keep to tight schedule too, as it is very easy when you go to them, to waste time talking and such.


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