Changing riding barns?
I'm toying with the idea of changing the barn I ride at. I love the barn I'm currently at but there are a few niggly problems there but I'm having a hard time of getting into the mindset of actually making the change and I need to make sure I'm not overreacting to something experienced horsepeople would consider small.
I've been riding at my current barn now for 11 months. I was a beginner when I started and I've learned tonnes of things. I'm currently at the cantering stage and ride an absolutely wonderful school horse that I love and trust completely. However, there are probably four niggling, small issues that I have with the barn.
01. The way the horses were treated in the summer
We had a hot spell in the summer and I noticed some of the horses would have a very rigourous lesson, cantering and jumping and then would be left in boiling hot stalls and were absolutely lathered in sweat and literally left for hours before they were hosed down or groomed by some of the instructors. Which I didn't think was okay. Similarly some of the horses are extremely muddy/dirty where they've been in the fields and haven't been groomed. I had one disgusting incident where I had to ride a horse that had so much mud and other gross stuff in his tail and I mean his tail was CAKED in the stuff.
02. I'm not sure there is a horse there that 100% suits me
The horse I ride now is fabulous, he's gentle, he's kind, he's the sort of horse that when I fell off him just stopped, looked at me and nudged me with his nose as if to say, 'What are you doing down there?' I love him and trust him completely however my instructor says he's not enough for me now and that I'm supposed to be moving on to a new horse who I completely don't trust because sometimes I literally do not have enough strength to stop him and he completely ignores me saying, 'whoa.'
03. I'm not sure there's an instructor there that's right for me
I've been cantering since the summer, have probably had eight lessons at it and I'm STILL not getting it. I'm bouncing all over the place and none of the instructors seem to have much idea how to help me so I feel like I've plateaued and I'm not learning anything new there.
04. (the major reason) lack of an indoor arena
I live in England. It rains... a lot. I haven't been able to ride for the past few weekends because of the pouring rain (last time I had a lesson in the rain I got a fever and really sick from i.) I feel like because the weather will only get worse it might be smart to try a riding school with an indoor arena.
I'm going to visit a potential new riding barn later this week. What are the major things I should be looking out for to ensure this next one could be a better fit for me?
Many thanks in advance
xx
I've been riding at my current barn now for 11 months. I was a beginner when I started and I've learned tonnes of things. I'm currently at the cantering stage and ride an absolutely wonderful school horse that I love and trust completely. However, there are probably four niggling, small issues that I have with the barn.
01. The way the horses were treated in the summer
We had a hot spell in the summer and I noticed some of the horses would have a very rigourous lesson, cantering and jumping and then would be left in boiling hot stalls and were absolutely lathered in sweat and literally left for hours before they were hosed down or groomed by some of the instructors. Which I didn't think was okay. Similarly some of the horses are extremely muddy/dirty where they've been in the fields and haven't been groomed. I had one disgusting incident where I had to ride a horse that had so much mud and other gross stuff in his tail and I mean his tail was CAKED in the stuff.
02. I'm not sure there is a horse there that 100% suits me
The horse I ride now is fabulous, he's gentle, he's kind, he's the sort of horse that when I fell off him just stopped, looked at me and nudged me with his nose as if to say, 'What are you doing down there?' I love him and trust him completely however my instructor says he's not enough for me now and that I'm supposed to be moving on to a new horse who I completely don't trust because sometimes I literally do not have enough strength to stop him and he completely ignores me saying, 'whoa.'
03. I'm not sure there's an instructor there that's right for me
I've been cantering since the summer, have probably had eight lessons at it and I'm STILL not getting it. I'm bouncing all over the place and none of the instructors seem to have much idea how to help me so I feel like I've plateaued and I'm not learning anything new there.
04. (the major reason) lack of an indoor arena
I live in England. It rains... a lot. I haven't been able to ride for the past few weekends because of the pouring rain (last time I had a lesson in the rain I got a fever and really sick from i.) I feel like because the weather will only get worse it might be smart to try a riding school with an indoor arena.
I'm going to visit a potential new riding barn later this week. What are the major things I should be looking out for to ensure this next one could be a better fit for me?
Many thanks in advance
xx