AA's - how far do you travel for lessons

[Pehsness]

I am forever on the hunt for just the right lesson barn. I want comraderie, skilled/experienced coach, nice people, sound lesson horses, ability to trailer in with my own horse, good footing etc. It’s shockingly hard to find all of these things in one package. So I’ve widened my search field and may have a place but it’s a 45 minute drive without a loaded trailer. So I’d have to budget two hours of driving in addition to the lesson when I take my horse.

Is that insane? I am 99% sure I’ve exhausted all of my other options within a 30 minute window (not that there was more then 1 )

It would be a big commitment for me timewise but the clocks a-ticking and I’m not getting any younger and I have goals to achieve. So tell me you drive much further then that and make me feel better.

[Scribbler]

@Pehsness

I am forever on the hunt for just the right lesson barn. I want comraderie, skilled/experienced coach, nice people, sound lesson horses, ability to trailer in with my own horse, good footing etc. It’s shockingly hard to find all of these things in one package. So I’ve widened my search field and may have a place but it’s a 45 minute drive without a loaded trailer. So I’d have to budget two hours of driving in addition to the lesson when I take my horse.

Is that insane? I am 99% sure I’ve exhausted all of my other options within a 30 minute window (not that there was more then 1 )

It would be a big commitment for me timewise but the clocks a-ticking and I’m not getting any younger and I have goals to achieve. So tell me you drive much further then that and make me feel better.

If I was bringing in my own horse, I would prioritize quality of coaching, and after that distance, and after that footing and parking for my rig. I would not care about lesson horses, and I would not be there enough to care about having a social life at the barn.

You have to think about the stress on your horse too, and the cost of gas. A 2 hour round trip in my Toyota Corolla going 60 km/45 miles each way to and from my job is $15 in gas. I expect my truck is twice as much.

[K_VanOlst]

@Pehsness

Is that insane?

I know several people who weekly haul to a trainer 1-1.5 hours away (so 2-3 hours round trip on top of tacking/riding/cool down/etc). Not insane, but it is a significant commitment.

[Highflyer1]

I think it depends how often you’re going. I went further than that 3-4 times a month for years and it was time consuming and expensive but not insanely so. I couldn’t have done it more than once a week though. I think there’s a point where if you have serious goals you are almost certainly going to have to do something like this (or board and drive there more often!) I live in a pretty horsey area but unless you can afford to be right in the heart of it it’s just a fact of life.

[furlong47]

30 minutes one way, but I’m not hauling a trailer. I couldn’t go much more distant than that due to how late I work. However, on the weekends I pretty regularly drive from 1.5-3 hours one way for another amateur sport or other activities… so I think it comes down to what you personally can stand and can afford.

[Salty]

I used to go 4.5-5 hours so I’d go for a weekend, camp out, and do two lessons. This winter I’m hoping to replace this ordeal with RideIQ.

[eightpondfarm]

I haul in to my lesson every week. I book back-to-back 2 lessons and bring two horses. (always my mare and then i rotate four others). It’s a two hours drive each way. Things have happened that aren’t good, but my horses and i have always come home in one piece…though THREE TIMES i’ve had to have my truck loaded up on a flatbed and my trailer hitched to that. Those three trips cost me about 500$ each! I finally gave in an bought an newer F250 and sold my old one to the mechanic who used to keep it running for me. He loved that truck…more than i did! Anyhow…The road there is a country two lane…very hilly and curvy.

I go for the coach. I’m sure i could find a coach/training facility closer, but she’s there so i’m there. Occasionally it’s too hot, occasionally it’s too cold and sometimes ice or snow will also prevent me from going. But prob 80% of the time, i make the trip. I’m exhausted by the time i get home…not from the ride, but from that drive. It’s gnarly!!

[Pehsness]

I care about the lesson horses only because in the winter I wouldn’t be hauling my own in, or if my own is off, or gets too old and I don’t replace him, etc.

There is a nice local coach I quite like and I was hauling to her regularly, but there’s 0 social aspect. So if I go to a show, I go on my own, no one comes with me. It’s just not motivating.

[awaywego]

@eightpondfarm

I haul in to my lesson every week. I book back-to-back 2 lessons and bring two horses. (always my mare and then i rotate four others). It’s a two hours drive each way

That is a serious commitment! Do you do this during the week, and do you work a full time job too? You are my hero!

My trainer is about 40 min by car, usually 50-55 min with the trailer because of the different route I have to drive. I would love to take two horses and ride back to back like that but I just cannot swing that kind of time during the week, which is the only time my trainer teaches. I work remotely, and generally have a flexible schedule, which is how I can pull off one horse and try to get there once a week - which doesn’t always work anyway due to my schedule, weather, shows, etc.

It is hard. The only thing worse than boarding is shipping in. The only thing worse than shipping in is boarding

[exvet]

I have definitely done this too. I also haul an hour each way to another instructor (a student/trainer of the first who lives a little closer and has a covered arena). Trainer/instructor 1 (USEF S judge, bronze, silver, gold medalist yada yada) comes to Trainer/instructor 2 once a month; so, I take advantage of the closer location. I also haul to Trainer 1 the other weeks.

[eightpondfarm]

@awaywego

Do you do this during the week, and do you work a full time job too?

2-4pm Thurs.

We have a farm, so i call my own schedule. It is a ‘retirement’ farm…in otherwords, we retired and bought this place so we could have something to make us work like the dickens 7 days a week! Been 20 yrs so far.

[awaywego]

This is a good point too - if you’re shipping in for lessons, you’re probably also doing barn chores at home. It’s not for the faint-hearted!

[Pehsness]

I don’t know how to quote, but K_VanOlst, do they find it hard on their horses? And/or do they find it worth it?

I need help with my horse for sure, and am definitely not skilled enough to do it on my own.

[clanter]

@Salty

I used to go 4.5-5 hours so I’d go for a weekend, camp out, and do two lessons.

very similar to my daughter whose trainer relocated from Denton Tx area to northeast of Tulsa near the Missouri border which makes it about a 5 1/2 hour commute with horse

His new place has furnished cabins with internet Wi-Fi covering the whole place which is provided at no charge for clients.

She is a work from anywhere employee so will go up for seven to nine days at a time.

Her horse likes the change

[K_VanOlst]

@Pehsness

I don’t know how to quote, but K_VanOlst, do they find it hard on their horses? And/or do they find it worth it?

I need help with my horse for sure, and am definitely not skilled enough to do it on my own.

Several of them have been doing it for years with a variety of horses, so my assumption is they find it valuable/not too hard on the horses

I also know folks who DON’T want to haul that often and have been able to make virtual lessons work for them, using a Pivo or a friend to hold the phone and video. YMMV.

[Jarpur]

I did a 125 mile round trip, towing a trailer, for years. I’d haul two horses for back to back lessons, and often drop the trailer, board my two overnight to save them the haul back, return the next day to repeat the lessons, hook up, load, and drive home (made two 125 mile round trips, but only one while towing).

When I was prepping myself to ride overseas, I’d add in a couple of lessons on school horses each day, too, for about six weeks prior. Legged me up, plus freshened my experience of riding horses not my own, which was very helpful.

[Scribbler]

@Pehsness

I care about the lesson horses only because in the winter I wouldn’t be hauling my own in, or if my own is off, or gets too old and I don’t replace him, etc.

There is a nice local coach I quite like and I was hauling to her regularly, but there’s 0 social aspect. So if I go to a show, I go on my own, no one comes with me. It’s just not motivating.

Showing as a team and barn camaraderie are two different things.

If you are in a program where the trainer does group outings to show you can buy into this, and it doesn’t matter if you are bff with the other riders or not.

If the other riders do not show even if you are actual real friends IRL and have each other’s backs on all barn stuff, they aren’t going to go show with you if it doesn’t make sense for time, cost, horse level or condition or discipline etc.

If you want to prioritize supported showing, find a program that offers this and let’s you DIY rather than being part of the barn program.

As far as lesson horses, most lesson programs are for beginners. It’s extremely rare to find a coach with quality school masters in a lesson program. Those are more likely to be leased. Coach may have one or two on site and let you lesson occasionally but they aren’t going to be in the regular rota.

Around here at least, especially in dressage, the coaches simply do not maintain lesson horses, and coach people on their own horses. We also have many coaches that travel between barns on a weekly schedule. Can your facility accomodate a visiting coach?

[Pehsness]

Agreed - most don’t maintain lesson horses. I think I’ve found the unicorn that does. On the surface they seem to tick all of the boxes.

I live in the land of barrel racers and hunter jumpers. Dressage is practically non existent.

But I disagree that they are two different things (comraderie and shows). I think they go hand in hand. And when you’re as removed from the “scene” as I’ve been for the past 20 years, the only way (that I can see) to get back in is to find a barn with a social environment that is also part of the scene.

I just wish it was 20 minutes down the road instead of 50 or 60.

Whoever said up thread the only thing worse then boarding is shipping in and vice versa hit the nail I think. You finally achieve the dream of doing chores in your pajamas only to realize it can be really lonely and isolating.

[K_VanOlst]

@Pehsness

Whoever said up thread the only thing worse then boarding is shipping in and vice versa hit the nail I think. You finally achieve the dream of doing chores in your pajamas only to realize it can be really lonely and isolating.

There are definitely pros and cons to both lifestyles (boarding and keeping them at home). Access to quality instruction definitely can be a major hurdle.

[Pehsness]

@Highflyer1

I

I think I am slowly figuring out how to quote
Rereading this thread and this struck me. I think you’re right - if I don’t live central to the horse life I will always have to commute to it. That does put some perspective on it for me. Same as work - if I want a fancy job in the city I’ll have to move there or commute.

Thanks!