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I would not have thought you were 15 when I read you post! I understand your dilemma. Mine is a little different but I wanted to share how I am handling it. I am at a very small barn and I am the only one who jumps. The good news is I don’t have anyone to compete with for use of the jumps. I have to haul out for all of my lessons. Good points about my barn:
*Hardly ever run into another boarder
*8 hour a day turn out in a stable herd with no new horses ever
*Very competent barn manager and owner
*Horses are very well cared for
Negatives:
*I have to haul out for ALL lessons, right now twice a week
There is an awesome trainer 10 min away I would like to try that has a barn but I am not sure I want to be at a busy barn. I am going to haul in for lessons and see how the flow is. The problem with leaving a barn is whether you can come back or not. My barn is downsizing and while we don’t have to leave, we are not being replaced.
I think visiting other barns and taking a trial lesson on one of their horses is an excellent idea. Be sure to get a copy if their rate sheet either on line or in writing- in the real world, price does influence barn selection.
So would distance and transportation options in your case. You need to weigh pros against cons, no one place will have it all. Pick the one that fills most of your needs.
Visit the other barns and take a lesson with whoever would be your new trainer. If possible, see if you can stick around the barn for a while on a typical day to get a feel for the atmosphere. Ask questions about the things that are important to you, such as ring schedules/traffic and turnout. (Some A show barns may not turn out very much either.) As for the worry about going it alone - if anything, I think you may find the trainer and staff to be much more involved with what you and your horse are doing if it’s the type of A show barn with a “program”. If there are local A shows these possible barns attend, it might also be worth going to spectate for the day and watching things like how the trainers interact with their students, etc.
you are only 15 how do you parents feel about you wanting to move barns - keeping in mind that many "show barns’ may have requirements to go to x number of shows, have X number of lessons and/or training rides per week. Lesson fees could be more costly and finally are you/parents prepared for the additional cost of going to rated shows? Local shows are maybe $15 per class and often just 1 or 2 days, compared to a rated show which would require additional costs for stabling, hotel - which costs are split for trainer and barn staff and same w/ grooming stall(s). Not to burst any dreams but your parents could be going from spending $200 for a weekend of showing local shows to $2,000 per week for rated shows. Ideally, there would be a barn out there where it would be a nice mix of schooling shows and some rated shows.
It’s a great idea to research other barns and watch a couple of lessons, have a few lessons.
[QUOTE=gottagrey;7741474]
you are only 15 how do you parents feel about you wanting to move barns - keeping in mind that many “show barns’ may have requirements to go to x number of shows, have X number of lessons and/or training rides per week. Lesson fees could be more costly and finally are you/parents prepared for the additional cost of going to rated shows? Local shows are maybe $15 per class and often just 1 or 2 days, compared to a rated show which would r Not to burst any dreams but your parents could be going from spending $200 for a weekend of showing local shows to $2,000 per week for rated shows. Ideally, there would be a barn out there where it would be a nice mix of schooling shows and some rated shows.”
Yes we have discussed most of this and are on the same page! As for the costs, we can handle it no problem and I will also be getting a job asap. Im lucky to have such supportive parents at my side!
I have already been researching costs and lessons/training rides are the same price and board is not much more than we are currently paying.
[QUOTE=gottagrey;7741474]
you are only 15 how do you parents feel about you wanting to move barns - keeping in mind that many “show barns’ may have requirements to go to x number of shows, have X number of lessons and/or training rides per week. Lesson fees could be more costly and finally are you/parents prepared for the additional cost of going to rated shows? Local shows are maybe $15 per class and often just 1 or 2 days, compared to a rated show which would r Not to burst any dreams but your parents could be going from spending $200 for a weekend of showing local shows to $2,000 per week for rated shows. Ideally, there would be a barn out there where it would be a nice mix of schooling shows and some rated shows.”
Yes we have discussed most of this and are on the same page! As for the costs, we can handle it no problem and I will also be getting a job asap. Im lucky to have such supportive parents at my side!
I have already been researching costs and lessons/training rides are the same price and board is not much more than we are currently paying.
Thanks for sharing this! Wishing you good luck on your situation!
Um, if the prices are about the same between where you are and where you are looking at going? The services are probably at about the same level and we aren’t talking AA rated shows exclusively. Right?
If so, it will be strictly about how you click with the trainers and how you fit in with the other clients, maybe some differences in facilities (like turn out).
If not, either you are being overcharged at a beginner barn or I want the name of the serious rated show barn priced the same as the beginner/lesson barn. IME serious rated barns are at least double, sometimes triple beginner/lesson barns in the same area.
Do you own or lease the horse right now? Availability of another lease horse might be something to bring up if you lease. If you are moving a personally owned horse, how the trainers would work with it and you towards your goals is important to discuss in advance of selecting a new barn.
Often, when stepping up in barn quality and cost, they promise you many things to get you in there. Then start hinting you need them to sell your horse and let them find another-with commissions on each transaction. Or they flat out tell you it’s a piece if crap you won’t go anywhere with, you need to buy one from them.
As a younger person, you probably still pretty much trust what you see and hear. There are tons of hidden costs in horses and surprise undisclosed charges at many barns. Please let your folks actively participate in the discussion and carefully review the actual rate sheets and contracts. Many of us have learned not to trust that a new barn will operate as advertised.
If you care to share your general location, posters can offer some suggestions of good choices in that area. And some to avoid.
[QUOTE=CindyCRNA;7741424]
I would not have thought you were 15 when I read you post! I understand your dilemma. Mine is a little different but I wanted to share how I am handling it."
Thanks for sharing this! Wishing you good luck on your situation!
If not, either you are being overcharged at a beginner barn or I want the name of the serious rated show barn priced the same as the beginner/lesson barn. IME serious rated barns are at least double, sometimes triple beginner/lesson barns in the same area.
Im not necessarily at a beginner barn. There are all levels of riders. At the moment, the majority of the clients happen to be lesson kids but there are plenty of more experienced boarders too. Board is $600 for me and the places i am looking at range from 500-800 to give you a perspective. No I am not looking for a top rated national AA rated show barn if thats what you are thinking! But, rather a larger barn that does A shows around the midwest area. (I live in st.louis)
Around here those barns are not much more expensive.
I have friends at all of the major barns in my area so I know most of the facts and reputations so getting mislead is definitely not going to be an issue.
Well, good luck. Sounds like you know the ropes.
Still say take a lesson at each place on one of their school horses. Spend as much time watching the other lessons as you can. It’s the only way to see what it’s really like and know if you are going to be a good fit or not. Some times, no matter the skill or reputation, you just don’t click with a trainer. Even if your friends love them, you may not.
Board might be the same rate but you need to look at the contract for all the extras. So if board at a fancier barn is $600 but they require you to take one $35 lesson a week then board is really $740. Then maybe they have an extra charge for blanketing and an extra charge for supplements and an extra charge for turnout, etc.
Then your coaching fees at shows and trailering to those shows might be more expensive in addition to the cost of those shows.
I can spend the day at a lower level show and it can cost me $100 but that doesn’t even cover the stall for a higher level show.
Do you want to go to bigger shows and will your horse be competitive there, or would you be happy with a barn that just had a more active show life at lower level shows?
If you want a better trainer, a less crowded barn, and more turnout I think those are all good reasons to move.
[QUOTE=findeight;7741626]
Well, good luck. Sounds like you know the ropes.
Still say take a lesson at each place on one of their school horses. Spend as much time watching the other lessons as you can. It’s the only way to see what it’s really like and know if you are going to be a good fit or not. Some times, no matter the skill or reputation, you just don’t click with a trainer. Even if your friends love them, you may not.[/QUOTE]
Thank you!! I will keep what you said in mind 
OP not sure if you’re still reading since I’m late to the game on this one.
If you haven’t already, I would write out what your goals are for the rest of your junior years. You’re 15, so that means you have some time - but not tons - before the end of your junior days. Obviously, there’s riding after 18, but we all know it can be much more challenging with college and without financial support from parents most lose after graduating high school.
Can your current barn help you with those goals? It sounds like you have ambitions beyond what your current barn offers. That doesn’t make your current barn a bad barn. You may have just outgrown it. If you don’t believe that your current barn can help you with your goals, it’s time for a change.
Sentimentality can make us hold on to things far longer than we should. There’s a seasonality to life. There’s a time for everything. Often, it’s the end of one season that leads to the beginning of another. You’re being very smart to start recognizing it may be time to move into a new season. Leaving your trainer and friends behind will be hard, but it sounds like it’s time for you to learn and grow in new and different ways.
If you have a barn to move to and your parents support, I suggest you go for it. Life is short, your junior years are short. Go for your dreams.
I voted “switch barns” as soon as I read your horse only gets 1 hour of turnout a day. Horses naturally walk around & graze all day in herds, and I greatly prefer to keep horses like that as much as is reasonably possible.
Definitely call up & visit some other barns. Do you have any horsey connections like a vet or farrier you trust who might be able to steer you in the right direction? Especially since you’re young, you want to find a barn with great horsemen as role models, not just ones who win.
