I ship in to lessons. Trainer is about an hour away. She and I are great friends and try to help each other out with non- riding stuff, but when it comes to lessons I try to treat her as a professional and I expect to be treated like any other client. I do pay a ship-in fee but I have access to a stall, wash rack, grooming area, etc when I arrive. I don’t mind paying the ship in fee because I feel the cost is reasonable for the quality of instruction and facility. My one tip would be to be realistic about how hard you are going to have to be working at home since your horse will not be in a “program” any more. I try to be respectful of my trainers time and make sure my horse and I are prepared for the next lesson. I am only able to make my schedule work to get up there every other week, so it is a lot more that I have to remain motivated about between lessons. Try to discuss two or three things at the end of the lesson that you will work on as “homework” before your next visit. Something else I really want to do is go up for weekend to be able to have a more intensive training time. Maybe something to think about as you get to know your new trainer better. Good luck! It has been a great experience for my young project horse, definitely built a lot of confidence in he and I both.
[QUOTE=morganpony86;7178804]
Though I’m kind of a little shocked about how common the trailer-in fee is and how expensive it can be. $10 is 20%+ on a $45 lesson fee, so essentially paying for 5 lessons a month. That will factor in to how often I can do it.[/QUOTE]
Really? $10 is quite low, considering that you are using the jumps, arenas, common areas, all of which have to be maintained by the BO. You are also getting in the way of other boarders to at least some extent by being there. The barn where I board does permit ship ins, and people ship in pretty frequently. I’m not sure what the fee is, but I think it is $10. I don’t have a problem with ship ins, but, yes, they do kind of get in the way sometimes (despite trying not to) and they do take up arena space, etc. I don’t mean that to be criticial. All the boarders take up space and get in the way too (me included!), which is part of what is considered in the cost of board. So you can’t expect to get for free what others that board there are paying for every month, ya know?
If I shipped out, I would expect to pay a fee for sure, and I would gladly pay it for the experience for my horse.
When I ship to other places, I try to be as considerate as possible. Some places charge a fee, some not, just ask. I try to be as independent as possible–i.e. I tack up and cool down at my trailer and leave the spot I parked in neat and tidy (no manure piles or shavings, etc). Be careful not to park where you would block traffic or mess up turf/landscaping. I do not bring a dog with me, even if dogs are welcome. In the heat of the summer, I might ask to use the wash rack for a sweaty horse, but I’d be very careful not to get in the way of other boarders.
Now, in regards to your horse being a little extra green, I’d do everything in your power to try to make that first lesson go well. I think you should consider if there is a way that you could do it at a time when the barn is quiet so that it is more calm for your horse and there would be fewer horses in the ring. Then you also wouldn’t feel as if you were disturbing other people either.
[QUOTE=morganpony86;7178804]
Differing opinions and a mix of answers on COTH??? Say it isn’t so!!! 
Thanks all; I appreciate the tips and shared experiences. I’m a huge fan of trailering to shows just for a day since I work and cannot take off weeks at a time for large rated shows. Or even long-weekend unrated shows. So I’m hoping this will be a good time to train him to stand tied to a trailer someplace sketchy.
Though I’m kind of a little shocked about how common the trailer-in fee is and how expensive it can be. $10 is 20%+ on a $45 lesson fee, so essentially paying for 5 lessons a month. That will factor in to how often I can do it.[/QUOTE]
Well you are using their facility, otherwise it wouldn’t be fair to the boarders. I don’t know any place that doesn’t charge a facility fee, ours is $15 and lessons are $65-$75 depending on whether you ride a school horse. We also allow riders to ship in just to school (no lesson) and then its a $35 fee.
[QUOTE=morganpony86;7179013]
Not really. Everyone knows it’s not really that much cheaper to keep your horses at home, and when you factor in gas for 2 hours of driving there & back, lesson fees, and the amenities I would get if I boarded there and don’t have at home, it’s borderline even. The main reason I keep my show horse at home is because I have two retirees and need a third horse for when someone goes to the hospital and so it leaves 2 at home instead of 1 home alone. If I didn’t have my two retirees who have far better lives at home instead of being boarded, I wouldn’t keep any horses at home![/QUOTE]
Well the lesson fee itself is obsolete – you would take the lesson whether you boarded there or kept your horse at home. While the gas will probably be more expensive due to hauling a trailer, if you boarded there you’d drive to/from more frequently (hopefully in a more fuel-efficient car to save the gas money).
Regardless, my point is that $40/month on average isn’t that much. But it certainly is a cost to consider – I know I’d need to include it in my budget for sure.
I have been shipping out for years. It’s a great way to get a young one used to getting on the trailer and going new places without a show atmosphere and the accompanying nerves.
Always take your Coggins and your vaccination record with you. I’ve encountered everything from no questions about documentation to requiring Coggins and recent vaccine history (including Strangles) before the horse can get off the trailer. I absolutely respect the barn’s desire to have full documentation in place.
For your first venture, you might consider shipping in for the weekend. I’ve done that a lot with the first couple trips for a young horse: ship in Friday evening or Saturday morning, use Saturday as a regular hacking day and then lesson on Sunday. You should have a horse that’s a little more focused by that time. If your horse is already a pro at shipping out, maybe you can lesson both days–flatwork on one day and jump the next.
Your first job, though, is finding someone to lesson with that fits your future goals and current abilities, and can answer the specific questions about what you can and can’t do as a ship-in.
I tried to trailer to my trainer this morning, but my mare did not cooperate and load on the trailer. I missed my lesson. Going forward, practice trailer loading often! This is what I will be doing all this week. :o
I can’t wait to start trailering in for lessons! I’ve been off the grid since my husband and I bought our farmette and brought the horses home-now I just need to get him to teach me how to drive the darn thing!
Again, I was surprised by the trailer-in fee and how expensive it is, I never said I didn’t agree with it. It’s far cheaper than what shows are charging these days for trailer-in fees. The most recent one I’ve seen for a schooling show is $35 for one day!!! But that’s a topic for another thread. 
Horse has no problems getting on and off the trailer. As I said, he’s been trailered 1-2X/month to the hospital for re-check appointments for a year, and I always load by myself. But when he goes to the hospital, he just hangs out in a stall all day and eats hay for the most part. He doesn’t actually have to work.
I haul in twice a week.
No haul in fee unless I come to use the facility outside of a lesson
Boarders have priority over my horse for the wash stall
I stay out of the barn and tie up/tack up at my trailer
I have been shipping my daughter out for her lessons for years and really like the flexibility it affords us. Sometimes we have to reschedule due to road conditions but better safe than sorry. It is a plus to get the horse off the farm and not always go to a show in order to do so.
Her trainer lets us use all of the facilities, wash stall, grooming stalls, etc…
Try not to assume that your first few lessons will be a disaster. Your horse may respond to your feeling of doom and act accordingly.
Good luck.
I occasionally haul in for a lesson or pro-ride with the trainer I bought my horses from. My normal trainer comes to me for lessons. Hauling in for lessons has been great for both of my beasties. Good experience of going somewhere busy and different without the added pressure of a show environment.
In my case, there is a $30 haul-in fee on top of the lesson or pro-ride. If it’s a pro-ride I use the barn cross ties to make it easy for tacking up with their equipment. If I’m in for a lesson I tack up at my trailer, but have use of the washrack afterwards.
