Freaking Barn Drama

[IdahoRider]

after just bragging to a friend that there is no barn drama where I am…there is barn drama. My instructor, who is fabulous, has been given 30 days to move. She is banned from ever boarding or teaching out of there again. And any clients that want to follow here will not be held to a 30 day notice.

This is sudden. I love my instructor. I just don’t see her involved in shady business. Officially there is a turf battle over a student who decided to by pass the BO and go with my instructor.

I am sick to my stomach over this. I love my barn. But I really, really like my instructor.

Horse people are crazy.
Sheilah

[Calvincrowe]

Oh geez! Been there a time or two over the years. I suggest you just hold off on any action until things settle a bit. See where instructor ends up, get more info on what happened, and see if you want to move or stay. But more than anything, stay out of it as much as possible.

[KBC]

Horse people are crazy.

I have to say though, a similar thing happened at my barn, and we actually got even better coaches so change isn’t always bad, just annoying and scary!

[trubandloki]

All people are crazy, not just the horse people.

I agree with the advice @Calvincrowe gave above. Keep your head low and let things settle. Meanwhile you can try to figure out what really happened to make a good decision about what is best for you and your horse.

[amb]

FWIW, last time this happened to me, a week or two later it was all patched up. Not saying it will happen for you but if the relationship has actually been otherwise working for all involved it’ll very possibly blow over.

In my case it was over some stupid small thing but the real fundamental problem was overwork and burnout (the “teach every lesson we can!” mentality carried over from when the business was new, even after the program was quite successful) and lesson hours were cut way back to something long-term manageable. Happier boarders, too.

[2DogsFarm]

Raise your hand if you have ever boarded at a 100% drama-free barn.
They exist, but are unicorns.

What you describe sounds like infighting between your trainer & BO.
I agree with not making any quick decisions on moving your horse to follow this trainer.
If you are completely lost without this trainer you still need to check out where he/she ends up.
Out of the frying pan…

OTOH, you may discover you are fine w/o whatever program this trainer had you on.
Or not.
Depends a lot on why you train in the first place.
New to riding?
Serious competitive goals?
Or???

[Casey09]

This is a tough situation. When I experienced this, it was tricky because obviously you want to stay out of it, but you also want information to make an informed decision. I wish that when I went through it I had more information. I felt that I was flying blind because I just didn’t know enough about the ins and outs of the situation. I definitely have my suspicions about what happened, but I don’t think I’ll ever really know for sure if they are correct.

[Spudsmyguy]

Maybe when your instructor gets settled you can haul to her for lessons? Something similar happened here when a LNT told her barn owner she was planning on moving to a new facility that was being built for her by a very generous client and was giving her 30 day notice. The BO then kicked her out of the barn; trainer left and took 3/4 of the barn with her. So BO cut off her nose to spite her face.

[Kyrabee]

Barn Drama is why I have stayed at my little pleasure barn. Not the best footing, no trainers in residence but home grown hay and room to move…and in my 25-ish years there, I can’t recall hardly any drama. It is out of the dressage loop but frankly, I have lived despite that.

The owners are getting older and I am holding my breath as to when I will have to move .

Susan

[outerbanks77]

That is disappointing to hear; I’ve always gotten a happy vibe when I’ve been over at that barn, but there were bound to be some growing pains. I really hope it gets worked out!

[IdahoRider]

@2DogsFarm

OTOH, you may discover you are fine w/o whatever program this trainer had you on.
Or not.
Depends a lot on why you train in the first place.
New to riding?
Serious competitive goals?
Or???

I ride in lessons because I love learning. I have owned and ridden for over 40 years now. But it keeps me focused, although I have no serious competitive goals.

I have gotten more from my riding in the past year with this instructor than I have in all the years prior.
Sheilah

[IdahoRider]

@outerbanks77

That is disappointing to hear; I’ve always gotten a happy vibe when I’ve been over at that barn, but there were bound to be some growing pains. I really hope it gets worked out!

Me, too. I love it there and my mare has the best care. But I don’t like being told who I can ride with and who I can’t. I can’t haul out for lessons because I don’t have a trailer. I like the BO, but I don’t want “eventing dressage” lessons.
Sheilah

[2DogsFarm]

@IdahoRider

have gotten more from my riding in the past year with this instructor than I have in all the years prior.

I still advise you need to check out where your trainer lands before following.

I am fortunate to have a trainer who comes to my farm, have ridden with her for over 15yrs - beginning at boarding barns. So I understand your loyalty.

Good Luck, hope things work out for you & your mare.

[IdahoRider]

@2DogsFarm

I still advise you need to check out where your trainer lands before following.

I believe that some of her clients are moving to her backyard barn (it is really nice), and some are moving to another barn not too far away. I have boarded at the other barn and loved it. I would still be there if my Arab hadn’t become mostly retired.

I am taking no sudden action.
Sheilah

[TheJenners]

So are you still riding and taking lessons on the mostly-retired Arab? If not, sounds like a move back to the other barn would be right up your alley, after the dust settles of course.

[IdahoRider]

@TheJenners

So are you still riding and taking lessons on the mostly-retired Arab? If not, sounds like a move back to the other barn would be right up your alley, after the dust settles of course.

No, my Arab crossed the Rainbow Bridge last year. I have a mare now.
Sheilah

[nlf212]

That is such a tough situation! Best of luck staying out of it while still getting to work with what sounds like an amazing trainer

[LunaIvy0512]

Wow, barn drama is the worse! : I agree with everyone else, just wait until it settles and see where your trainer goes. I hope it all works out for you

[IdahoRider]

I have decided to leave my current barn. My instructor will either move my mare to her backyard barn until June and then I will move to the barn I boarded at nine years ago before my gelding became semi-retired. Or I will stay at my current barn until June and then move to the other barn.

I just can’t give up a great trainer. I love having the covered arena, but in reality I rode very little through the worst of the cold winter. I just regret that adults can’t act like it. So what if a trainer is bringing in more lessons than the BO? Those are ring fees at the least and many were boarders who were paying a lot of money to be there. No reason to get all pissy about it.
Sheilah

[IdahoRider]

@LunaIvy0512

Wow, barn drama is the worse! : I agree with everyone else, just wait until it settles and see where your trainer goes. I hope it all works out for you

It will, sooner or later.
Sheilah