At my last barn standard board included 2 lessons/rides a week. Training board included 4-5 rides/lessons a week. If trainer was gone to a show (usually Wed-Sun) those on standard board usually tried to schedule lessons at the beginning of the week to fit them in before the trainer left for the show. For horses on training board who did not go to the show, trainer would usually arrange for them to be hacked while she was gone. In some cases, trainer would make up missed lessons during weeks she was not at a show.
2 Likes
They aren’t on vacation or taking time
off though, they’re off showing.
It’s crazy to me people are fine with paying for rides that aren’t being performed by the trainer.
Can’t wrap my head around that.
4 Likes
I think the whole “this is a program that travels and you either travel with us or you’re opting out of the program” design and mentality has trickled down from the top levels of the sport to the more middle range. Hard to say why, but I think many people who would like to do some local shows and a few A shows but mostly ride and improve at home just don’t have access to a program that meets their needs, so they accept it.
7 Likes
Every program I was in since 2000 has been “if there’s a show and the barn’s going, you either come or you stay home and ride yourself”. There have been times when it’s been 4 weeks to So. Cal. Sucks but that’s what “a show barn is”.
4 Likes
So then comes the conversation of paying for grooming/training at shows…on top of continuing to pay for those services at home as well.
So if we don’t go to shows, we pay for training we aren’t getting (in theory - that’s what we are essentially saying here) and if we do go to shows, we pay twice for the services??
I fully understand operating costs (even though half the barn being gone = half the amount of hay/shavings being consumed, etc…) and the fact that show days are longer/more involved so grooms and trainers certainly do deserve more pay at shows.
My barn charges half for day fees for full training clients at shows, which I think is more than fair. I am a haul-in client, so I pay more.
It just seems that as things change, it becomes “the way it is” and we collectively deal with it. I digress.
5 Likes
That’s an interesting parallel. I didn’t really consider utilities in the concept, which is what I would consider those.
Of course, both have in their terms of service they’re not responsible for whatever outages, bla bla bla. And cell service companies have a map of service coverage one can check before signing up. If Dish is down (not due to weather because hello, satellite) they have to fix it in a reasonable time frame, they can’t keep charging you for three months without fixing the service because they just don’t feel like sending out a team. Also, you can actually ask for a pro-rated refund if service was down even for just a couple hours. You’ll only get a couple dollars, though. Most people just don’t bother.
But looking at some other services, you don’t pay for electricity you don’t use. The electric company can’t charge for xxx KWH and when you only used xx KWH, they can’t say “well this is what we projected for you so you have to pay anyway.”
If you prepay for four therapist appointments, one per week for an upcoming month, and the therapist is out of town for two weeks, you don’t lose two prepaid appointments, you squeeze them in in other weeks or get a credit for the next month, or a refund.
If you prepay for six lab tests from the doctor and they decide they only need to run two of them, they can’t just keep the money, they have to refund you.
If you take your car in for new brake pads, rotors, tires, and an oil change, but the shop decides you only need new rotors and an oil change, are you still going to pay for all four services because that’s what you scheduled? No.
It certainly is typical of equine professionals to give “extra.” However, doing things “out of the goodness of their heart” and then expecting to get the same in return is what causes the confusion and resentment we constantly see on this forum, from both sides. Kind gestures are only kind gestures when given without expecting (undefined) reciprocation. One can’t expect other people to behave the same way as they do. Set the expectations of compensation upfront, and charge appropriately for the services you provide. Don’t charge for services you don’t provide. It isn’t hard.
8 Likes
Going to a show where there are extra hired grooms that need to be paid I would expect to pay extra for that as opposed to at home where it’s already factored into the monthly rate
1 Like
Pretty sure if your Dish service were only available 1-2 weeks per month, you’d probably not be happy.
There are actually very few things outside of the horse world that anyone would tolerate only being available 50% of the time but paying 100% full price.
It is so odd to me (and is the way my trainer and almost everyone else does it) and makes me very glad I have my own farm and am a haul in client. I only pay for the services I receive. My trainer is at shows 22 weeks of the year. Twice a year she is at shows for 4 straight weeks and twice a year she is at shows for 3 straight weeks. No assistant at home to ride horses or give lessons. It would absolutely not be okay with me if I was paying full training board and got zero services for those times.
16 Likes
Does the monthly rate equate to less than the pay per ride rate? It could be they have already factored in that some training will be missed. I think the choices are pay per month for the flat rate for the year, or pay per service for the year. Figure out which is less. Don’t expect to pay per service in show months and monthly the rest of the year though.
3 Likes
Not if their policy is that they have to be used in a time frame.
You do not get a discount on your base delivery fee even if your power is out.
My dish is out every time it rains hard or the wind blows, snow causes it a total snit fit…so probably that much.
I am not sure where we got to 1-2 weeks per month. The OP specifically said their trainer is gone one to two weeks out of six months. Not 1-2 weeks per month.
I am basing my thoughts on the original posters parameters, not some imaginary other barn.
Here is that post in case you missed it.
Very valid points well written.
This is kind of how I looked at it.
Likely the all inclusive board rate is less than paying per ride/session for things.
Again, you (general) are allowed to demand your boarding and training situation work how you want it to work. Have it written into your boarding contract if the trainer will agree to your terms.
We do not all have to agree on how this works.
I am just saying that if my trainer missed two weeks out of 6 months time, I would not be upset about it if the rest of the service was amazing, my horse and I were happy and all that.
I would still love to know what the OP’s contract says.
My barn has a flat rate training board that includes rides, lessons, showing, coaching at shows and full care (including at shows). You know the months you don’t show are less bang for the buck but in the months you do show, it provides really good value and I have appreciated not feeling nickel and dimed, after getting every itemized fee under the sun at my last barn. I just view it as evening out over time, so that in the months I don’t show, I know I’m making up that value in some of the months I do show.
7 Likes
There is a barn in my area that is modeled like this and I think it makes SO much more sense!
1 Like
I’m not sure we have confirmed what the OP meant - whether it was only 1 to 2 weeks over a six month period, or an average of 1 to 2 weeks every month over that six month period. The wording is open to interpretation.
5 Likes
I suppose… I can not find a way to read this post in a way that means 1 to 2 weeks every month, but I guess if you want it to say that you can make it say that.
Usually such policies are for when the client has cancellations or reschedules needed, not the service provider. Personally, I would be hesitant to pay for services from a service provider who made it their policy that they could go somewhere for two weeks then, tell me I have four days left in the month to use my pre-paid services or they’re just poof, gone. YMMV.
I don’t really think it matters, TBH. Where’s the line, then? It should be a standard operating procedure, not a moving threshold that varies for everyone.
3 Likes
I could see it as one week before May, then 1 to 2 weeks from May to October. It’s the “on average” that leads me to think it might be monthly.
4 Likes
No, we don’t, but aren’t people always complaining about lack of standards in the industry?
3 Likes
I, personally, am kind of glad there are not standards.
I prefer to board where there are not any requirement for training (at this point in my life).
1 Like
That’s what I thought too. Otherwise it could just say 1-2 weeks a year
3 Likes
FWIW, I was always given the impression that board was 365 because the barn staff had to be paid whether my horse was there or not, and that the trainer made so little off training fees that there could be no discounts for time off showing. In other words, trainer really made their money at the shows because of the day fees. So if I didn’t want to go to Indio (Thermal et al), I stayed home and paid full board and training and if I went, I paid board, training and show fees. It did add up I will say.
2 Likes
