horse care and riding lessons

[skyy]

So. It has become apparent that horse care is lacking in our lesson program. Pointing fingers will get me nowhere - I just need advice on fixing it. Our general rule is that once a person can groom and tack on their own (maybe not bridle but saddle), they can come early to do it before the lesson and this is unsupervised. For newbies it is part of the lesson. As barn manager I don’t teach but I have been in the barn lately during off hours and for extended periods on Saturdays and I have noticed blankets being taken off incorrectly, feet not being picked, poor grooming, poor tacking (bad saddle placement, etc). In my opinion, a lot of people who are doing things on their own shouldn’t be. Our lessons are scheduled back to back and this won’t change so allowing a gap between lessons is not an option. Alot of our lessons are semi private, then private and groups (3 people) make up the smallest number.

My questions are:

1. How do I fix this? If I tell parents that their kids aren’t ready to be left alone, it will result in less riding time in the lesson and the parents will be annoyed and adults will be insulted.

2. How do you supervise people who are left on their own? ( I realize that “supervise” and “left on their own” is an oxymoron)

3. If you let people groom and tack on their own, do they have to pass a test first?

4. Are your instructors expected to “pre groom” horses so they aren’t quite so dirty for the students? The mud this winter is killing us.

5. How long before the first lesson are your instructors expected to be there? (all lesson horses are in)

Help please! We need to do better. We need to be better.

[SuzieQNutter]

The horse and tack should be checked over before the student mounts. Fix things then and it will mean less time riding for them so they can learn what they need to do.

If you want blankets taken off a certain way put the steps for doing it up in a board for all to read, they can teach each other.

Maybe for a week you be there as they are grooming and tacking and teach the correct way.

[trubandloki]

Most of the lesson barns I have known accomplish this by having an older student around to supervise and help those who are tacking up for their lessons. This ‘working student’ gets paid in lessons or hack time.

[clanter]

humm… to me the horse’s welfare is primary over parent’s concern. Even our youngest riders were required to learn first how to groom, then tack their mounts before they rode

when I mean the youngest it was everyone… this girl at age 2 was horse crazy, now seventeen years later she has had her own horse for many years

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[Scribbler]

Yes I think you need a helper on the ground, an advanced student paid in lessons would be the most cost effective.

If kids are riding once a week, they aren’t going to manage to remember everything.

Also when lessons go back to back, if the same horse is used back to back the kid has no grooming experience that week.

If they are grooming and tacking up I would want them there half an hour in advance and to have supervision. And to keep non horsey parents out of the dithery danger zone!

Maybe also schedule in extra regular horse care lessons maybe once a month like pony club does. At less cost than riding lessons but mandatory.

Kids and parents resent losing expensive saddle time to off horse activities.

[PalmPony]

This needs to be corrected by the instructor. The responsibility also lies with the instructor if the horse is not brought out/put away properly to FIX it, even if the student has gone home already.

that might mean instructors have to show up 30min to an hour early or stay 30min late. Have other students who are knowledgeable and trustworthy help in crossties. Instructors should be doing a horse/equipment once over check on EACH HORSE before rider mounts. Honestly it takes 30 seconds once you get into the routine. Catches tack and grooming issues before it becomes a problem. If there are issues in the crossties, a refresher lesson never hurts. Make it a mandatory "clinic or 10 min of the lesson for a week or so.

if the client is that peeved or insulted, tell them it is because you care about the horse and ask them if they also care about the welfare of their mount?

[EventingMaff]

@trubandloki

Most of the lesson barns I have known accomplish this by having an older student around to supervise and help those who are tacking up for their lessons. This ‘working student’ gets paid in lessons or hack time.

Yup - this is both how I learned and I later was the older student guiding the young’uns. Later when I was a horse-less adult trying to integrate into a new area by taking lessons it was also the approach I most often saw at barns. As an adult I didn’t get offended by a 15-17 yr old “telling” me what to do because a. I recognized the system and b. every barn does things their own way so I wanted to understand the specifics of that barn. Granted, most of these teens pretty quickly recognized I knew my way around a horse so it became more friendly small-talk then anything else.

For adults that may be sensitive to it, just have the instructor explain at the very first lesson that the barn does things particular ways and that the teens are there to answer any questions on barn protocols/processes.

Usually though, it’s not a super formal thing, it’s more that the teens are hanging around anyway and will address something if they see it not being done (e.g. blankets done front clips first, studnets forgetting to do feet).

As PP said, instructor should check all tack before student mounts (and probably check that feet are picked out) - this closes the feedback loop with the ‘working student’.

Some sort of test would also be an idea but no guarantee that because they KNOW something that they actually do it everytime (e.g. feet picking - most people know how to do it - doesn’t mean they will every time)

[Scribbler]

At a new lesson or boarding barn I would so welcome a smart teen that could tell me what brushes to use and where the girths hide, so I wasn’t constantly trying to find my busy coach!

[Mulligan314]

I, too, agree that the instructor should be doing a once over before the rider gets on the horse. If it’s a grooming error, they rider goes back to fix it before they mount. If it’s a tack error, it gets fixed before they mount. The lessons aren’t always on the horse, many happen right next to them. As a former trainer, I would put this responsibility solely on myself in the end. Having a working student would be awesome, and I used older kids with younger ones, but in the end, it’s on me. My number one assets are the horses. Without them, you have no lessons, no programs. If they aren’t groomed properly, saddles or bridles aren’t placed correctly, wraps or boots aren’t right, all of this can and will eventually affect the current or future performance of the horses. If I am not doing my job to protect and advocate for them, then I am also not doing my job to educate the riders.

[Mulligan314]

@PalmPony I hadn’t read your post, but did after posting and I essentially wrote the same thing. haha. Completely agree, obviously. It’s so easy for an instructor to catch this and turn it right around. Without the horse, we are nothing.

[cloudyandcallie]

The preteens who worked after school at the first barn where I boarded cloudy and Callie were terrific in showing me what I had forgotten or had never learned.
When I was a kid taking lessons we were spoiled as Mrs Gabriel had our horses groomed and tacked up and waiting for us. Years later I saw her daughter Amy Dale doing the same routine at another barn.
get experienced kids to help at the barn

[polkadotedpony]

I agree with the working student set up. Pay them in lessons or hacks. They don’t have to be teens, there are sometimes adults who work part time or not at all who are happy to just increase their horse time.

I would also suggest putting on camps during school breaks and strongly encouraging all students to do at least a week of camp a year. The usual format of our camp was 1/2 the kids rode while the other 1/2 did an unmounted lesson and then the groups switched. Usually a regular lesson in the morning and a trail/bareback ride or more causal riding activity in the pm to lessen the work for the horses. We covered all sorts of stuff from nutrition, boots and wraps, braiding, grooming, bathing, sheath cleaning, etc. The Friday/last day of camp you do a little show with an in hand component to judge the grooming and tacking. You can usually find a talented high schooler with a similar school break schedule to man the unmounted lessons.
I also think signage on how to properly take blankets on and off, basic steps of grooming are worthwhile.

[gottagrey]

Well here’s a somewhat novel idea… include in the lesson plan that grooming and “horsemanship” are all part of riding and as such will be taught. It might mean less riding time initially but longer riding time in due course. When I first started taking lessons the first 2 or 3 went over breeds, conformation/body parts, learning about tack and grooming, and then we got on. Sometimes we got to tack up, sometimes untack.

I would think for beginners too that part of the mounting process would be teaching them how to make sure girth is tight, how to tighten and adjust stirrups from being in the saddle - and of course the instructor should be around to help.

these basics should be instilled at the very beginning especially if you have class sizes that encourage it Certainly smaller sizes classes would be easy. It should be made clear to parents and new riders that this is part of riding period.

One of my trainer friends - runs a small barn and she is really great with new riders but most of the time it’s general 1 on 1 or maybe 2… She starts off with first just riding, then after a couple lessons she shows both parent and child how to groom and tack up, she’ll teach them to clip, braid etc.

[shiloh]

The last barn I was at the instructor showed the children how to groom and tack up AND how to clean stalls. It was part of their responsibilities to learn and do these things. Otherwise, they were not allowed to ride. It taught the kids how to appreciate the horse and that it was not a machine or a toy. Even the little three year old girl she taught had a little pink rake, tiny shovel and wheelbarrow. Yes, she just pushed stuff around (so cute) but it established good habits. My own riding instructor was quite strict about you caring for your horse before yourself.

[Chall]

Way back when we had night classes where we had anatomy classes, how to tack up and a farrier visit. We were shown all his tools and we each rasped a stroke on pony’s foot and we took turns (trying) to pull his shoe.
It was a full service barn, we didn’t do anything prior to the actual lesson but we were expected to know every piece of tack.
We also rode in double reins.
I was 7 when they gave the first class.
Riding lessons included horse care, period.

[Maythehorsebewithme]

Where I board the grooming and tacking are part of the lesson. Obviously the level is made appropriate for the age–e.g., the 7 year olds are asked to do much less than the teens. But the correct way of picking feet before leaving the stall, leading the horse, putting the horse on cross-ties, removing blankets, grooming, tacking, riding, and then the cooling-out and putting the horse away are all taught and supervised, unless the student is experienced and competent.

Even the new student adults are checked out–amazing what poor habits some people have. My own pet peeve is undoing the front of the blanket before the back–have seen too many horses take off with blanket wrapped around body and legs.

[NC001]

I agree with pp- if the student come into the lesson without something properly done they have to go back and take time from the lesson to fix it. This way other students in the lesson don’t have to wait to start riding (this was a huge pet peeve of mine! We would arrive on time and be tacked up but then have to wait for the other rider who showed up late and needed help to tack up). Having a more senior student help tack is also good. My daughter helps the younger and newer kids all the time when she’s at the barn.

What it comes down to is there needs to be a “reward” for doing things correctly- being ready on time for the lesson so they maximize ride time, being able to tack up and start warming up prior to the lesson start, and for some kids learning so they can be the student that helps others and gets extra ride time for helping. Some students still won’t step up but most will.

I also feel all students should check and make sure their horse has a full water bucket when they return them to their stalls and generally clean up after themselves and others… but that’s probably a separate topic.

[mmeqcenter]

You’re the barn manager, right? So set the expected level of care first with the instructor, who should then pass along to students. If instructor is unwilling to enforce the barn’s expected level of care, they should not be an instructor at that facility.

1. How do I fix this? If I tell parents that their kids aren’t ready to be left alone, it will result in less riding time in the lesson and the parents will be annoyed and adults will be insulted.
Riding lessons should be more about than just riding. Either be a barn with grooms who do everything so the princes and princesses get a full hour of ride time, or be a barn who requires learning all aspects of horse care. If a student (adult or minor) can’t tack up correctly on their own, they tack up during their lesson time with the help of the instructor until they can do it correctly on their own. Period. Not negotiable. If adults are “insulted,” I’d kindly invite them to abide by the rules or not return. Rules are rules, and these animals deserve to be treated well for all they do for us.
Or, of course, they can pay for two lessons so they have ample time. Reserve the instructor from 4-6p, so the instructor can help them tack up/un tack, and they still get an hour of riding time. Point is, time paid for is time received. No exceptions. It blows my mind when people read lesson prices of say, $60/hour, but expect to get 20 minutes before and after of free time and assistance from the instructor.

2. How do you supervise people who are left on their own? ( I realize that “supervise” and “left on their own” is an oxymoron)
As others mentioned, an experienced helper kid who can hang around and watch/help in exchange for ride time is a great solution. I did this as a teen. My lessons were on Saturdays at 11a, I stayed until ~6p helping my instructor with tacking up less experienced students, setting jumps, etc. and got more ride time for it.

3. If you let people groom and tack on their own, do they have to pass a test first?
Absolutely.

4. Are your instructors expected to “pre groom” horses so they aren’t quite so dirty for the students? The mud this winter is killing us.
What? No. I have never heard of this. Students can plan to arrive earlier if they need more grooming time, or it can cut into their riding time. Their decision. If you really don’t want to enforce this, perhaps get a sheet for all of them to wear when they go out so they don’t get soo muddy.

5. How long before the first lesson are your instructors expected to be there? (all lesson horses are in)
Depends on if they assist with other barn chores, first lesson needs help tacking up, etc. I’ve never heard of requiring an instructor to be present a specific amount of time before the first lesson of the day “just because.”

Something that can help with students that are new to tacking up on their own, and though capable may still be a bit forgetful, is to have a list of instructions written up. Either a general list for all horses, or an individual list for each horse. A general list could be provided on a chalk board or dry erase board in the aisle/grooming area.
Ex.

1. Check board for horse assignment
2. Retrieve all grooming supplies and tack for horse
3. Retrieve horse from stall or field and put in grooming area
4. Remove mud with curry comb
5. Brush off all loose dirt with hard brush
6. Brush face with soft brush
7. Pick hooves
8. Put on saddle pads, saddle, then girth

etc. etc. etc.

[NoSuchPerson]

Great post, mmeqcenter.

[findeight]

Had something else ready to post but thought if a better way to convey what my thoughts are. OP is a BM working for a BO who also either employs instructors or let’s them operate as independent contractors. OP has to balance what she sees against what is going to be possible and she’s not going to be able to change the way the lesson program operates.

OP should address the increasing number of mistakes, which increase her workload, can lead to damaged equipment and increase operating costs, with the BO who employs her and the instructors. They may not realize it’s getting to be a problem that could lead to increased safety risk.Somebody needs to check and supervise if needed.

Getting older, more experienced students to act as moniters in return for saddle time is a great choice but not problem free, see what the BO wants and involve the instructors in selecting appropriate clients if it’s a go.

Have seen a very simple thing that works very well- each student mounts under the eyes of the instructor and must demonstrate a basic safety check ( girth, reins etc.) EVRY time, every ride. Instructor can correct any tack mistakes. NO to sending a younger child who rides once or twice a week on a schoolie back to the barn in front of the other students- used to be snickers and giggles, now it’s all over social media, kids can be nasty these days when adults aren’t listening or reading. Instructor also needs to watch the dismount and check for reins not left over the head, stirrups not run up and girth not loosened. This takes very little time out of the lessons once they know what’s expected, kids aren’t that dumb and want to please the instructor.

The “Grassroots” thread over on H/J has discussed how the business model of both shows and trainers has changed since the “good old days” and that’s true of the lesson industry as well. What worked then does not work now because the young once or twice a week clients don’t have the same expectations and circumstances. A large percentage can’t hang around due to time restrictions on whoever is providing their transportation. There are often inconsistencies in supervision and willingness on the part of whoever brings them, especially if the child is called out in front of the peer group.

It has to be the same for every lesson rider to avoid the appearance of favoritism or perception of bullying. Not up to the kids to come early or stay late if they don’t have their own wheels.

Good luck to OP but think just having the instructors pay more attention when they have control of the kids will go a long way.