Something else comes to mind here. Decent trainers do NOT take one of their horses out in public at a show, with a client paying to be on it, that spooks, darts sideways and is known to have dumped riders into oxers sending at least one to the ER.
Not the kind of thing that shows off their talents and attracts new business…know what I’m saying here? If that’s the example of their program they choose to put out there in public at shows? What do they do when they think nobody is looking?
I agree that it sounds as if the mare is scared, and not of the person standing by the arena. She’s probably got pain issues and because of them, she’s probably been ill treated. As much as you like her, you can’t fix her unless you buy her and that doesn’t sound like a good idea.
I’d be exploring other options. For whatever reason, they simply don’t have anything available for you to lease or that you even really enjoy doing lessons on. Their over eager attitude in trying to sell you on the lease of the mare makes me very uncomfortable. It makes me question how suitable a match they might find for you.
Check out some other barns. You don’t have to tell them where you currently ride but do be honest about your abilities and fears and goals. Try to arrange to be there at a time when there are lots of lessons, like a Saturday morning. That way you can see the schoolies and the instructors doing their jobs. Ask if they do part leases on schoolies and which ones might be available. Remember, not having suitable horse for you doesn’t make them a bad barn, it makes them wrong for you at that moment. At places which lease month to month, things change quickly. The high schooler who is currently leasing the nicest schoolie in the string might be graduating in May and heading away to college, leaving the horse available. Give a barn a chance if you like it but the “right” horse isn’t available for lease.
It’s a money deal. They need to collect $ for $ keeping the horse. A good lease horse is a good horse. A fractious, unpredictable, or predictable in a bad way, horse is not a good lease horse, or a good horse for almost everone. Any facility that doesn’t show through their actions that safety is #1 is not reputable. So sorry for your experience with this. Riding should be a fun, positive experience for the most part.
It is clearly in their best interest for you to lease what is likely a hard to lease horse.
I’m concerned that they blamed the last leaser since this is obviously a pattern for this horse. Possibly this horse could improve from a different program and a consistent rider and also true that you can learn something from a horse like this but only if you’re the kind of rider that A) has the skillset to handle and correct the horse (like a pro trainer) and B)can have his or her confidence shaken and push through it (when my confidence goes, its a 6 month or long recovery process). I get the impression schooling a spooky horse and learning from it is not your riding goal.
I am highly concerned these trainers are more concerned about their bottom line and having their horses leased. Is it taking time for them to find you a horse because their not looking? Some time it takes time but if you’re not being invited to regularly look at and trial horses, they’re not looking.
I would go trial some lessons with other coaches. Some of the best coaches work privately or at smaller barns rather than well renowned ones. Once you find a coach that you feel has your best interest at heart and focuses on YOUR goals, ask that trainer to help you find a horse.
100% this. My kick ride, W/T pony got super spooky when she was losing sight in her right eye. She could see shadows, which was worse than no sight. She spooked when my trainer walked over to us during a lesson, we were standing still and trainer was talking the whole time, a spook should not have happened. My fabulous trainer had me ride other horses until the eye was removed and she was back to her safe self. That’s right, my trainer had me ride one of her lesson horses rather than use my own horse, she made a decision in the best interest of me and my horse, not her bank account.
I would NEVER use them to buy a horse, they will push the wrong horse on you if it is in their best interest. When people tell you who they are, listen.
A good trainer concerned with the safety of the clients and her horses would NOT have this horse in her lesson program. Run far far away. I would find another trainer and would definitely not let these people find a horse for you.
One wonders how many times their insurance company has come to their rescue. This “school” is a disaster continually happening. They are obviously obsessed with their bottom line.
Their teaching methods also sound archaic. The barking instructor who never elucidates on why you need to repeat an exercise went out on the 40-50’s with the cavalry.
There has to be somewhere better in the area.
You are assuming they have insurance…horse trainers are not regulated in any state, many don’t own the property they operate on and insurance is not mandatory…especially if they lie about what they do to their landlord/property owner or in some cases lender who would actually be liable.
Im not kidding, it’s shocking how many assume their barns and trainers are fully insured, especially from mid price on down to cheap lesson mills. Don’t kid yourself. Ask your barn/trainer if they carry liability insurance and ask to see proof.
I have been doing my homework and have found a couple of good prospects for training - it’s been interesting to see how small this community truly is. I have found one great alternative and have taken a trial lesson - it was wonderful to be on a quiet horse who didn’t look twice at one thing!
I had a meeting with one of the trainers at my current school and explained why I terminated the lease - so they are on notice - and I will see how they respond going forward (maybe they can come up with another horse who is safe and at my level… I am not mentally capable (or naive enough) to ride that horse around a jump course again).
If they can’t make me feel safe/right their wrongs then I will walk away.
Thanks everyone for your input - this has been very enlightening.
I am glad that you are looking at other options! Good luck OP and keep us updated
At the end of the day, if your trainers aren’t respecting your opinion and aren’t offer you suitable alternatives I would be looking to change barns. There are plenty of well respected coaches and barns that want their riders to be confident and successful. Barn politics are not something you should feel you must endure in order to improve your riding. Life is to short for that!
This worries me. IMO they had their chance already. They’ve shown their colors. As nice as it is of you to offer them a second chance, it isn’t really your job to try to change them. Mature adults tend to be confirmed in their ways in any case, and even if they put on a better face for you, personally I wouldn’t believe it is real.
I am so glad you have found other barns and horses. Time to leave this barn behind, imo. 
Honestly there are lots of good programs with nice, safe schoolies out there. While they might not be the fanciest places, they will be infinitely better than where you currently are and your riding and confidence will improve faster and probably for the better. Run don’t walk away from the current place, they’ve already shown what they’re all about!
NO … they had their chance. They have showed you what kind of people they are. They are not going to change. Please, for your safety, move on.
You found another place, where you felt comfortable on their horses. Go there! You don’t have to burn any bridges, but you can move on to a place that is a better fit for you.
This. Times 10. They are not going to suddenly change their business model (which is dedicated to earning income off every unsuitable horse on the place) for you. They might say they will and claim they have your best interests at heart but remember they trash talked a client to you, another client, who they put on an unsafe horse and hence into the ER to you. That’s their business ethic, blame the client. Get out. I’m sure they trash talk you behind your back to other clients.
Typical for us to get sucked into thinking we have some sort of relationship besides the strictly business one with trainers, think they are friends. Friends or even ethical businesses don’t put you in an unsafe situation like they did. And they will do it again for buck. And don’t worry about them badmouthing you, probably already are around the barn as they did with the injured rider.
You don’t own a horse, have terminated your lease, your bills are paid so there’s no strings involved, just leave.
I see your point… it’s hard to walk away clean as I have made many friends there in the past 5 months… And under their billing policy until I give notice I’m responsible for lessons for 30 days. I’m a legal professional and I know this is a lovely caveat their sneaky lawyers put in as a way for them to make $$, and that’s their business.
Unfortunately I’m unsure of the new place… but I guess transitions take time.
Here’s the thing, do you want your friends you’ve made at the old barn to come visit you in the hospital after one of their looky horses injures you? Or do you want to walk away now and live to meet some new friends at the next barn? The most important thing about a barn is safety and the sanity/integrity of the trainer. Go to the barn with the safe lesson horses. And don’t get back on that horse. Pay them for the lessons and start up with the new trainer.
The trainers at your current barn have exhibited repeated poor judgment. This is a pattern. This will no B change.
I would not trust them to find a suitable horse.
Also I call BS on it taking a long time to find horses. You sound like you’re in a relatively active horse area and I shouldn’t think it would take a “long time” with a proactive trainer.
Maybe your friends will follow you to a new barn. Or you can get together and hang out. Whichever.
You have no ties to this barn. Walk away.
You won’t lose your barn friends. You’ll just visit with them in a different place.
It is hard to make these transitions even when we know it is essential to do so. Barn friends and habit can undermine our seriousness about changing. But that keeps us stuck in a spot that is not constructive for our riding future. And in your case, is dangerous as well.
I agree that you should pay out the notice period and move now. I have a feeling that if you keep going out there for 30 days, it is going to be a very trying 30 days. They will either be nicey-nice in a completely hypocritical manner, or else they will make it hard and maybe even more dangerous. Or both. Peace of mind lasts long after the monetary loss is no longer an issue.
Good luck and happy riding in a new program!
Ok - I’m a conflict averse person, and I know I don’t owe them an explanation… I said I terminated the lease because of what the horse did two weeks in a row by spooking and almost throwing me… but part of me wants to tell them explicitly why I’m leaving, just so we are clear that they are not right for me right now…!?
Just to say to them something like “you don’t have a school horse [[or any other horse you would lease me because you only own the school horses and making connections with other owners gives you no financial kickback apparently]] who I can ride that can further my goals here, so regretfully I must give my 30 day notice that I no longer want to ride here…” and leave this place after all this nonsense and confidence busting behavior… ugh.
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