Lesson Barns in Southern NH....Thoughts on these

Lesson prices are clearly listed on the website, please take the time to review it. They are a H/J barn so yes, they offer jumping lessons.

6 Likes

Look at the top of the home page. There are nine categories of information to choose from. If you just scroll down there is quite a bit of information.

It looks like a nice barn and close to you, which I’m sure your parents would appreciate. :yes:

sorry, I got it confused with another barn. Their prices are the best I have found yet. I am probably gonna go with them. Does anybody know haw much their leases cost? I didn’t find it on their website. I just have to go and look at their barn and talk with them nd we will see.

Leases may depend on the horse. I would honestly just go take lessons, see if it’s a good fit, then worry about leasing.

1 Like

that is what I thought. I just don’t want to fall in love with a certain horse and then find out that their lease prices are too high.

You will fall in love with many horses through out your life. Some you’ll just ride, some you’ll be priced out of, some you’ll own, some you’ll be forced to sell. That’s horses. They all touch us in their own way.

15 Likes

^ Very well said. Horses are a long series of heartbreaks, unfortunately
some are bigger than others. You wont spend the rest of your riding career on one horse so you have to accept that and learn all that you can from each horse, and move on when it’s time. It’s natural to love them, but being in love with every horse to the point it’s crippling to walk away (or not lease it) will suck the fun out of riding for you.

Talk to your parents, sit down with them and discuss what you see on the website, then have them pick up the phone and schedule a time to take you out there and talk to the staff. While there are other options in the area, if you want to be serious about learning to ride, progress, and maybe show, Senator Bell is a good next step. And they are reasonably priced. Go see them, tour the farm, talk about your history and future goals, watch a lesson on your visit, and discuss with your parents if you feel it’s a good fit.

I wouldn’t waste much energy worrying about leases until you have lessoned there for awhile, but you should ask them about price ranges when you visit.

2 Likes

Ok. I will do that.

You’ll love their grounds! One of the prettiest arenas, outside eventing type course, treelined paths with rolling hills to arenas and paddocks. Especially in the fall.

1 Like

Another vote for Senator Bell. It’s a lovely facility, and Jess Hunt is terrific. Plus, very close to Manchester.

1 Like

Ok, it seems like most of you all that recommend Senator Bell have ridden there. How does Jess teach? Don’t say to just go ask her because she can just tell me what I want to hear and I don’t have time for that.

She was very nice, explained things and was patient with me and my friend that were h/j riders doing their first cross country jumps (jumping dow into a water jump, etc). It was a blast. Made me wish i had my horse up there.

Thanks jetsmom. Does she seem to have more of a The rider is in control and the horse is your partner style of teaching or more of a The rider is the boss and the horse is an employee type of teaching? That is something very important to me.

To get the best information about the barn, I would reach out to schedule a time to go. You could schedule an intro lesson or just ask if you can view a lesson of a student around your level. I’ve done that a few times. It helps you see what you could expect without paying anything out of pocket.

1 Like

The best way to get a feel for a coach’s lesson style is to take a set of 3 or 4 lessons and make up your own mind. The first lesson is usually evaluation and getting to know each other so not usually a true test of how things will go.

You say you don’t have time to trial different barns but honestly it is not time wasted and it is fascinating to see different teaching styles and setups. Plus you will learn things and get saddle time.

As a beginner there is so much you don’t even know you don’t know yet, so going to different reputable places and seeing what you can learn is always useful.

As far as the dichotomy you note above, its not that clear cut. Yes a horse should enter willingly into an activity but no, the horse cannot be allowed an equal say in how things go because you will get killed or perhaps spend the hour ride grazing in a ditch. Training a horse is the art of getting the horse to submit to the rider willingly and enthusiastically.

There are a few activities where some horses really do seem to participate completely of their own volition once they understand what you want. I can think of liberty work, clicker tricks, and cattle cutting for a really cowy horse.

”â€č”â€č”â€č”â€č”â€č”â€čThe cow horse however has to go through saddle training first.

”â€č”â€č”â€č”â€č”â€č”â€č

6 Likes

@Scribbler I think I will go and take 1 month of lessons ( 3 or 4 ) before my lesson horse leaves so I know if I like them or not. When I say that I don’t have time to waste, I mean that I want to be able to move from my current lesson horse into a new barn within a week after leaving. I have been out of riding for close to 3 months now due to a shoulder injury of mine and the 2 months that I have on my current lesson horse once I get better are probably going to be my getting back into the swing of things, not so much learning new stuff. So I want to be able to go to a new barn and know that they are the ones that I am going to stick with for a little while. Rather than trying them out, finding out that I don’t like them, and having to go through this whole process again.

I agree that the horse should enter willingly into any task that you ask them of and that they should not be in full control. That is what I was trying to convey.

Finding a new barn just is a process. SO many factors contribute to the decision, some of which you probably aren’t even aware of yet - the drive, the horses, your chemistry with the instructor, the set-up, the expectations, the other people who ride there. Just GO, check it out, see how you feel, and then go some other places and check those out too. Nothing bad will happen if the first barn you try isn’t a place you wind up riding forever. A lot of riding is recognizing that everything is a process and embracing the process that you’re in. You’re in the process of choosing a new barn. Let that process happen - go through the steps of calling barns, seeing who calls back, visiting and taking a few lessons to see what you think. Nothing good happens when you try to skip the process.

7 Likes

OK. FIRST off, I am not trying to rush the process. SECOND off I am aware of all of those factors, I am not stupid. know that nothing bad will happen, but I would father not have to try 20 different barns. Please, if you don’t have any info for me then just don’t post.

That was uncalled for.

Hopefully you won’t take this attitude to the barn or no one will want to teach you.

14 Likes

Calm down. By saying you don’t have time to try different barns it sounds like you are trying to rush the process. We only know what you write.

You really do need to take a couple lessons at the barns you are interested in. Who knows, maybe the first barn will be a good fit. Maybe it won’t.

I have moved barns on several occasions. It’s not the end of the world. It was for a variety of reasons that included clicking better with another trainer, moving and finding a better fit for my horse.

ETA: You need to work on keeping your attitude in check. You need to understand that if the barn is a good one, your first lesson will most likely be at a lower level than what you are riding with your current trainer. Do not get offended.

8 Likes