Paying to Try a Horse

[cab222]

I am in the process of looking for a step-up horse for my 12 year-old daughter. She currently has a schoolmaster-type mare that we got about 2 years ago, and keep at a show barn nearby. We are relatively new to this barn, as we moved there in August as part of cross-country move. The owner/head trainer of the barn has 2 horses that he (and the trainer we mostly work with) thought might be options. My daughter rode each horse once, but wasn’t quite sure how she felt about either. So she did one more ride on each horse. After that we decided to lease the one she preferred for a month to see how things went (he’s pretty green and might be more than she’s ready for).

When I received my invoice for lessons the prior month, in addition to the costs for the trainer, I was billed for 4 lessons on a ‘show horse’. I was a bit surprised since when we tried horses in the past for lease/purchase I only ever paid for my trainer’s time, not a fee to the owner of the horse. However, that was in a different state, so maybe things vary? I’d appreciate any insights.

[trubandloki]

@cab222

I am in the process of looking for a step-up horse for my 12 year-old daughter. She currently has a schoolmaster-type mare that we got about 2 years ago, and keep at a show barn nearby. We are relatively new to this barn, as we moved there in August as part of cross-country move. The owner/head trainer of the barn has 2 horses that he (and the trainer we mostly work with) thought might be options. My daughter rode each horse once, but wasn’t quite sure how she felt about either. So she did one more ride on each horse. After that we decided to lease the one she preferred for a month to see how things went (he’s pretty green and might be more than she’s ready for).

When I received my invoice for lessons the prior month, in addition to the costs for the trainer, I was billed for 4 lessons on a ‘show horse’. I was a bit surprised since when we tried horses in the past for lease/purchase I only ever paid for my trainer’s time, not a fee to the owner of the horse. However, that was in a different state, so maybe things vary? I’d appreciate any insights.

I would hope that the trainer had a clear price sheet or had at least explained the expenses associated with trying horses prior to having to start doing it.

I can see paying for the trainer (lesson fee) for each ride that you try a horse. Were you charged an additional fee for the horse too?

[JenEM]

You did four trial rides on horses belonging to trainer/BO? And were billed for them as lessons? That doesn’t sound at all unusual, it’s fairly standard to pay more for a lesson that is on a horse not your own, to cover the horse’s expenses.

[TheJenners]

My understanding is no, it was an additional charge. She was charged the regular lesson fee + a charge for the lesson being on a “show horse.”

[cab222]

To clarify I was charged 2 fees for each of the lessons: the fee for the lesson ($85) plus $135 for the horse.

Edited to add: I’ve been through the price sheet for services and there is nothing listed for this type of fee.

[trubandloki]

@cab222

To clarify I was charged 2 fees for each of the lessons: the fee for the lesson ($85) plus $135 for the horse.

Ask this as a question this time. Does this trainer not have a price sheet that discloses these fees?

I can see a fee for leasing a show horse for a lesson if you are just taking a lesson on a show horse, but this was a trial ride which to me is totally different.

[SonnysMom]

If the trainer didn’t tell you about the extra $135 fee I would be talking the them about it. It does not sound like was on the price sheet. I personally would not pay the owner to try a horse that is for sale or for lease. I understand paying the trainer for their time.
I understand some people charge a fee to try a horse to prevent tire kickers. In this case your trainer should know you well enough to get a feel if either horse is appropriate and if you are serious riders to prevent not suitable and tire kicking.
The trainer should have been up front about these fees. These fees are not small fees either.

[AnastasiaBeaverhousen]

OP
If I am reading your post correctly, you leased a horse from the barn for one month?

So this trainer is charging you a lease fee, $85.00 4× for lesson ,and 135.00 for 4 times for the show horse, or 135.00 for the month?

Any how, no damn way would I pay the $135.00 on top of the lease fee and the lesson .

If that trainer tried that crap with me they’d get an earful. And I dont care that it’s a show barn and that is how it’s done.

You or your daughter may like the instructor or the instruction but I’d start looking for another barn where the trainer doesn’t try to screw people into thinking that this is how it is supposed to work.

Other posters may disagree with me on this and that is fine.

In my opinion you should pay the 85.00 x4 for the lessons your daughter took.

And then tell the trainer you dont like surprise billing and that he/she should have disclosed up front before you signed up for lessons there would be an additional fee.

Do you have a signed lease agreement that states there will be an additional fee for lessons?
Read it carefully and see if there’s anything else you may be charged for but arent aware of.

Hope you get this straightened out.

[cab222]

We agreed to lease one of the horses after we did the 4 rides, but before I got the invoice for December.

I have no problem paying for the lessons. And if we hadn’t decided to lease one of the horses for January (which isn’t exactly cheap), I could see where maybe I would be seen as a ‘tire kicker’. But it was never mentioned that there would be extra fees to ride these horses.

Appreciate everyone’s feedback!

[clanter]

well I might be tempted to back charge them for an exercise ride

I would be wary of things going forward once show season hits, I remember being charged for all sorts of things that were not disclosed nor discussed

[Daventry]

@cab222

To clarify I was charged 2 fees for each of the lessons: the fee for the lesson ($85) plus $135 for the horse.

I have the same opinion as everyone else. It is perfectly understandable for the trainer to charge a fee for their time, i.e. charge you for a lesson, but to charge you a $135 fee each time you “test rode” the horses that were for sale, on top of the lesson fee, is just plain wrong. If it were me, I would be finding another barn. If the trainer is OK with sneaking a $135 try-out fee per sales horses, I cannot imagine what kind of ridiculous charges will end up on your monthly bill during the height of show season…not to mention the commission they are also going to charge you once you decide to purchase the horse. I would be running in the other direction.

[pinkpikeurs]

I can see paying the trainer but not a fee to try the horse in addition unless it was stated in advance. The way they snuck that (very high) fee in there is ridiculous. I would only pay the fees that were actually discussed before hand or listed on the barns price sheet.

I understand paying a fee to try horses but generally, that puts me off even trying in the first place. But again, it needs to be stated in advance. I personally think there is no obligation to pay fees that aren’t written on paper or discussed before hand.

[paw]

Yup. Not at all a standard practice anywhere I’ve ever been, especially for a current client. I’ve be shopping for a new trainer ASAP.

[RileysMom]

It sounds like what happened was this:

Barn charges fee for higher level non-school horses used in lessons (e.g., privately owned horses that owners let be used for an hourly fee). So kid takes 4 lessons on privately owned horse and get charged fee.

However, BO/trainer omitted the important fact that kid was doing a trial ride as well and chose to charge simply under the above conditions. What DID happen is kid benefitted from 4 lessons on show horse, trainer thinks. Not a smart business move if they want to keep clients…

[TheJenners]

Yeah they certainly wouldn’t be keeping ME as a client, esp since the trainer could potentially get a freakin commission. Talk about shooting the goose.

[lenapesadie]

That’s just plain rude

[Training_Cupid]

At a minimum, I’d expect the trial fee to be applied to the lease fee for the horse I ended up leasing.
I think it’s worth a discussion with the trainer, to explain his rate sheet. It could also be that someone else does the billing based off the trainer’s calendar and perhaps they misunderstand the situation.

[PonyPenny]

It is even bizarre for the trainer to charge for her time. Would she have charged an outside person a fee to come try a horse? Mystery fees are always a no go for me and I would definitely bring it up to the trainer. The OP sounds like a great client to have in the barn. Why would a trainer jeopardize that?

[clanter]

@Training_Cupid

At a minimum, I’d expect the trial fee to be applied to the lease fee for the horse I ended up leasing.

That is a good point. I have never been in the position of OP. It appears they are in a barn of high prestige that uses these undisclosed fees as a gateway barrier to the unwashed.

I worked in the saddlehorse industry back in the 1970s and there were distinct levels of barns, there were the very top level and then those that desired to be. Those at the top charged whatever they wanted as their clients would pay to remain in the top tier barns as a client of Mr or Mrs Big Wheel. The prestige those clients bought was often displayed when socializing as introduced as “and this this Mr/Mrs/Ms Somebody, they are clients of Mr Big Wheel”

[JenEM]

Eek, ok, that’s does seem unusual and in excess of something standard like being charged more for a non-owned horse lesson, which would be more like being charged $100 for the lesson instead of $75 on your own horse.

I would definitely be questioning the fee.