Hi,
I am wondering what sorts of ‘fees’ others incur when hauling their own horses into barns for lessons.
What if the instructor offered by the barn is an outside instructor,
is self employed, and not employed by the training barn?
Interested in the going rates for an hour lesson,
going rates for haul in fees,
and any other additional fees incurred to use a facility for lessons.
Thanks!
Have had a couple of experiences with this.
Outside instructors usually charge their usual rate, but a “truck-in” or “facilities use” fee is added by the barn. Normally the rider pays the truck-in fees, which IME have ranged from $15 to $25 per lesson. The trainer shares part of her earnings with the barn owner, typically around 20 to 25%. Sometimes the trainer tacks this on to her usual lesson fee, sometimes not.
A one hour private dressage lesson in my area (admittedly a pricey one), before fees are added, ranges from $60 to $200 … Most are probably in the $75-$100 range, for teaching a lower-level (let’s say Second and below) rider. An FEI level rider will usually pay quite a bit more to a qualified trainer. The most I have paid was $150 to an FEI trainer who is very well-regarded, but that was a one-time deal as my budget just doesn’t allow it. These days I take a one hour private ($70) and a one hour semi-private ($50) each week. But as I said, it’s pricey here, and someone in a less urban area, especially in the Midwest, usually cannot demand anything near that.
I’m in the heart of Texas and I pay $45 for a one hour lesson and $10 for the haul in fee.
Trainer gets $50 for private lesson payable to her. Barn gets $10 haul in fee.
Usually $10 to $15 for a ring fee to take a lesson at a facility if the trainer is not employed by the facility. A few weeks ago I wanted to haul into an indoor to take a lesson with my trainer of 20 years. The place was one where another woman, also my trainer’s student, was moving her horse in a few days. This place wanted to charge FIFTY DOLLARS ring fee. I think that’s outrageous and told my trainer I would never go there and participate in what seems like price gouging. We ended up working at a different, more reasonable place (not an indoor, however), and didn’t get charged anything. The first facility lost a client by being, IMO, greedy. However–their place, their rules. One would think that a farm would want themselves exposed to not only a master, but potential clients and goodwill. Apparently not this place.
I’m in Houston, Texas and lessons have generally ranged in the $50-75/hour range.
I don’t know the exact fee the trainers are paying to the barns, but it’s always been a flat fee per lesson across the board (boarders, lesson students on lesson horses, haul ins all included).
Haul in fees are usually around $10, paid directly to the barn.
If the trainer uses barn lesson horses, sometimes there is also a fee for that.
I think a lot of it depends on the relationship of the trainer to the barn, and whether the trainer is likely to attract additional boarders to the barn (they don’t have to be hired by the barn to do that–just have a big enough/established enough presence that boarders see them as part of the barn).
In Nor-Cal, haul in is typically $15 to $25, and lessons range from $50 to $100 for area trainers, generally 45 minutes.
Thanks for the input.
I do feel like I was getting the ‘squeeze’ bc the prices have gone up considerably
since I started taking lessons/hauling in to this farm, from start earlier this year.
And comparatively, they are in line with the higher prices listed here.
The prices have almost doubled including lesson price and fees.
Its becoming a tad too expensive for me :no:
Sigh
If regular hauling in is too much, you can look at a modified program if you feel confident enough.
I generally take lessons on my Dressage trainer’s lesson horses and only haul in once a quarter or so, for a weekend “mini clinic” on my horse. We do talk about my horse every week and sometimes tailor lessons to problems I am having at home (so I can get the feel of how something should be). Video can help spot check, too.
I have the advantage of a good young horse/jumper trainer at home to keep tabs on my horse and I, which is why I only haul him down once a quarter. If I didn’t have that, I’d haul down once a month. That would still be much more feasible than hauling my horse in weekly.
Most of the ranches with all the amenities like a covered arena in the Scottsdale AZ area have a $25 haul in fee. A 45 minute lesson can range from $40 to $60.
I pay $65 for the lesson and $10 haul-in fee to the farm owner.
It’s irritating in this case, for both the instructor and I, because the instructor leases the ENTIRE property, so we both think that in that case, the owner is just being greedy by also requiring a haul-in fee to be paid directly to him. He lives/works on site, so you really can’t get away with not paying him.
I take 2 lessons/month at this rate.
I pay $100 for an hour lesson w/ USDF gold medalist with a $25 haul in fee to farm owner.
I’m currently taking my lessons at home,., LOL, no haul in fee there :lol:
I had enjoyed the chance to put my horse on the trailer for better trailer
manners and the opportunity to work on backing off the trailer.
Plus, it was good for her to leave home on occasion.
Just seemed as if the ‘fees’ kept going up, up UP!
Do talk to your trainer about it. Mine cuts me a small break because she knows I can’t do it otherwise.
I am in the Midwest; my instructor does not charge a haul in fee at all.
Rates for my trainers are between $100 and $150 for a lesson at their farm with no additional fees as they own their farms. I’ve used friends’ indoors for $0. I’ve paid $15-$40 for the use of a close indoor not owned by my friends.
Just an additional comment, as there seems to be some posted thoughts about owner motivation … If a trainer either leases the property or has an ongoing relationship where they use the property regularly, they should be in a position to negotiate a ring fee for those who haul in at a lower rate. But if the property owner has to deal with one-offs with trainers/riders who haven’t been there, don’t know the rules and routines, and no doubt cause more work, then I have no problem with a premium price.
I am in Washington state, and lessons tend to be $40 - $60 for a 30 or 45 minute lesson. If you don’t board at the facility, usually a $10 - $20 haul-in fee. That is for regular once-a-week lessons. I was at a mini-clinic last weekend where the clnician comes from two hours away once per month. Prices were $65 for a 25 minute lesson, and $95 for a 45 minute lesson plus either a haul-in fee or stabling fee for people who don’t board at that barn. Prices are definitely higher if you get to the Seattle suburbs, where land prices are much higher, and therefor everything horse related is more expensive.
[QUOTE=Highflyer;8364629]
Do talk to your trainer about it. Mine cuts me a small break because she knows I can’t do it otherwise.[/QUOTE]
Trainer is trying to recoup his fees by raising my lesson prices to cover
the ‘outside trainer’ cost charged to him, by the BO.
Plus I pay the haul in fee.
I’m just a backyard rider not looking to show, just need the training on this horse.
Hoping the costs stay where they are for awhile, otherwise, nobody gets my money
and I stay home and try to sort out the issues myself.:no:
There are cheaper trainers in the area, but this has worked out pretty well until recently,…,
Hopefully they will put the brakes on all the increased fees.:eek:
We pay $55-$75 for 60min lessons in the NE Georgia mountains with an FEI rider, gold medalist, and USDF-certified instructor. If my coach drives out to me (45min each way), I throw in $20 “driving fee” for her…and if I haul down to her training barn, I pay her BO a $20 “ring fee”. I also try to make sure she has 2 lessons/horses on days she comes up to me to make it more worth her while too (but she only gets the $20 “driving fee” once). 
will your grocery store cut fees for you? How about your taxes? insurance? mortgage?
Seriously, how come you want to cheap out on your horse bills? Do you think they are getting rich on you? I can tell you, they are not!
