I’m wondering what policies others have for horseless students (mainly kids) to show their lesson horses. Once I feel a student is ready, I’ve offered it as an option. I keep all fees extremely reasonable, require them to diligently care for the horse and tack as if it were their own, and volunteer some time at the show. The issue I’m starting to have with some students is a lack of commitment to riding/training/lessoning before the show. I’ve given plenty of notice schedule wise for lessons and offered practice rides, with minimal response. Some just seem to want to learn the test and go ride it. Showing is a privilege, and should be the chance to show off your hard work (and inspire to work harder). Do others require a firm commitment to lessons/riding before they are allowed to show?
Yes I do. I’m not having my school horse and my student out there making me look bad as a trainer/instructor. If they aren’t in regular lessons the horse is not available to show. As it happens, those that don’t have horses don’t have trailers, so if I say my horse isn’t going to a show it isn’t. End of conversation.
I think it’s pretty standard to require that they regularly do at least a lesson and 1-2 practice rides a week (or 2 lessons) to be eligible to show. Eventing barns I’ve seen tend to require that they half lease or full lease the horse as well (for away shows).
I think what you’re asking is fair. Most barns I’ve been at required a half lease for show season regardless of the amount of shows and a minimum of three rides per week including 1 lesson. I always was at the barn so never had an issue being committed haha. I think it’s a wonderful privilege to get to show a horse someone else pays for and you should want to be doing your best.
I agree that lessons or practice should be part of showing. You need to formally make this part of the arrangement.
They are not doing it because they don’t have to - there seems to be no clear expectation or requirement. If you are offering lessons and practice as an option - then you are giving them the chance to opt out. If you give them that choice you have to be OK with whichever decision they make. If you expect them to have lessons and practice that is totally fine - just make that part of the deal.
Personally, I would stay away from the whole “showing is a privilege not a right etc” nagging stuff. They don’t know what they don’t know. I am sure people would disagree with me, but these people are presumably paying you for a service (lessons and showing) so to treat clients is just not good for business IMO.
I think your expectations are completely reasonable.
It’s your horse and your image, you should absolutely set your guidelines for how you would want them to prepare to show. If you were discussing riders who have their own horses, it would be different.
I would say, make showing dependent on being in a set lesson/riding schedule. But also make sure that the parents understand this as well. The parents need to know that they are signing on to an increased schedule of payments and riding.
IME, kids tend to be over-scheduled these days, and there are far more sports options for girls. Parents can want a “well-rounded” child on paper, at the expense of true competency in any one thing. If the parents haven’t bought into the increased schedule, if they think little Suzie can get by with skipping lessons and still get a pretty ribbon, because really riding isn’t that difficult and she is so talented and special, then they will be shipping her off to soccer, gymnastics, computer camp, mime class, tap dance, whatever, all things that are probably lower-cost and have more “social recognition” than horseback riding.
So make a clear plan for what students need to do to go to shows. Don’t present it as a privilege, necessarily, but as the “next step” up in commitment and responsibility and recognition. It needs to be earned through increased commitment.
OP, all of what you say makes sense and seems pretty standad. I am really surprised that you are running into trouble with any of it (but then I’m not a barn owner, so I guess I never see what happens behind the scenes.) One potential problem I see with your approach is that the expectation for the amount of practice time seems to increase AFTER the client has made a commitment to show.
Many of these clients have very busy lives with family committments (for adults) or multiple sports and school (for kids). If you wait until after they have committed to go to a show and then tell them that they should have an extra lesson and practice rides to prepare, it probably won’t fit their schedule. IMO, the oportunity to show should only be offered to people who are ALREADY doing enough lessons and practice rides each week that the show prep, practicing tests, etc. can be done during their regular riding schedule. They shouldn’t need to schedule EXTRA rides because they planning for an upcomming show.
Of course, they will need to dedicate SOME extra time for preparation with tack cleaning, bathing the horse, etc. Ideally, the person showing would also be responsible for the extra grooming - trim tails, pull mane, clip, etc. But in actual fact, that may require as much time and work from you to teach them how.
My trainer has requirements in place for competing on lesson horses. She teaches hunters (mostly kids starting out), dressage, and eventing lessons, so the rules are a little different for each. Most of her students do not own their own horses, and the students that do also take lessons/do not have their own trailers, so basically everyone who rides/competes at my barn attends shows as a barn with my trainer regardless of age/discipline/ownership of horse or not. However, that being said she does have certain requirements in place for competing with the barn in general, as well as other requirements that apply only to students riding lesson horses as she does not wish to control what others do with their own horses (within reason).
Requirements for Students Riding Lesson Horses:
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Student must be in regular lessons (she lets some of her bi-weekly students attend hunter shows (we just go to local small schooling shows)), but for dressage/eventing students she requires a minimum of one lesson/week. Student must schedule a private lesson (if not already private) a minimum of 2 weeks before the show to run through dressage test.
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Student is responsible at show for horse for entire duration of show (meaning all basic care/handling of horse, including morning of duties and after show/back at the barn duties - if two students are sharing a horse, they can split AM/PM duties)
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She does charge a per-day fee for showing a lesson horse (usually $35/day (sometimes +$20 if horse needs ulcergard), can be split if sharing a horse)
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She doesn’t have any hunter kids (who don’t have their own horses) who are really jumping higher than 18", but for anyone eventing over 2’ OR any horse who will be staying overnight in a stall, the student must be proficient at wrapping standing wraps.
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For eventing students, she does not let anyone compete higher than BN level unless they own their own horse (as the lesson horses are not actively ridden enough to be fit for the higher levels)
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Students doing W/T must know diagonals and be cantering (or at least working toward it, comfortable at a fast trot minimum) at home. Students doing WTC must know leads and be able to trot (posting) without stirrups. Students wishing to jump at shows must start with ground poles and work their way up - must be able to canter without stirrups to jump anything higher than 18" - must be consistently jumping next height at home to jump at show
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Anyone wishing to move up a level must “audition” first. This includes moving up to a more difficult horse and/or changing disciplines (this happens a lot when the younger hunter kids realize how fun XC is :))
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Anyone who has not shown before, or not shown with our barn before, is expected to volunteer (they get credit towards lessons while doing this) at a show in their discipline before competing (so they know what to expect at a show when they are competing). This also applies if someone changes disciplines and has not attended a show of their new discipline before (as we all know different kinds of shows run very differently!)
General Show Requirements:
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Anyone competing must know how to prep for show (braid, clean tack, etc) - we braid for EVERY show (unless it’s a schooling show AND 70* or warmer as it’s too hot for slinkies, unless we can braid the day of the show). If someone does not know how to braid before a show (mostly students without their own horses), they must take a lesson (or multiple) to learn how - the same with cleaning tack. (Although, they are allowed to pay someone to do it for them and bypass learning how to themselves if they wish).
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Everyone is expected to volunteer/help out when needed at shows, regardless of whether they are a competitor or just there to help/work.
OP, I am not surprised that you are running into those issues, because I run into them as well. Your requested and expectations are absolutely reasonable. YOu are providing a horse for those that have chosen not to buy their own. Those kids will be representing you as an instructor and need to respect that you do not want your name/brand looking bad.
We have tried different things for our students (we event). What has seemed to work best is this. . .
For students that are interested in being on our show team (showing 4+ times per year), we require a lease (we have three different types of leases), and a minimum of 2 lesson per week. We also require that they come the day before the show, practice ride (run through test and do a few jumps), as well as get all their equipment ready. The absolutely MUST take excellent care of their horse (VERY HIGH STANDARDS).
For those that want to show 1-3 times per year, I assign them a horse (usually a different one for each show) and they are required to take 2 lesson per week for the 4 weeks prior to the show and we limit them to dressage or combined training shows (no horse trials). We also charge a horse usage (day lease) for the day of the show.
We too want to make sure that we make things as financially feasible as possible, BUT horse are expensive, period the end. And it isn’t fair to the horses or the instructor to have a student that isn’t willing to put in the work that is required to show.
I f students want to show on your horses with you as instructor, they must qualify. Rules for qualification are set down in advance, in writing. If they don’t qualify, they don’t show.
[QUOTE=ncsuequine;8505868]
OP, I am not surprised that you are running into those issues, because I run into them as well. Your requested and expectations are absolutely reasonable. YOu are providing a horse for those that have chosen not to buy their own. Those kids will be representing you as an instructor and need to respect that you do not want your name/brand looking bad.
We have tried different things for our students (we event). What has seemed to work best is this. . .
For students that are interested in being on our show team (showing 4+ times per year), we require a lease (we have three different types of leases), and a minimum of 2 lesson per week. We also require that they come the day before the show, practice ride (run through test and do a few jumps), as well as get all their equipment ready. The absolutely MUST take excellent care of their horse (VERY HIGH STANDARDS).
For those that want to show 1-3 times per year, I assign them a horse (usually a different one for each show) and they are required to take 2 lesson per week for the 4 weeks prior to the show and we limit them to dressage or combined training shows (no horse trials). We also charge a horse usage (day lease) for the day of the show.
We too want to make sure that we make things as financially feasible as possible, BUT horse are expensive, period the end. And it isn’t fair to the horses or the instructor to have a student that isn’t willing to put in the work that is required to show.[/QUOTE]
This sounds like a super system!
Students and parents can clearly see the level of participation and commitment required for each track, whether they want to be lesson students, occasional competitors, or show focused. Nicely done!
[QUOTE=2Below;8504755]
I’m wondering what policies others have for horseless students (mainly kids) to show their lesson horses. Once I feel a student is ready, I’ve offered it as an option. I keep all fees extremely reasonable, require them to diligently care for the horse and tack as if it were their own, and volunteer some time at the show. The issue I’m starting to have with some students is a lack of commitment to riding/training/lessoning before the show. I’ve given plenty of notice schedule wise for lessons and offered practice rides, with minimal response. Some just seem to want to learn the test and go ride it. Showing is a privilege, and should be the chance to show off your hard work (and inspire to work harder). Do others require a firm commitment to lessons/riding before they are allowed to show?[/QUOTE]
Showing isn’t really a “privilege” if you have set up your fee structure that they can rent the horse for the show, pay the agreed upon amount of money, and then take said horse to said agreed upon show. In that sense they have paid the money you have charged and thus they get to show the horse, as agreed.
If their lack of extra want-to bothers you, then require that they half lease the horse with x y or z training package. They have to lease and purchase x number of training interactions, which can be them lessoning or you tuning up the horse in their absence. It makes no difference financially if they are paying and you are providing a lesson or if they are paying and you are using that time to tune up the horse.
Then a minimum commitment is required, and they are paying for it in advance either way. You can’t make people WANT to be the best riders they can be and do the work required, but you can set up a minimum requirement for training that has to be met either way before they can use your horse in a show.
As trainers we have the knowledge and we are paid to impart it. If people want to pay and not necessarily maximize their return, that is their deal. Their money puts shoes on the horse and keeps the lights on either way.
It could be that they don’t understand what it takes to show “well.” If they are inexperienced, they might imagine that riding once a week is more than enough, and showing no more than a “fun” thing to do. In this case, reality is the best teacher. Once they get beat, and see how well their competitions ride, they will either run away, or rise up to the challenge.
[QUOTE=Gloria;8506686]
It could be that they don’t understand what it takes to show “well.” If they are inexperienced, they might imagine that riding once a week is more than enough, and showing no more than a “fun” thing to do. In this case, reality is the best teacher. Once they get beat, and see how well their competitions ride, they will either run away, or rise up to the challenge.[/QUOTE]
Several people give zero patooties about what it takes to show “well.”
There are clients on full training board who come to ride maybe 5 times per month and the horse is kept in work for them in the meantime.
So they get in the low 60s at the shows instead of the 70s.
Whatever, it’s their money.
[QUOTE=meupatdoes;8506698]
Several people give zero patooties about what it takes to show “well.”
There are clients on full training board who come to ride maybe 5 times per month and the horse is kept in work for them in the meantime.
So they get in the low 60s at the shows instead of the 70s.
Whatever, it’s their money.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, so? Putting a horse in full training instead of riding themselves is part of showing “well”. It is just going to a different route.
What I’m saying it, OP has an expectation, because she knows what it takes to show “well.” Her clients due to inexperience, do not understand the commitment, either in money or time. They think riding once a week is good enough to get there. They will never put in the commitment if they don’t think it necessary.
This is a mismatch of expectation and experience. You can’t order people to have commitment. You have to show them they need to kick up a notch, through their own experience and reality. And taking them to small shows despite lack of commitment currently might be necessary to gain that experience.
And if after gaining experiences, they don’t care if they show poorly, well, that is their calls. Though, I have to say, I myself have never seen anyone showing wants to show poorly.
