So another spinoff! Is your horse groomed and tacked for you prior to a lesson?
This thread is going to be very educational. Thanks for posting.
FWIW, I do my own grooming, and when I ride, I do my own tacking.
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DIY here, always. Feels foreign, the idea of showing up and just hopping on. When I showed the OUEA it was very odd, riding with no prep.
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LOL well for grooming if you consider mother natureās spin on itā¦ I suppose they are. Seriously, I do all my own grooming and tacking. I had a riding instructor one time who couldnāt imagine how I rode 4 per day without a groom oh and working full-time too 
I only have two Iām riding now so itās certainly not a burden and I doubt it would save me much time. I prefer to be the one who knows if thereās anything going on underneath the tack from a healthcare standpoint and what my tack is looking like from a functional standpoint - probably part of my āneed to controlā nature.
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Right now my horse is in full training but I do like to groom him myself after although I donāt have to. Obviously if Iām training my own horse I do the tacking and grooming myself.
When I was eight years old taking my first up-down lessons at the local public lesson barn, yes.
Since then, not so much.
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I always groom and tack myself. Besides knowing the tack is adjusted correctly and the horse is in one piece I also have a good idea of what kind of mood the horse is in before I ever set foot in the stirrup. Honestly, I consider it part of the warmup. I did the same for training rides. If I found anything amiss I could pull the ride instead of relying on others to make that call.
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Iāve only ever ridden at one barn over the years (38 of them or so) that did the grooming and tacking. I hated it. Going and getting the horse and working with him/her for that time gave me an idea of the personality of the horse (if it was a lesson horse I hadnāt worked with before), and the current mood and attitude of a horse I did know. I would not consider having my kidlet ride at a place that consistently did that, either. I want her to learn about horses, not just riding.
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[h=2]is your horse groomed and tacked for you?[/h] it is not like I havenāt tired to teach them to tack themselves but the lazy suckers want me to do it ā¦ all the while commenting that oh while you are at it please clean my stall, change the water, and rub me in my favorite placeā¦
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Neverā¦I started riding at a facility that for liability reasons would not let you enter the stall. Horses were groomed, tacked, and led out by a groom. I rode there from 7-9 years of age. And hated it. I groom and tack my own horse and always will. There is so much more to horse ownership and the horse/rider relationship than riding. Mine know I bring the food, I groom them and take care of all their basic needs as well.
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I do all my grooming and tacking, even for shows. I think itās an important part for your horse, especially when youāre riding different horses
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I was shocked when I moved to NYC that the default for all the lesson barns around this area is that the horses are groomed and tacked up ahead of time. Most barns seem to expect you to untack/groom but Iāve noticed very few riders actually groom post-ride. I think itās mainly an efficiency thing to keep lessons running on time. Now that the grooms know me they always leave my horse untacked/ungroomed when they see my name on the board, which I really appreciate.
I have zero problems with bigger trainers who have grooms prep horses for them or busy working owners who have horses in full care. For people who already know how to care for a horse itās just a convenience personal preference thing and I personally like the bonding/check-in time before my ride.
That said, I think that lesson barns are not doing clients a favor by tacking for them. How else are kids supposed to learn horse care? A few ground sessions at summer camp are no substitute for cumulative horse care experience. Shouldnāt kids/new adults be learning how to recognize bed sores, stocked up legs, a little heat in a hoof or a loose shoe? Those types of pickups are critical to caring for horses.
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Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!! Nope, in fact Iām pretty sure my horses see me coming and are like, hurry! add more mud. Honestly, I have control issues and no one tacks my horse up for me- I need to check every detail. Of course when a normal ride = hours in the saddle the tiniest detail can become a big issue. Honestly though I have no issues with pros having grooms etc- itās just not my preference for my personal horses
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Same here, major control issues! I donāt show, but I love having a well-turned out horse and Iām convinced Iām the only one who can do it right. I also think that grooming is a good time to evaluate my horseās mental/physical condition. This is when I can find out if my horse is not feeling well, find bumps, scrapes, etc.
The only barn Iāve ever been at that tacked (outside of show jumping barns where most are international riders with grooms like me) was when I taught at Woodlawn. I felt it was a disservice in a largely beginner lesson program. I think experienced adults need the service have their reasons, often time related.
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Same here!
Seriously, I do it myself. And while grooming, feel legs and hooves for swelling and heat, find tiny nicks and address them, etc.
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As a former assistant trainer who worked in a full training/show barn, generally, we did not tack up clients horses for them. As they may only be out 2-4 times a week they all preferred to handle, groom, bond or tack up their horses on their own. I would often tack up the clientās horses for the head trainer to school, when clients could not get out to do it themselves.
On a rare occasion, the head trainer would tell me āSusie Rider called and is running late. Can you go get Dobbin ready? If you donāt see Susie Rider by X:XX time, get on and start walking Dobbin for her.ā This kept the days schedule on track for the head trainer. Clients were always appreciative and often offered a small tip. Or a few days later I may find a Starbucks gift card from āDobbinā on the seat of my car.
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Iāve never had a horse groomed or tacked up for me at any lesson barn Iāve been at. When I was just starting (and on lesson horses) I might have been assisted or supervised, but I was still expected to come early and do it prior to riding (and cool down/groom after).
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Only as a small child in a lesson barn. When I had horses with a cutting trainer as an adult, I always groomed and tacked up myself and always will. I want to know how my horse is feeling and if there are any lumps/ bumps/ or sensitive areas on him.
I tack up myself because 1) I want to know that it is done properly, and 2) I want to check my tack myself everytime I get on. I am responsible for my own safety, and am determined to stay as safe as possible. It is also one of the reasons I clean my tack regularly.
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No, do it myself.
