Taking lessons at multiple barns?

[kanter]

Hi everyone, I am a longtime lurker on these forums, but now I am in an interesting situation and I would really appreciate some other perspectives.

I am looking for a new barn to take lessons at in my area. Luckily there are many barns in the area, but they are all pretty busy and I have my own busy schedule, so I am getting the impression that scheduling more than maybe a once a week lesson with just one barn would be tough. I am thinking about taking lessons at two barns so I can reliably get in one, maybe two, rides per week. Two rides per week would be my ideal situation. I’m coming back from a riding injury, so I want to be supervised during rides at this point. No leasing for now.

I have not brought this up with either barn because I am not sure that I am doing this, not sure how common such an arrangement is, and I am not sure how they will take it.

Does anyone have personal experience taking lessons at two barns simultaneously? I am not sure how normal this is. Are there any special considerations that come to mind? (I have thought of biosecurity issues since both barns travel to shows a lot, but I have not come up with a good protocol that I am happy with yet. Suggestions are very welcome!)

Thanks in advance!

[Scribbler]

@kanter

Hi everyone, I am a longtime lurker on these forums, but now I am in an interesting situation and I would really appreciate some other perspectives.

I am looking for a new barn to take lessons at in my area. Luckily there are many barns in the area, but they are all pretty busy and I have my own busy schedule, so I am getting the impression that scheduling more than maybe a once a week lesson with just one barn would be tough. I am thinking about taking lessons at two barns so I can reliably get in one, maybe two, rides per week. Two rides per week would be my ideal situation. I’m coming back from a riding injury, so I want to be supervised during rides at this point. No leasing for now.

I have not brought this up with either barn because I am not sure that I am doing this, not sure how common such an arrangement is, and I am not sure how they will take it.

Does anyone have personal experience taking lessons at two barns simultaneously? I am not sure how normal this is. Are there any special considerations that come to mind? (I have thought of biosecurity issues since both barns travel to shows a lot, but I have not come up with a good protocol that I am happy with yet. Suggestions are very welcome!)

Thanks in advance!

I would ask for a second slot at your preferred barn and if they can’t accommodate ask for a recommendation to a barn they feel good about. You could also ask if you could do a practice ride at a time when the coach can keep half an eye on you. I assume you have some fear or anxiety issues going on. Could you have a practice ride when another student is getting a private flat lesson, so you know there’s someone responsible in the ring? Or do a practice ride while the coach is schooling her own horse?

[hoopoe]

You say you are “getting the impression” it would be hard to schedule a second lesson, Have you actually asked?

A once a week non-owning lesson student may not be high on their priority list, but if you ask about more and demonstrate committed interest ,they might also do same.

What are your long term goals? Are you looking towards owning or leasing? Is this current barn one where you could see that happening? Are you feeling positive about your physical and mental progress? If you are, and I think you are since you are seeking, discuss it with your current trainer. They may like seeing your commitment and will be willing to accommodate your needs

If you need to take a second lesson at a second barn, I would not feel compelled to say you are doing so. It is not like you are an owner in a training program stepping out. Its your business what you are doing.

You may find that the second barn is a much better choice for your needs. You may find that your first barn is a great place and you want to step up and commit more…

The times where I rode elsewhere either on short or long term I didnt feel the need to inform any more than the need to tell the trainer that I was doing other things in my life.

[2DogsFarm]

[quote=“hoopoe, post:4, topic:776427”] If
you need to take a second lesson at a second barn, I would not feel compelled to say you are doing so. It is not like you are an owner in a training program stepping out. Its your business what you are doing.
[/quote]
^
THIS
If you shop at 2 different groceries would you need to tell either?
Lessons with different trainers can only improve your riding.
Unless, their styles* differ wildly.
*not teaching styles, there s/b some continuity, even if expressed differently

[trubandloki]

I agree with all of the above.

Before you decide that getting two lessons per week is not an option, start taking lessons there and ask about two lessons a week. Actually riding there and asking for a second time slot is very different than a random caller asking about time slots.

The biggest problem with riding at two barns at this level is, like was said above, it can be hard for the student.
One instructor is saying X, the other is saying Y. In the big picture both are right because they are trying to accomplish different things on different horses but it can get hard for many (most) people to balance that confusion out.

[anon40672407]

When I was legging up to go on a heavy riding vacation, I rode at two different barns. I needed to get a lot of saddle time in, and specifically a lot of jumping in. I was taking 3 lessons a week at two different barns: they really didn’t have any extra horse time at either barn to expand me more.

That was more for exercise and aerobic fitness on horseback, and I’d been jumping for many years, so I didn’t have a problem with any “conflict” in terms of teaching.

After that time, I’ve been fine at one barn, with half leases (riding 3X a week). For a period of time later, I had 2 lessons a week at a nice jumping barn and 2 days a week on a trail horse at a bar located right near several wonderful trails.

Now I have two different barns, again ostensibly for jumping at one place and trail at the other, but the menu of activities is more varied than that. Sometimes one lease horse doesn’t do it all, or is not located where the trails are good.

My first barn has always known I’m also riding at a second barn (because I always ask about expansion at the first place, first), but I don’t think in any of the scenarios my 2nd barn has known about the first. It wasn’t important information to tell them.

[Mulligan314]

I ride at two barns. Hunter/Jumper in one place and a breed specific trainer elsewhere. I trailer into both places, so slightly different scenario, but both places know I ride elsewhere. The HJ barn has an incredible facility which they alllow me to use year-round and the other trainer is wonderful with starting young horses. A plethora of knowledge between the two farms spanning a multitude of disciplines. I love having the connections to both places.

[kanter]

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts! This is all so helpful. It’s good to know that this wouldn’t be something that’s totally unusual. I am going to try to address as much as I can in this post:

I don’t know how nervous I will be when I ride again. My accident gave me a concussion that left me with some memory loss. (Thanks to the thread that mentioned the Q-Collar. I bought one and I will be wearing it.) I don’t remember the fall at all. Maybe that will help me feel less anxious, I’m not sure. This was my first serious accident. I haven’t been able to ride for months, so I need to rebuild my riding fitness. I rode mostly greener/slightly quirky/hot horses before my accident, so hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised with the horses in a larger lesson program who get consistent training rides by someone else. At my previous barn I got to ride a variety of horses with different personalities and levels of training, and I would like to keep doing that once I am riding fit again because I think it helped me learn much more. I will need to learn more about both barns to see if that is possible.

Both barns are generally well-regarded in the area. One has a very robust (but busy! Lots of group lessons—I’m used to private lessons) lesson program. The other has highly-trained lesson horses to basically get me as far as I would want to go (I think this barn is the best fit so far,) but a schedule that changes every week. Lessons weren’t available for several weeks when I tried to schedule something, but maybe that is because I will be new. I haven’t yet ridden at either barn, but I have trial lessons scheduled with both. After those lessons, I will probably have a better idea of whether the two would work well together or not.

In terms of my long-term goals, I will eventually be interested in half leasing. I would love to own again (I did for several years,) but it’s going to be a while longer before I feel comfortable doing that again financially. I think both barns would make either of those things possible.

Assuming my accident doesn’t set me back enough to change this, I think I would be okay with differing instructions to an extent. I actually like hearing different perspectives, and I’ve done a lot of reading to get different perspectives since I’ve been riding with one single instructor for years. If it would get too confusing, then I guess that would be my sign that I need to do something different. It will be interesting to talk to these two new instructors and see how I do with someone else. I will talk with them more about twice per week lessons at my trial lesson.

Thanks again, everyone!

[anon40672407]

@kanter

Lots of group lessons—I’m used to private lessons) lesson program

Pay attention to how they manage the difference between group and private. How it worked for me many moons a go – lessons were an hour long with different costs depending on how many people were in the lesson – versus how some barns do them now – lessons are the same cost, whether group or private, just for a differing period of time – was a surprise to me. I always (now) elect group lessons – more time in the saddle under the eye of the instructor (even if we’re not doing a specific challenge) is generally more beneficial to me. YMMV of course.

[Scribbler]

If you haven’t been to trial lessons at both barns you are over thinking things. Take a couple lessons at each barn, talk about hoping to ride twice a week with lesson or supervision and see how things work out.

[hoopoe]

No matter your skill background i would start private with a trainer who understands the potential mental aspect of your rehab. On the surface a busy lesson mill type place doesn’t sound ideal for both on the ground and mounted. But do go visit both and talk one on one about short and long term goals

[red_mares]

I rode at 2 barns after ankle rehab. One was a saddleseat barn, the other was an eventer. Twice a week rides are tough when the barn is a 100 miles away. Both places were aware of the situation. I rode the eventer’s QH with my spare cutback. Leaning forward at a canter was just weird.