Understanding trainer relationship and protocols

[OverandOnward]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

I don’t know how long you’ve been in horses, but this isn’t uncommon to encourage people to spend more money than they feel comfortable with–kind of like how when people see mysterious medication fees on board bills or opaque bills for shows and try to ask questions of the trainer, and then get shamed as someone who is trying to nickel and dime.

Not to pop the top on a whole other controversy … but from what I’ve seen, some riders get a trainer experience at shows that may be worth it, but many do not.

Some trainers just really aren’t that good at coaching or advising their students, In the barn or at a show. Their students aren’t accomplishing much, unless the trainer can get an already-good rider in the barn to pick up some ribbons while under the trainer’s umbrella.

But many of these trainers are billing and collecting as if they are elites. And for some reason they have clients who stick with them, and pay and pay, without seeing much results. Just another set of reasons as to why they need more lessons, more training rides, more expenses of various kinds.

I don’t think it’s happenstance that an h/j/e/ show bill is ridiculously complex. If a customer gets a line item bill at all, not just a verbal word that they should pay $x,xxx asap.

[dmveventer]

@BDubs

That incredibly immature, unprofessional reaction

I really don’t see what’s so terrible here. You ended your business relationship with this woman, taking your money to a competitor on the same property. You were absolutely in the right to do so but you can’t really expect her to be super friendly towards you now. Unless her tone was particularly nasty it sounds like she was curt but civil, which is what you should be aiming for yourself. Dial back the gifts and the friendliness and just don’t engage more than you have to, or you’ll be contributing to the drama.

[Scribbler]

Clearly there was a mutual set of misunderstandings such that trainer and client no longer trust or like each other. In that case, the offering of presents and extra fees could be really irritating to the trainer. They wanted to rig up a profitable lease lesson scenario and you’re dropping off a box of chocolates to make nice.

[eightpondfarm]

@jvanrens

I was agreeing with Scribbler that they are not common in this country. There might be showgrounds (with stabling but only used during actual shows) that are owned by municipalities, but stabling that are owned like what she describes as where she is boarding are few and far between. Scribbler lives in BC, I live in Ontario, I’m almost as old as dirt and have never heard of a municipal owned stable in this province with full time boarding. I think there are enough COTHers to back that up.

There used to be one for sure that i know of… In Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. I boarded there for several years. Built in the 40s by WPA. Was a cool old place. Municipal owned. Next to the polo field and Mounted PD and casting pools.