What's in a name? Riding School vs Riding Centre vs ...

[kalidascope]

Am stuck on what we want to be called. What do you think of when someplace is called a Riding School vs Riding Centre?

I feel that XYZ Riding School is slightly babyish and possibly limiting, but probably is the best description of our core service. XYZ Riding Centre is more flexible, but is it too ambiguous? We will be providing more than just lessons on school ponies, e.g. horse management sessions for senior Pony Club riders, and camps where outside riders bring their own horses.

The main competition locally is ‘ABC’ Riding School. Any chance that newbie parents looking in the phone book will pick them over us if we go with ‘Riding Centre’ because ‘Riding School’ will more obviously be a place that meets their needs?

Had also considered XYZ Equestrian but a brief stint of informal market research convinced me that non-horsey newbies don’t see that as being something for them. I.e. it’s too vague and poncy sounding.

Any other names to consider? We won’t be using ranch (we’re not Western) or Farm (too small).

[brody]

Here we have XY stables, and farm mostly

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=kalidascope;7648082]
Am stuck on what we want to be called. What do you think of when someplace is called a Riding School vs Riding Centre?

I feel that XYZ Riding School is slightly babyish and possibly limiting, but probably is the best description of our core service. XYZ Riding Centre is more flexible, but is it too ambiguous? We will be providing more than just lessons on school ponies, e.g. horse management sessions for senior Pony Club riders, and camps where outside riders bring their own horses.

The main competition locally is ‘ABC’ Riding School. Any chance that newbie parents looking in the phone book will pick them over us if we go with ‘Riding Centre’ because ‘Riding School’ will more obviously be a place that meets their needs?

Had also considered XYZ Equestrian but a brief stint of informal market research convinced me that non-horsey newbies don’t see that as being something for them. I.e. it’s too vague and poncy sounding.

Any other names to consider? We won’t be using ranch (we’re not Western) or Farm (too small).[/QUOTE]

No telling what may work to attract clients thru your name where you live.
We would not know not living there.
In Europe half a century ago, we had riding schools, where we gave lessons mostly, did some competing and trail riding.
We also had trail riding stables, that may also give lessons, but mostly took people on trail rides.
Then there were riding centers, that were most times, but not always catering to more people and disciplines to a higher degree, some housed olympic team horses and riders and wanna be such, gave lessons, participated in shows, may have summer camps and a large training and selling barn.

In the USA, you can not tell what kind of stable one is by the name.

In New Zealand, you know best.

[Ajierene]

I would poll non-horsey friends and relatives. See what their gut reaction is to “School” versus “Centre”. As others have said - in the US, it is mostly “Farm” or “Stables”.

[furlong47]

If I had to rank things in order of how sophisticated/fancy they sound, I’d put Equestrian Center/Riding Center first, then Stables, then Riding School, with Farm at the bottom.

Obviously everyone will have different perceptions.

[Wellspotted]

IMO (and I do not live in New Zealand!), Riding School says you have a school (indoor or outdoor or both) and give lessons and train horses.
Riding Centre says you may have a school and give lessons and that you definitely have horses! (whether to rent for hacking or for lessons or that you board them).
Equestrian Centre is a fancier way of saying Riding Centre. Are wannabe horsepeople in NZ more aware of what “equestrian” means than wannabe horsepeople in the US?
Stables is IMO the equivalent of Riding/Equestrian Centre. As is Farm.
I don’t think “School” sounds at all babyish – I smiled when I first read it because I thought it sounded more UK than US – and then saw that you are in NZ!

[Wicky]

Agree with Wellspotted. OF course, you could be “XYZ Riding School at the XYZ (or QRS) Riding Center!”