another is it me? Instructor consistently late trumps by not bothering to turn up !

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hackedoff

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I had a really nice day off work until tonight, the grand finale was meant to be a lesson with instructor who I will call 'x'. at 6.00 tonight. X booked the time by text this tuesday not me.

The last lesson X was 20 mins + late which meant I got home 8.30 at night which given I work full time 40+hour plus weeks wasnt great esp as little boy had gone to bed by then.

But tonight - X excelled. I rode round and round the school warming up from 6.00 to 6.20 - X didnt show. Sent a text, no reply. Got to 6.30 called X and manged to speak to X to be told X had been busy doing something with some one elses horse, it was now too late to come up but X could fit me in tomorrow (Saturday).

Funnily enough , Having both a life as well as a horse I pointed out to X that I had other committments, well she could do sunday, funny enough it being the bank holiday I am already busy.I ended up saying I would check my diary for my availability.

I am seriously annoyed, if I treated my clients like this I wouldnt have any! So am I over the top to be disappointed to be treated this way? All X had to do was call me at 6.00 and say X wasnt going to make it.
 
Nope I'd be pretty damn cross too.

As you say, all it took was a phone call but that just didn't happen.

I think with the persistent messing about I'd be inclined to look for another instructor
 
I had an instructor who did that - was late and then didn't turn up:mad: - made some excuse on phone after the lesson should have started:eek::rolleyes::rolleyes: - binned her and got another one. Over time she has done it to all her customers - so much so she doesn't have regulars anymore and has a reputation locally with RC/PC as being unreliable.:rolleyes: Her loss as there is a need locally for good reliable RI's. My RI is 70, still teaching and has a waiting list - is never late (usually 10-15 mins early) and sometimes we are in the middle of something the lesson will run over - always gives me homework!:eek::D:D
 
I agree with Jemima_too... vote with your feet find an instructor who wants to work with your and is committed to you and your training.
 
I'm an instructor and would never do that!

My friend's instructor is however ALWAYS cancelling her lessons. Usually just as she's tacked up about to hack to their yard! I don't know why she puts up with it.... They're apprently always suddenly too busy!
 
how RUDE! i'd tell X it you're going to find a more reliable instructor. they need to know why too. it's unacceptable. and downright annoying.

whereabouts are you? i'm sure someone on here could recommend a FABBY instructor who turns up... on time... x
 
I would be very annoyed. I am an Instructor, and have this exact problem with one of my clients. The past 2 weeks she has cancelled, first time was because it was raining (this was 30mins after lesson was supposed to have started, I had been standing in said rain for half an hour waiting for her!). The second time she cancelled 20 mins after the start of the lesson as she was in the Isle of Man!!!!! She has yet to ever turn up on time. I have booked her in for Monday evening, and I have a horse I have to school for the owner straight after so I can't over run. If she doesn't turn up I will make it very difficult for her to book again.................!
 
TBH charlimouse I wouldn't have let her book another lesson with me!:eek: I would also tell her exactly why I wasn't prepared to teach her again - the same way I told my previous RI why I no longer wanted lessons with her. Her choice to treat her clients so badly but my choice as a client to value my time - and money - and to spend it on an RI who wants to teach me! Value your time and reputation and bin that client - you don't need that.:)
 
CM i have a cancellation policy with clients... once they've done it once I tell them they have to give 24 hours notice for a cancellation unless it is looping it down with rain, illness, horse lame type emergency. Otherwise they have to pay. I am reasonably flexible with lateness, although I have been known to give 10 minute lessons (the time left of booked lesson) telling them I have to be somewhere and make them pay for the whole 45 minutes (they would have had to do it more than once for me to do that). They don't usually do it more than once when they realise you're not a pushover!
 
funny thing is it tipped down all day here after being nice all week .I didnt cancel lesson as my husband used to be self employed and I know how frustrating and costly people cancelling at the last minute is...so I spent 20 mins in riding my vetran pony in the rain stupidly asuming good manners and professionalism was a two way street. Dont think I will bother having lessons with X again.
 
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Get another instructor. That is such unprofessional behaviour and she doesnt deserve your business. You are paying her for a service, she isnt doing you a favour.
 
Yup, another instructor hun :)

I'm often late for my lessons, or have to cancel due to health of either me or horse - I've told instructor that if I don't have a lesson due to me, or due to me not having a suitable horse, then I'll pay for the lesson. It's taken me a while to get her to understand that I mean it :). To me it seems only fair, including if I'm not ready on time I get a shorter lesson. It should focus my mind and efforts!
 
God I had one like this and it pee'd me off so much because she was good, but after four weeks on the trot of her not turning up until horse was not only warmed up but schooled for an hour and fully cooked heading back to the stables or not turning up at all with no answer to calls or reasonable excuses I binned her.

Had the same thing with a well known classical trainer, so bliddy unpredictable, and I had to pay to book the school for his lessons so double miffed when it was lame excuse after lame excuse at the last minute.

Yet if I cancelled with no notice they'd expect me to pay for their wasted time and travel........feck off !!!!!!!!!

If they can't do what they say when they say then bin them off, plenty of other good instructors out there
 
i really couldnt handle that fair enough five mins late due to travelling or a previous lesson running slightly over but not showing up at all no, couldnt do it, i say you get a new instructor as you get lessons to get some feedback and help on what you need and you cant do it if your instructor is never there

im in the process of changing instructors at the moment as the one i used to use, is never there she's away doing other jobs all the time, not saying its a bad thing but she's always away when its coming into show season and i need a bit more help, so im going to use the instructor that works for my yard owner, and i know her prieviously so hopefully she'll be bettter and she's coming down to my lesson half an hour early, says she makes sure she is early for every lesson to have a good reputation.
 
I've a friend who's a novice and she went to a local riding school (nameless) and this happened there too; the lessons were late starting and early finishing so having expected to be under tuition for a hours' worth, it was really only more like 45 mins or so, she was really hacked off and asked me whether this was normal.

Personally I'd be inclined to get another instructor; I'm an adult tutor myself working in the private sector (don't teach riding) and as a teacher you have a commitment to be there on time no matter what. In twelve years of teaching I can honestly say I've never, ever been late to a lesson, and always give people their hours-worth (5 mins more actually).

I found find it unacceptable if I'd booked a riding lesson and then the instructor was late consistently. For a start your poor horse is all tacked up and ready to go, and secondly its just sheer bad manners and discourteous.
 
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