Arena Bookings - Is this reasonable?

[cavalier123]

If you had 3 ponies, one for yourself and one for each of your children, would you expect that it was reasonable for you to book the arena for lessons (we have one arena) for 3 to 4 hours every Saturday over the lunchtime period,IE 10 to 2 or 11 to 3 and to book for weeks in advance? There are no yard rules regarding arena bookings, other than to be sensible and consider others.
In your opinion is it a case of three horses, can book three hours, result would be no different if it was three separate liveries doing it, or livery should be more considerate and book outside of these peak hours, or at least only book every other week, please let me know what you think?

 

[Elsiecat]

It would be no different to 3 seperate liveries.

 

[NellRosk]

I'd say that was highly unreasonable actually, especially on a weekend when surely everyone wants to ride. Can't your 2 children share a lesson?

 

[JennBags]

Well it's both reasonable and unreasonable IMO. I think the person booking the arena could be considered as selfish, but in the absence of any rules regarding booking the school, then they are not being unreasonable, as they are paying livery for 3 ponies, so they can book 3 hours. If the other liveries know that the parent always books those 3 hours every week, then surely you'd just work around it. It's just one day a week; if it aws daily that would be different.

 

[Horses in Bucks]

If you had 3 ponies, one for yourself and one for each of your children, would you expect that it was reasonable for you to book the arena for lessons (we have one arena) for 3 to 4 hours every Saturday over the lunchtime period,IE 10 to 2 or 11 to 3 and to book for weeks in advance? There are no yard rules regarding arena bookings, other than to be sensible and consider others.
In your opinion is it a case of three horses, can book three hours, result would be no different if it was three separate liveries doing it, or livery should be more considerate and book outside of these peak hours, or at least only book every other week, please let me know what you think?

I think even though its different horses, but as you own all three - booking it for 4hours this long would get some grumpy comments as its probably the busiest day of the week - ask the YO if they think this is ok
- or let others in your lesson

 

[Elsiecat]

I'd say that was highly unreasonable actually, especially on a weekend when surely everyone wants to ride. Can't your 2 children share a lesson?

So would you say it was unreasonable for 2 seperate liveries to have 2 seperate lessons and not share?
They pay just the same as seperate liveries would.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Why would you need 4 hours? surely a lesson is no more than 1 hour each.

I don't see a problem, on our yard most people would want to hack in daylight hours on a Saturday. Would be more of an issue if it was a full evening eg 5-8 where people don't have another option.

 

[cavalier123]

It would be no different to 3 seperate liveries.

Hi Elsiecat, thanks for your reply, thought some may see it that way hence asking. I'm finding it hard to see it that way as it's affecting me and preventing me from booking lessons myself, my instructor is only available on a Saturday around lunchtime and I only need on hour, not every week, but arena has been booked so far in advance by said livery that I can't book a lesson until 12th April!

 

[Elsiecat]

Hi Elsiecat, thanks for your reply, thought some may see it that way hence asking. I'm finding it hard to see it that way as it's affecting me and preventing me from booking lessons myself, my instructor is only available on a Saturday around lunchtime and I only need on hour, not every week, but arena has been booked so far in advance by said livery that I can't book a lesson until 12th April!

Ask to share the arena then? Or ask them if they can start an hour later?

 

[NellRosk]

So would you say it was unreasonable for 2 seperate liveries to have 2 seperate lessons and not share?
They pay just the same as seperate liveries would.

No that's not unreasonable because as you say they are separate liveries. You are a family of 3 so one 'unit' and I just think it would cause unrest on your yard if you wanted to use the arena at the busiest time for 3 hours. You seem quite defensive about it though and will probably end up doing it anyway.

 

[Elsiecat]

No that's not unreasonable because as you say they are separate liveries. You are a family of 3 so one 'unit' and I just think it would cause unrest on your yard if you wanted to use the arena at the busiest time for 3 hours. You seem quite defensive about it though and will probably end up doing it anyway.

Pardon? I've never booked an arena in my life. If it's free, I use it.. If not, then I don't..

I was just intruiged by how you'd feel about seperate liveries.

 

[Annagain]

Tricky. I can see both sides. I think if it were me I'd chuck the two kids in together so it would only be 2 hours (and would save money!) or I'd start earlier / later to avoid the peak. That would just be me being extra polite or avoiding a conflict though (I've been told I belong in the peace corps...I've also been called a doormat). I don't think it's wrong / unreasonable as such but I can see how it might annoy some people.

 

[cavalier123]

I'd say that was highly unreasonable actually, especially on a weekend when surely everyone wants to ride. Can't your 2 children share a lesson?

Hi NellRosk, that's how I feel about it - Children can't share as too big age/level gap but novice mother and 6 year old could...

 

[dianchi]

I would only say it was unreasonable if it was every Saturday at the same time.

Is there only one arena?

A block booking is a pain from the view of others, esp if every week. However if the yard rule is that you are allowed one hour private hire per week then you are inline with the yard rules so its tough on others!

At my old yard where we had a booking system there was only sheets out so you could only book upto 2 weeks ahead- perfectly reasonable time frame.

 

[Billy the kid]

if it was once in a while i wouldnt mind, but every saturday would annoy me greatly! very unreasonable IMO.

 

[_GG_]

I believe the yard needs to implement rules for the booking if the arena and those rules need to include a rota system where there is more than one person always wanting the same time.

 

[NellRosk]

Pardon? I've never booked an arena in my life. If it's free, I use it.. If not, then I don't..

I was just intruiged by how you'd feel about seperate liveries.

Apologies, I got confused by your reply and presumed you were OP wanting to book the arena for hours! So whilst you may not book an arena I do think in the situation described it's unreasonable.

 

[NellRosk]

Hi NellRosk, that's how I feel about it - Children can't share as too big age/level gap but novice mother and 6 year old could...

Yeah that would really annoy me! Have you had a friendly chat with the people concerned or is that not an option?

 

[Elsiecat]

Apologies, I got confused by your reply and presumed you were OP wanting to book the arena for hours! So whilst you may not book an arena I do think in the situation described it's unreasonable.

Whilst slightly awkward and unreasonable, they're not breaking any rules. So you can't complain really!

 

[Hot_Toddy7]

Think as Annagain said, to avoid conflict, if I was having to book for that period of time for my family to have lessons, then I would do it off-peak. As much as it's not necessarily unreasonable, it would weigh on my conscience if I was disrupting school use for others, especially as it's on a weekly/ongoing basis.

 

[Vodkagirly]

I think block booking till 12th April is more of an issue than a one off.

 

[TequilaMist]

Hi Elsiecat, thanks for your reply, thought some may see it that way hence asking. I'm finding it hard to see it that way as it's affecting me and preventing me from booking lessons myself, my instructor is only available on a Saturday around lunchtime and I only need on hour, not every week, but arena has been booked so far in advance by said livery that I can't book a lesson until 12th April!

Is instructor that fixed that they can't change?I totally get where you are coming from BUT sometimes thats the way things go on yards and we have to suck it up.
We have a similiar system on our yard that you can book it for lessons only but no lessons during core time(4-7pm) and this usually works fairly well. Yes its a pain when you want to ride and can't cos schools booked but then I book school and someone else is in same position. If I can't get school on my 'usual' day I then have to arrange a different time /day and I see it as my problem not persons that booked the school as its first come first served. Try talking to them they may not mind changing. Folk on our yard will oblige if they can if you ask
Could you ask YO about how far in advance is reasonable? We had one booked it for same day/time for the whole yr!
I think the other option is no booking system and a free for all then you land up riding with heaps of folk .I am always waiting for a few instructors to turn up at once with this system tho!!!Be pandamonium(?sp) on our yard as daughters instructor has a big booming voice!!

 

[cavalier123]

Bit more information, can't actually speak to this person as we had a falling out and she refuses to talk to me now. This has only started happening since the fall out. I want to speak to the yard owner about it, but yard owner has made it clear that if we can't sort out our differences then from a business point of view she will have to ask me to leave as I only have one horse! I need the perspective of others on it so that if I do decide to talk to yard owner, I can feel more confident that I am not being unreasonable

 

[NellRosk]

Whilst slightly awkward and unreasonable, they're not breaking any rules. So you can't complain really!

No not breaking any rules, I'd just find it highly irritating and it could create a bit of tension/ atmosphere on the yard which is never nice!

 

[cavalier123]

Is instructor that fixed that they can't change?I totally get where you are coming from BUT sometimes thats the way things go on yards and we have to suck it up.
We have a similiar system on our yard that you can book it for lessons only but no lessons during core time(4-7pm) and this usually works fairly well. Yes its a pain when you want to ride and can't cos schools booked but then I book school and someone else is in same position. If I can't get school on my 'usual' day I then have to arrange a different time /day and I see it as my problem not persons that booked the school as its first come first served. Try talking to them they may not mind changing. Folk on our yard will oblige if they can if you ask
Could you ask YO about how far in advance is reasonable? We had one booked it for same day/time for the whole yr!
I think the other option is no booking system and a free for all then you land up riding with heaps of folk .I am always waiting for a few instructors to turn up at once with this system tho!!!Be pandamonium(?sp) on our yard as daughters instructor has a big booming voice!!

Unfortunately she is she works full time and only teaches one evening and Saturdays', 99% of her teaching is on her yard and comes to me as a favor since I moved away. I am considering that given circumstances I will have to suck it u as you say and might have to change instructors so it's not an issue

 

[windand rain]

Sounds like a bit of petty spite to me are lessons exclusive use of the school. When I am teaching I feel it is unreasonable to hoick the liveries out of the arena so I teach in one bit and get my pupils to avoid the other horse It is usually only one or two and in the normal size school you can if careful manage two lessons in one arena

 

[redredruby]

Bit more information, can't actually speak to this person as we had a falling out and she refuses to talk to me now. This has only started happening since the fall out. I want to speak to the yard owner about it, but yard owner has made it clear that if we can't sort out our differences then from a business point of view she will have to ask me to leave as I only have one horse! I need the perspective of others on it so that if I do decide to talk to yard owner, I can feel more confident that I am not being unreasonable

If I were you I would book in all the Saturdays you want from the 12th April onwards for the rest of the year........

I don't see how you can sort things out if she is refusing to talk to you, which seems a bit unfair that you have the threat of having to leave hanging over you.

Could you hire another arena elsewhere for the time being?

 

[cavalier123]

Sounds like a bit of petty spite to me are lessons exclusive use of the school. When I am teaching I feel it is unreasonable to hoick the liveries out of the arena so I teach in one bit and get my pupils to avoid the other horse It is usually only one or two and in the normal size school you can if careful manage two lessons in one arena

It is in my opinion exactly that - petty spite! There are no rules re exclusive use or not, but there has never been a problem before and it has been accepted that if there is a lesson it's exclusive use. I can share as we only work on a 20 m circle most of the lesson, but level of the other riders would prevent sharing as they would need whole arena etc...

 

[Spring Feather]

I would never allow my arena to be rented out for a period of 4 hours on a Saturday. 1 hour perhaps, but not for that length of time as then all my other liveries would not have use of it on a day when they most likely would wish to. One evening a week I would allow it, but not weekends.

 

[Hackie]

How many lessons is it? Mine are ever only really 45 mins, so three lessons would just be for a little over two hours.

That being said, booking the school on a saturday for hours in peak time, for months in advance seems very selfish.

Can't these people share with you? Surely you can have two people riding in an arena at the same time, and have a lesson at each end.

ETA - just seen your post above - if there are no firm rules, I'd lob up (after prewarning the yard manager that was the only time I could get) and just ride down one end with a cheery wave and shout out 'looks like we need to share'. They'll figure it out, and its very likely their instructor would just direct them to ride up one end.