Arena Bookings - Is this reasonable?

Wow that sounds crazy if it's every week. I only ever expect an arena to myself if I am at a clinic because I assume I am paying for the arena hire in the cost and everyone else is getting their time too - even then I don't mind if the next person starts to warm up when my session gets near the end if there is only one arena. I would only ever 'book' our arena before 10am at weekends as hardly anyone seems to ride then anyway or during the week (not after work) or maybe once in a blue moon, although I'd still feel a bit guilty.

I went to one riding school where the instructor had up 5 more advanced riders working in open order in a 20 x 60 so basically all doing our own thing. It was fine.

Unless you are practicing dressage tests or jumping I really don't see why you can't share an 20 x 40 with another person. Pass left hand to left hand, keep your eyes open and be considerate.

To be honest judging by some warm up arenas I think some people could benefit from practicing how to share spaces.
 
Mmm they are within their rights but it is inconsiderate towards other liveries. I make my daughters share the arena and very often we all 3 of us ride together. I would not book it out for 3 hours in a row.
 
As far as I can tell this family is booking what time they want. They need to book it to have a lesson each.

If you want to book time then there does not seem to be anything preventing you from doing so too. If she has booked through until April then I don't know why you only book a few from April onwards. If the rules let you book through to the end of the year 1pm to 2pm and that is what you want then do it! She has booked evenings, so if you want evenings- book them!

For me, 3 liveries = 3 separate clients. 3 livery bills = 3 people with equal rights to the school.

A long time ago I stopped being fed up with this kind of forward thinking - even when it impinged on me. I just learned to forward plan myself!!!!

I have to say I have also been inspired to be a bit more focused in my own life by this sort of forced organisation.
 
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Well just been to yard and spoken to YO. She has agreed with this livery that they can book EVERY saturday for 4 hours because that is the only time the instructor/children can have lessons... She said other liveries have mentioned the advance booking to her too, but she has explained that the children should come first and the others have agreed to work around it. I suggested that maybe every other weekend would be fairer but no, other liveries can ride in the week evenings if they work or before 10 or after 2/3 on the Saturday. I am fuming and have had to cancel the lessons that I had booked in April.
 
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Haven't read all replies so sorry if this has been said but if it was me booking the arena for x hours I would alternate the times so it's not for the same time every week. For some reason everyone at ours likes to ride at 2pm every Sunday so we've sorted it amongst ourselves now & dont book 2 weeks in a row for the same time. The board also only has slots on for the coming week to avoid mass booking. It is only a small yard though x
 
Whilst I completely sympathise with your annoyance I guess the YO is taking the view that she is keeping a person paying for four livery places a week happy (I presume the are good payers) which is well worth the risk of peeing off one livery who may or may not leave as a result.

I do think that if they are booking the school for 4 hours every time then they should really arrange to have their lessons much earlier in the day thereby freeing up the school for when more people are around wanting to ride.

How big is the school? Is it not possible for two people to work in it at the same time!
 
I could just see the post from the opposite side:

Hi all. I'm having a few issues with arena bookings. Our yard allows us to book the school for lessons in advance, which I have done for me and my kids. Our instructor is only free on a Saturday from 12-3pm, and in order for the kids to get lessons this is the only time slot we can get. I have marked this in the diary until April, which no one had a problem with - except this one livery, who has been giving me hassle and making a big deal about the fact that she wants to book the school during this time. I have fairly booked this slot, alongside the rules, and to YO agrees with me - why is she making such a big deal? If she hadn't been giving me so much hassle and making me look bad, then maybe I would have considered offering her one of the slots a month, but tbh I just don't want to give up my kids' lessons to stop her moaning! WWYD?

I can very much see this from the other side, so hassle it may be, but also part and parcel of a livery yard system... if she is limited in when her instructor can come too, and she's booked first, then I can see why she'd be determined to stick!
 
eggs said:
Whilst I completely sympathise with your annoyance I guess the YO is taking the view that she is keeping a person paying for four livery places a week happy (I presume the are good payers) which is well worth the risk of peeing off one livery who may or may not leave as a result.

I do think that if they are booking the school for 4 hours every time then they should really arrange to have their lessons much earlier in the day thereby freeing up the school for when more people are around wanting to ride.

How big is the school? Is it not possible for two people to work in it at the same time!
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They're good payer, at least I would imagine they are. And yeah it's only me that's annoyed, doesn't affect the other liveries so much as they tend to mostly hack.

I've suggested a different time, or maybe every other week, but no!

It's 20 x 40 and I completely forgot to mention sharing for the hour, every other week that I have my lesson, but don't think there's much point in asking anyway as I'm pretty sure that other livery will not accept that and yard owner will go along with her...
 
khalswitz said:
I could just see the post from the opposite side:

Hi all. I'm having a few issues with arena bookings. Our yard allows us to book the school for lessons in advance, which I have done for me and my kids. Our instructor is only free on a Saturday from 12-3pm, and in order for the kids to get lessons this is the only time slot we can get. I have marked this in the diary until April, which no one had a problem with - except this one livery, who has been giving me hassle and making a big deal about the fact that she wants to book the school during this time. I have fairly booked this slot, alongside the rules, and to YO agrees with me - why is she making such a big deal? If she hadn't been giving me so much hassle and making me look bad, then maybe I would have considered offering her one of the slots a month, but tbh I just don't want to give up my kids' lessons to stop her moaning! WWYD?

I can very much see this from the other side, so hassle it may be, but also part and parcel of a livery yard system... if she is limited in when her instructor can come too, and she's booked first, then I can see why she'd be determined to stick!
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Thank you for this point of view it's very helpful and I can see, in part, what you are saying. I had actually just resolved myself to book from April onwards every other week, but YO has confirmed I can't now as it is her slot - find it hard to see how this is fair, we all pay? I'm not being difficult for the sake of it, I would be really happy to have my lesson any other time to avoid this hassle, but my instructor just can't make any other time. I will probably end up changing instructor.
 
I run a livery yard, we have a 20 x 60 arena which we SHARE! We all know the rules of the school and we talk to each other as we ride so keep out of each others way most of the time. If some one is having a lesson they no, within reason , that they may have to share. The person having the lesson has priority and right of way. It works well.
I teach at many yards where you have to book the school just to ride, people won't share! One yard I teach at has a good size indoor but if one person books it no one else can go in. Ridiculous! How do people cope at shows in the warm up!
 
like others have said it is not unreasonable as it would just be the same as three different liverys booking it
however someone does this on our yard every sat and it is a bit of a pain if you want to it , especially since the YO daughter has suddenly decided she's going to also book it for turn out !

it only really effects me if i am competing on a sunday and want to have a quick run through a test as its normally the only time i have the chance to hack in company so would rather do that in daylight hours
the people who book it the don't turn up are more annoying tbh :(
 
We aren't allowd to book the arena out at ours, it's everybodies to use at any time. If you want it to yourself for a lesson you pick your lesson time when you know other people aren't about.
I think that's it's right personally.
 
cavalier123 said:
Thank you for this point of view it's very helpful and I can see, in part, what you are saying. I had actually just resolved myself to book from April onwards every other week, but YO has confirmed I can't now as it is her slot - find it hard to see how this is fair, we all pay? I'm not being difficult for the sake of it, I would be really happy to have my lesson any other time to avoid this hassle, but my instructor just can't make any other time. I will probably end up changing instructor.
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TBH I agree I'd be pee'd off too in your scenario at not getting an in at all, I was just trying to shed some light on where she'll be coming from and how the YO may be seeing it, as it's very easy to get caught up in how it inconveniences you (especially if you don't like the woman, it may well cloud your vision a bit). Personally, our booking system is that you can only book two weeks in advance (get away with more if you only have a once a month lesson or something to book ahead) and that means that people can end up switching round slots a bit easier.

I completely understand where you are coming from, I wasn't trying to imply you were wrong, just that that is how she will be viewing it most likely, especially if the two of you don't get on. I do also think your YO is a bit unfair not letting you book from April onwards tbh. However, unfortunately, if you otherwise like the yard, then finding a new instructor who can make more time for you will be less hassle than finding a new yard...
 
Madly selfish, IMO, as someone who works Monday to Friday, Saturday would be my day to school, Sunday to hack when there's less traffic (although not riding currently). The Yard owner needs to man up and face this livery: I don't see why you should have to leave the yard because someone's being a spiteful cow. Just hack and don't go on about the issue, I'm sure she'll soon stop making her childish point :rolleyes3:
 
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