Arena riding etiquette?

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LizScott

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Just a quick question - has anyone else been told to give way to those doing lateral work? I know all the usual left to left business but after nearly crashing a few times tonight I'm starting to wonder whether I got the lateral thing wrong?
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I have not been told that per se, only the usual. ie, pass left to left, except when in different paces, where the rider travelling faster has right of way on the track (walking on an inside track etc).

However, I think common sense dictates that it should be the rule and it is easier to move out of the way of someone doing lateral work if you are not. I wouldn't want to have to pull out of a movement like renvers or half pass for example just because someone was doing a change of rein or such like. IMHO It can be too difficult and unbalancing for the horse. Lots of forward planning needed!!!
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Can't say I have ever heard of that - I would imagine if they are taking an inside track it is their responsibilty to 'give way' to those on an outside track. (simply based on the fact that they are not on a uniform track, therefore its not as easy to predict their planned route) (If you get what I mean!)
 
Yes, rules I was taught include pass left to left, walk on an inner track, give way to those going faster than you and/or doing lateral work, call before approaching a jump etc etc
 
If this is any help ... I have a riding School so this rules are etched on my brain and of my students and clients !!

Pass left to left in if the same pace
Faster pace has priority over outside track ( if someone is cantering and you are trotting they have right of way)
Lateral work takes priority over the track until the movement has finished and then back to the standard rules

if you wish to jump - all jumping must be done in the same direction and permission must granted before you jump from other riders in the school.

never halt on the track - always away from the track in a safe area.

More experianced riders must be more considerate to younger or novice riders.

Always gain permission to enter and leave the school !

And my own ......and I'm very strict on this .... NO phones or i pods, you need your wits and ears to see and be 100% aware !!!
 
yeah you always give way to someone doing lateral work as its not fair if your just like doing a circle or doing an upwards transition and they are working really hard to maintain a movement

oh and i always school with my ipod on but only when im the only person in the school and that happens alot lol
 
I had two lessons at a riding school and then stopped going there... I was very rusty and as I was trying to canter on a big, fast horse, several people had come in to exercise horses in the school and were weaving around all over the place. I had to stop my canter and put on the brakes because they were in my way on the track!

I found it very frustrating and it aggravated me that the instructor didn't say anything to them until we were near the end of the lesson. She knew the girls and just let them carry on. Needless to say I didn't go back.
 
Tbh, I don't think its righ to let other people exercise when you are having a lesson. Our yard is also a riding school and it has worked out a schedule with liveries as to when they get they use of the school. But if some one has booked a lesson, it means they have booked the school to! How on earth can you concentrate on your instructor and your horse with kids flying about and getting in the way?!
 
Lateral work-->faster paces-->L to L...

...but sometimes, it's hard to assess. For example, if someone on the LR is clearly wanting to start cantering a circle, and you are on RR, it makes more sense to pass them R to R rather than block their circle.

I'm constantly running into the problem of people not noticing you're doing lateral work/not knowing that you should have right of way on the track. The problem with a green horse is that it's not always obvious to another rider moving at speed that what looks like a series of bunny-hops or an odd wavy line is actually your attempt at shoulder-in!
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Yep definitely give way to lateral work. It infuriates me to have to come out of shoulder in or whatever because someone is trotting a circle in your way.

I do think that instructors should be prepared to intervene in some circumstances though. For example if you want to canter a green or difficult horse and might have some issues it doesn't hurt to ask everyone to look out for you or to take an inner track for a moment or two.

Sometimes it is impossible to avoid a near miss though, I have group lessons in open order all the time and with up to 9 in the school you have to be really careful and every now and then there will be one of those moments where you can't decide which way to go.....
 
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