Costs of clinics

Depends though what the pole work clinic involves. My old riding club had a top level eventer for their AGM clinic & the lessons were really expensive, £60 for a group of 4. My friend went on the pole work one, it consisted of 2 poles & getting different numbers of strides between the poles, i can do that on my own at home, I certainly don’t need to spend £60. IME show jumpers pole work clinics are far superior, with a vast range of exercises requiring precision & control, recently I’ve paid £35 for a group of 4 with an international show jumper, it was a brilliant clinic & I subsequently went back & did another one because it was so good. So I guess really it depends what you get for your money.
 
You make a good point MQ, I would pay more for a flatwork focussed "athletic development "type of polework clinic than a "get control for jumping" type.

I think the latter world be easier to deliver and less complicated to run... and therefore I'd hope cheaper ;)
 
I pay £25 for an hour 1:1 with my instructor, £15 for a group lesson/clinic, she's an amazing instructor with a lot of experience but not well known outside our area (but very well known within it!). I've also paid £40 for an arena XC lesson with a well known international eventer, it was 1hr-1hr30 in a group of 4. I've had 2 lessons with him now, and would definitely do it again if I had the opportunity because it was a brilliant lesson!

I'm also lucky enough to still get rallies through Pony Club, so they're all subsidised and I can get access to great trainers that I probably wouldn't be able to afford otherwise! For example, I've just booked into a pole work rally in Feb that cost me the grand sum of £6.50 for an hour!
 
My answer would depend on if I was able to warm up before the session and cool down after it, as 30mins isn’t enough to do anything otherwise. That then means I’m effectively hiring an arena for an hour which could be worth £10-20. So my instruction is then £20-30 for the half hour.

I would absolutely pay this for a good instructor, and by good I’m not talking about competition record (without meaning to be rude your comments sound a bit snobby, I’m sure that’s not how you meant them!). I would pay more for my current trainer who has very little competition record than I would for most of the big names as they have an exceptional way of observing and explaining things, some brilliantly imaginative exercises as well as super simple tips that all advance my riding and my horse’s athleticism every time I go. The polework exercises are complex and aimed at increasing the suppleness and engagement of the horse. I have sat in on a lot of clinics with big names and, for me, this trainer is better. The well-being of the horse is their first priority too, which is refreshing in this time when people feel under pressure to get results. They are just as happy to train me with my hippy rope bitless bridle as their own dressage horses in their double bridles, which is nice for me as I’m not prepared to change back to a bit to do dressage.

Realistically, they can charge what they want, there are some people willing to pay it.

(The caveat to all this is that I am no professional and so my opinion isn’t worth much!!)
 
KatPT said:
Realistically, they can charge what they want, there are some people willing to pay it.

(The caveat to all this is that I am no professional and so my opinion isn’t worth much!!)
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In a free market, sellers will charge as much as they want, probably with the intention of earning as much as possible in the number of hours they are prepared to work.

And not being a "professional" doesn't make your opinion any less valuable. If you are in the market for small group or 1:1 clinics, then your opinion as a potential customer is of vital importance.
 
I know this has been mentioned, but the fact the rider hasn't ridden in the Olympics is not necessarily a reflection of their teaching or training ability. They may have a superb reputation as a teacher, in which case that might explain the apparently high price. I used to work for a rider whose top level horses were competing at 1.40m, so not exactly Michael Whitaker, but he is a fabulous instructor and has an excellent manner with people and horses. That reputation precedes him, so people pay good money for lessons and clinics with him. Whereas there was recently a post on the forum about a member's dreadful experience of a lesson with an Olympic rider.

The difference between those riders going to the Olympics and those producing lots of younger horses up the levels and doing a lot of buying/ selling, but not having top level horses, can often be down to money, rather than necessarily talent.
 
Keith_Beef said:
Already decimal? Or have you converted that for the whippersnappers? :p

On second thoughts, £2.9s in 1970 would be the equivalent of £21.10 in 2017, according to this calculator.

That's a shade less than what I pay per hour, when I sign up for a whole year of 35 one-hour lessons: €25.42, equivalent to £22.19. But that's for a group of up to 12, general low-level class.
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Definitely decimal (although not by many years!)

£2.45 in 1978 is £14 now, so perhaps not that far adrift after all because the local yard charges £15 for lead rein lessons.
 
It all comes down to what you get out of it? If you enjoyed it and found it worthwhile, then the price doesn't matter?

I pay £40/45 mins with one Olympic rider and £140/45 mins with another Olympic rider. Totally different styles, totally different approaches, exactly the same work ethic. Every penny well spent.

People wince at the second price (trust me, my bank account does too). But the horse is improving, I'm improving, and I've progressed to a level where I feel like I really can't complain tbh!

And... I adore my lessons. When I've got one coming up I'm absolutely buzzing about it. And I come away with the same feeling. So for me, it's all worth it.
 
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