Do you hire your arenas out? Is it cheeky to ask?

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MrVelvet

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My 3yr old is about to face a long winter with no work :( I dont as yet have transport for him and the roads are already quite slippery and my yard isnt big enough to long rein round. Over the road is an outdoor arena, it doesn't look to be used very often and sometimes there are a few ponies turned out in it. I know the lady who owns it to say hello to, but nothing more than that. If you had an arena.. would you hire it out? Is it too cheeky to ask? I am prepared to pay and bring in and turn out ponies for her before I start etc ...

I suppose the worst that could happen is that she would say no.. ?
 
I would ask. I use two arenas near me, closest one is used more often, so hack 5 mins to the other. I don't often ask with much notice, but they don't seem to mind, in fact the further away yard, I coudl probably go there and use it without them ever knowing - not that I'd do that, just that they never use it - its such a waste. (The yard is only a field across too - but have to access via the road - would be easier if I coudl use farmer's field to get there though! )

I pay £5 for half an hour and either £8 or £10 for an hour (depending which school I use) Thats for sole use and use of jumps :)
 
The worst she can do is say no, and then you're no worse off than you are now! I say next time you see her just ask if she would hire it out to you. Its definately worth asking!
 
If you don't ask you don't get :) I'd go and ask, theres a school near to us who hire it out - just have to put some money in the charity box :)
 
I would ask don't be surprised if they won't take payment as she may be rightly be afraid of any rateing issues. I am now awfully cautious of even letting friends use my school after a friend got in an awful situation over Her rates because she let friends use her school.
 
I wouldnt hire my arena out because of insurance. Its really saddening that we have to worry about it but we do. Im not certain of the standing if you let someone use it for free (my insurance company said it SHOULD be okay), but if they gave you money that could definetely leave you open to being sued in the case of an accident. Manege owners should be insured for hiring their manege out regardless of whether its one person paying to use it or twenty, rates will be the least of their issues if someone had an accident and sued! As regards to whether you could ask technically its not putting you in a compromised position so you could but as I researched after someone asked to hire my manege and I now know the implications I couldnt ask it of someone else. I would have lessons with an insured instructor in a hired manege as their insurance would cover me but wouldnt just ride in there solo. sorry if its not the answer you wanted to hear :(
 
I would just ask, i let a couple of people use my manege locally, for no fee, as long as they tidy up after themselves it is of no consequence to me.

Today, however, someone who i do not know, helped themselves and used it whilst i was out! Not impressed!
 
No we dont let others as on our own private property and permission states for own use - after someone in our council area being shopped a few years ago and then having to back pay for commercial rates (even though she was taking no cash) it's not worth it for us
 
miller said:
No we dont let others as on our own private property and permission states for own use - after someone in our council area being shopped a few years ago and then having to back pay for commercial rates (even though she was taking no cash) it's not worth it for us
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This is also why we wouldn't let anyone use ours. I don't get offended at people asking though, why would I?
 
You can always ask..... she might say no due to insurance/rates but no harm in asking. You could offer to pay, or if she would prefer do some jobs for her, buy in something for her ponies or make a donation to charity as a thank you.
 
Ditto the others - it's definitely worth an ask! If she says no due to insurance/whatever, have a look round at what else is within reach of you - we hack to a local arena sometimes to give young horses an experience of working in a different place, and the insurance is fine as although it's a private yard it's got all the paperwork as it also holds competitions and hosts PC. We also hire out our own arena as we have insurance and the right arrangement re coucil rates etc, which isn't visible from the road - so you wouldn't know was there! So if you have other local/hackable to yards go and have an ask, the worst that can happen is they say no, or no they haven't got one!, but you never know what they're being run as and it may be that they have the right arrangements to not worry about your using their arena changing their situation.
 
I moved to a yard without a school last year, but there is a private place over the road whcih has a school that I have never seen anyone use. I plucked up courage (silly isn't it?) to go over and ask the lady if she woudl hire it out. She said she was more than happy for other people to use it, and realises how lucky she is to have it, and when they had it built hoped that it would be used by other people!! I offered to pay, she said just give her a bale of hay every now and then.

No harm in asking.
 
There's an arena about 10 minutes walk away from mine and always said hello to the lady in passing, left a note on her gate once asking if we could hire it and left our number, she phoned us and said that it would be fine to use, even gave us key (after meeting us!). Can't remember how much we gave her but it wasn't a lot!

So definitely ask her! :)
 
She may well say no due to insurance reasons (or any other reasons, for that matter :D) but I'd be very surprised if she got the hump with you for asking - that would be absurd! If you don't ask, you won't get, that's for sure ;)
 
So the general consensus is to stop being such a wimp and go ask her!! I like the note idea but I'd have to walk through her garden and all her land to get to the school so would probably be done for trespassing! I am working more sociable hours next week so I am going to hopefully catch her mucking out one morning :) Wish me luck guys.... Oh my days.. I have no idea what my actual problem is!!
 
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