Have you ever sent your horse away for schooling?

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alpha1

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Have you ever sent your horse away for schooling?

If so, how much did you pay and what did you think of the results?

Thanks
 
I have yes, it was £100 per week and I was very pleased with the results although I'm sure this can vary greatly depending on who the horse is sent to
 
Yep mine have all had a schooling fortnight at my instructors, if they are in work they get that once a year when I go on my 2 weeks holiday my instructor takes them to her yard on schooling/full livery, she charges me £100 per week and does a fantastic job and looks after them great.
 
Mine had 12 weeks training at £125 a week with a fairly well known rider and trainer. I was pleased with how he handled on the ground afterwards and they seemed to have done a lot of lungeing with him as he came back an expert at this, but can't say I was impressed considering the time that they had him unfortunately and often would turn up at short notice (he had said it was fine to pop over any time) and he needed a good brush! Would definitely give him a spell of training with a professional again, but not at the same spot.
 
I try to start a thread along these lines few days ago:

'With so much focus on this forum on horse trainers in the last days - good and bad, I offer something to think about. When things go wrong (or not going so well) and whichever guru you turn to for help, what happens when the horse return home?
Consider - these special trainers usually keep these horses in controlled environments, with very strict routines, forage diet, no outside stimulae, no field time. Go back to the old management routines, put worried owner back in the saddle. I think the question is now answered.
And final question - is there a money back guarantee from horse trainers if little progress/improvement is made ? Or does trainer just say 'the owner messed it up'?'
 
Thanks for the replies! It looks like I have picked a very expensive place :rolleyes:

I understand what you are saying Etienne and in some cases this is very true. However, on the whole I think it can be really beneficial for the horse to have proffesional help.

...sometimes I think I def need proffesional help :-D
 
One of my girls has just been away for schooling for 8 weeks, and I paid a £100 a week, see went to her first dressage comp last week and came 2nd so im very pleased with the results!
 
I am planning on sending mine for 2 weeks but wondered if I would be able to see a difference in such a short space of time...
 
alpha1 said:
I am planning on sending mine for 2 weeks but wondered if I would be able to see a difference in such a short space of time...
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I will let you know as Im sending mine away on the 9th August for 2-3 weeks! I will be going to see him in the 2nd week though to have lessons on him so that we get a firm game plan in place for when he comes back home!
 
I posted on Etienne's thread, unfortunately I seem to have the ability to bring threads to a grinding halt, but here goes again!

I recently sent my horse to a well known trainer for 2 weeks. I first asked the trainer to come out to look at my horse's aggression issues and there was a significant change in his behaviour, which was fantastic. So sent him off for a couple of weeks to work on his way of going, which was quite stiff and reluctant. It was around £650 per week, a great deal of money for me, but I really thought it would be of huge benefit for him so bit the bullet.

He's been back for a couple of weeks and the feeling is there really has been little to no change in him, perhaps if there had been more communication regarding his ongoing training this would be different. I had one lesson on him, which to be honest wasn't the fault of the trainer, but I was left with no real idea of what I should be doing with him on his return. There were no written notes, and limited verbal feedback. After his return, I also contacted them to discuss an issue with a saddle, was waiting for feedback and haven't heard a thing since. No phone call to check on how he is going and I now feel very awkward about contacting them. I feel quite taken advantage off.

There was some tension between the people who look after my horse and the trainer, but I would have thought that the trainer would have been able to see beyond this - It was a great deal of money for me and I feel I have been rather left out to dry.

So not a great experience so far.
 
£650 A WEEK?????!!!!

I have never had the need to send one of mine away, as I dont compete at any kind of level that would require it, but I cant help but think that unless the horse is dangerous, it would be more beneficial to spend that money on lessons to teach yourself how to ride that particular horse???

....just my opinion....as I say, I have never had any need re-school one of mine!
 
Maisy said:
£650 A WEEK?????!!!!

I have never had the need to send one of mine away, as I dont compete at any kind of level that would require it, but I cant help but think that unless the horse is dangerous, it would be more beneficial to spend that money on lessons to teach yourself how to ride that particular horse???

....just my opinion....as I say, I have never had any need re-school one of mine!
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Sometimes horses have issues with their way of going that is unrelated to the rider, sometimes the solution its not as simple as a few riding lessons. Sometimes a little expert help is needed. Just because you haven't experienced this situation doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Your post is rather patrionising.
 
I take horses for schooling at £90 per week.

My advice is that if you are thinking about sending your horse away you need to really think about & find out more about where you are sending them to, make no snap decisions, i know of other horse trainers who just train the horse to be responsive but they do it so forcefully & rushed that the horse becomes too forward & will end up with behaviour problems further in the future.

So really check out the place before you send away!
 
Georgia68 said:
Sometimes horses have issues with their way of going that is unrelated to the rider, sometimes the solution its not as simple as a few riding lessons. Sometimes a little expert help is needed. Just because you haven't experienced this situation doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Your post is rather patrionising.
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My post wasn't meant to be patronising at all.....I fully explained that I have never had the need to re-school or re-back one of mine....
 
Georgia68 said:
Oh the irony
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I'm not quite sure what this means....

In my original post, I was referring to horses that do not have any issues and are being sent away to improve how they are working.

I said that I have never needed this as I dont compete at any level that would require it, so I was questioning how effective it is. I didn't mean to be at all patronising, and am fully open to someone replying that it can be very effective, and the horse remembers how it goes for a professional and therefore goes better for the owner.

I was under the impression that horses are all very different to ride, and you could be riding one horse perfectly and it could be going really well, but a different horse may require something slightly different.....hence having lessons to ride a particular horse being beneficial.....

I am sorry if I have upset you or anyone else.....and I may be digging a bigger hole in trying to explain my original reply, but I can assure you it was not meant to be at all patronising.....
 
I sent my 5yo away for 4 weeks schooling/competition livery and a couple of BE runs.
Achieved exactly what I set out to achieve and it cost £150 a week + entry and transport
 
Our yard takes schooling liveries and all I can say is, make sure you know who actually will be schooling your horse and go and watch some schooling sessions there to see if you are happy with the standard.
 
I think the owner's full involvement in the process is critical, so don't accept not being able to go and see the trainer work, even if just as a passive observer. Also would insist on a written plan, with follow-up consulting as part of the package. Would want to speak to other clients, with horses/owners who had similar issues.
 
Maisy said:
I'm not quite sure what this means....

In my original post, I was referring to horses that do not have any issues and are being sent away to improve how they are working.

I said that I have never needed this as I dont compete at any level that would require it, so I was questioning how effective it is. I didn't mean to be at all patronising, and am fully open to someone replying that it can be very effective, and the horse remembers how it goes for a professional and therefore goes better for the owner.

I was under the impression that horses are all very different to ride, and you could be riding one horse perfectly and it could be going really well, but a different horse may require something slightly different.....hence having lessons to ride a particular horse being beneficial.....

I am sorry if I have upset you or anyone else.....and I may be digging a bigger hole in trying to explain my original reply, but I can assure you it was not meant to be at all patronising.....
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Sorry Maisy, I was just being snippy having had a bad experience recently. You've not upset anyone!
 
My 4yo has gone away for backing/training at £150 per week, Week 8 he is happy hacking, working softly in the arena in walk, trot and canter.

And Weds did a little grid of fences lovely.

Had done nothing apart from little long reining/lunging/loose jumping prior to going to school

I am very happy with the results so far as this is the first youngster we have sent away. the others have been done at home.
 
I am sending my five year old for re-backing at a local yard. I have been personally recommended to him by a friend whose horse is still with him at the moment.

I have visited a couple of yards and I am comfortable and confident that the local yard will be the right enviroment for my horse. We do have some differing opinions on certain matters, but he is a calm, laidback horseman and I think he will get on well with my boy.

I've been advised that he is likely to be there for around 1 month @ £150 p.w.
 
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