riding school..not happy

H

haycroft

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I had booked a riding lesson for my 5yo son at the local riding school(not sure if im allow to mention names) for a 1/2 hour on the lein rein
Very friendly on phone..Got there ,wasnt quite sure where to go but eventually someone turned up and ask for me to sign a form,and said he was riding a pony called squeak
No one made us feel welcome..A young gir(apparently a friend of my 17yo son) led us to the pony and my son got on board..Then started to walk him around...i had said who'll be taking the lesson and she had replied she was only that the AI instuctor had decided to go esle where
Anyway the girl didnt have a clue what to do so as a rider myself and saw my son getting abit bored i ended taking the lesson myself with the girl just saying sorry...Got my son changing direction, stopping, starting and even trying the rising trot..As my time was up..took pony back to the yard where it was full of droppings
No-one came up to see if everything was ok and if my son had a nice ride...so i went without paying and will never return
On their website they say that they take children fron 4yo and always taught with an AI instuctors..not in this case
What advice can you give me..can i report them
 
Is it BHS approaved? if so then you can obviously report it to them. Riding schools also have to apply for a licence form the council, so it may be worth giving them a ring (mention health and safety, it seems to be the buzz word these days!!)
 
Very bizarre, seems very wrong they left the girl 'in charge' too - where was the yard owner? Can you find out if anyone else has been and what they have experienced? Certainly doesn't sound the safest of places for kids to be going.
 
You are right not to mention names on here as that is defamatory...

Sounds very poor service, not at all what you would hope to get from a booked lesson. Was the yard BHS approved? If so you could let them know, but if not, then try an approved riding school next time (I know some people on here have had problems at approved ones too...)

Could try local council on grounds of health and safety (as in lesson not up to standard, not a qualified instructor). Was the pony in good condition and did the tack fit? If no, then could take it further with council's licencing officer as well. How about writing/emailing and saying why you won't be going back? See what they have to say for themselves.
 
this is their websitehttp://www.blewburycentre.co.uk/RidingHacking.html
hope this ok to post as im still gobsmacked the way is was run
i couldnt believe it at the time ..there was other people riding in the nxt indoor school so they knew what i was doing ..you cant be quiet teaching the little ones they need as much encouragment as possible..and im not a qualified teacher
The horses i ride arent suitiable for him so i thought i take to school to see how he got on with a pony more suited to him
The pony was the best thing she was a sweetheart
h
bowpeggy046.jpg
eres a pic
 
Completely out of order! I work at a RS and am considered one of the more experienced people who work on the yard (I am 18) allthough I am allowed to do escorts and pony rides (literally leading a child on a mini hack at walk on he lead rein) I am not allowed to do lessons. I always try and be welcoming and have to say think I am! (I got tipped £2 by a client 2 weeks ago!)

You can report them to the relevant council as they have to have obtained a liscense from the council in order to be a RS, if they are BHS/ABRS approved report them to the relevant society

Hope you find a better yard ASAP
 
I am glad to hear you refused to pay. I work at a RS and would never treat clients in such a way. We are BHS approved. We do have students who take 1/2 hr LR kids, but the majority of lessons are taken by myself and the YM. When the students do take lessons they are under our supervision and our regular clients are fully aware that its part of the training and are happy with this.
We never leave them in charge of the yard though, hate to think what could happen!!
 
Thanks for all your replies
i worry if a unexperience parent took their child to this place they wouldnt of known better..and if something had happen
im sure they wouldnt of been covered
The girl(about16yo) who tried to take the lesson just said she wasnt very good with small children and was quite often asked to teach older kids
How can a place run like this..it baffles me
 
Amazingly staff don't have to be qualified for the yard to get a licence. I didn't realise this until I worked at a riding school where quite frequently the older kids would take the lesson if an instructor was off sick. It's how alot of people first start teaching, but a 16 yr old with an admitted lack of insight into how to teach a five-year-old should have been supervised at the very least!
 
This happened to me a good few years ago..... Took my two girls, then aged about 3 and 6 for a lesson.

Got on board dirty ponies with tack that didnt fit terribly well..... and escorted round a field by a 13 year old...... she just walked ahead of us and said nothing.

I ended up leading both ponies!!!!!

Needless to say they lost out on their money too!!!
 
Sounds a bit like the riding school I just left. I am looking for somewehre else to.

I think you have to try a few before you find the perfect one and there always seem to be ones run like this.
 
I just knew it would be that place when i read your post!! Unfortunately how this place still manages to run and hold shows i'll never know. Don't bother writing to them personally they don't care at all and it will end up in the bin. Well done for not paying, that would of p****d them off no end
smile.gif
 
I am truly shocked our yard would NEVER allow anyone apart from instructors/training instructors teach! I am one of the oldest and have never taught a lesson! unless you go and do an apprenticeship at college or are allready qualified.

I am allowed to take "pony rides" but only the people 16+ are allowed to do that, First escorts are always 18+ second escorts 16+. Seriously different to yards others have described!
 
OMG, that shouldn't be allowed. my riding instructor never leaves (sp) our group on our own, and we are a group of adults.


well done for not paying.
This may sound nasty but i dont mean it in a nasty way. your lad probably should of come off the pony, then maybe that would have opened their eyes a bit more. Obviously i am glad that he didnt come off.
Sorry if you take that the wrong way, it just how i see things
 
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