Sand school usage

[bz88]

Hi everyone. How do you manage sand school usage I mean booking so it’s fair and square to everyone. I’m at the yard with around 20 horses and we recently had new person coming. Young girl novice to yards (zero etiquette) and ownership(horse that she shared got given to her after having multiple vet bills and lameness-long story we all advised her against that) the problem is she’s quite competent rider but she won’t share the school with others and 9 out of 10 of her booking horse is turned out in school rather than being actually ridden. Few weeks ago she started to book school every single day at the same time which we see as bit over the top, it’s not for lessons or jumping. We have expressed ourselves saying it’s bit unfair as 9 out of 10 she’s not even riding there just lets her horse out there and it’s preventing everyone using it (horse has a field) I have confronted her saying it’s not fair for everyone else as it’s Easter break and people and kids are off from work and school to which she told me she’s not even going to use everyday to which I said why booking and taking slots where someone else could use it? How are we supposed to know when she’s actually right? All we see is week after week every day the same time booking? I walked away at that point and I was getting really annoyed and I didn’t want to snap (I got lost of moaning when I booked for one hour once a week on Saturday to have lesson with instructor) nobody books for individual use unless they have instructor coming or want to jump. How would you approach that? I feel it’s extremely unfair to everyone else.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I have never been at a place where you were allowed to use the school for loose turnout.
It is very unfair and people shouldn't be allowed to book for the same time every day either, needs to be rotated, there is other people wanting to use it. Pretty selfish of the individual I would say too.

 

[Abacus]

At my yard we book individual use especially for lessons but also just if you want the space to yourself. It's only 20x40 so even two horses in there can feel a bit tight, esp if jumping or practising a test. As the YO I do monitor bookings, and recently limited evening bookings to 45 mins (when it was still dark) so that everyone who wanted could get a slot, without having to be there at 9pm in the cold and dark. If anyone regularly turns up late or takes a lot longer than their slot I have a word.

If it's the case that there aren't enough booking slots for the liveries, perhaps the number they have per week (and how long), if they want individual use, should be limited. Have you spoken with the YO to find a fair system? It sounds a bit unnecessary to book the school just to turn a horse out in it, unless she's actually doing groundwork or something reasonable.

 

[Surbie]

Are you the yard owner/manager? Are there a clear set of rules about school use/bookings - if so point the person in that direction. If not, get the YO/YM involved.

We wouldn't be allowed to turn a horse out in the arena. People do book for the same time each week, but it's once and for a lesson. Even then, we're expected to share unless jumping.

 

[dottylottie]

we can use the school to turnout in, but unless it’s winter or the horse is on restricted turnout, i don’t think it’s fair to - on my yard if something is loose in there and you want to ride, 99% of the time they’ll just go and take them out!

 

[SpotsandBays]

Not clear from your post but if you’re the manager:
- do away with booking for turnout, or state that turning out in the arena can only be pre-agreed with the manager (for horses on restricted turnout etc).
- limit the number of bookings allowed per week per person. Or limit individual booking to only when an instructor is present.

If you’re not the manager, speak to them. Explain the situation and if there’s others who are upset by this too then they also need to speak up.

 

[Tiddlypom]

This is for the yard owner/yard manager to sort.

 

[bz88]

I am yard manager but only temporarily as yard owner is out of action, sorry I didn’t make that clear. I have had conversations with the girl number of times but it seems like she’s not getting it arena is for everybody not just for her. We do permit turning out in arena is some circumstances providing it’s cleared after and owner has to be on site. Few times I have removed said horse from arena so others are allowed to use it. We have rules for arena use written but she just very young, never been on yard before and she came as a mate of other livery who seems to think she owns the yard, I have no authority of giving anyone notice I can only talk and explain how unfair this is but it seems it doesn’t register.

 

[JFTDWS]

Do you have the authority to impose a specific limit on the number of times a week any individual can book the arena? If she tries to exceed it once you've explained it, just strike out / remove her bookings. If she turns the horse out in a removed-booking slot, tell her to bring it back in.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I am yard manager but only temporarily as yard owner is out of action, sorry I didn’t make that clear. I have had conversations with the girl number of times but it seems like she’s not getting it arena is for everybody not just for her. We do permit turning out in arena is some circumstances providing it’s cleared after and owner has to be on site. Few times I have removed said horse from arena so others are allowed to use it. We have rules for arena use written but she just very young, never been on yard before and she came as a mate of other livery who seems to think she owns the yard, I have no authority of giving anyone notice I can only talk and explain how unfair this is but it seems it doesn’t register.

Try it in writing? Worth a shot and its more official that way

 

[Abacus]

It sounds as though you might need to be more authoritative and clear in your communication with her. She's not taking gentle hints that it's unfair, so as the acting YM you will need to say that she is NOT allowed, or is only allowed X times per week at X time of day for X long.

ETA: although the YO is out of action, could you speak to them and get their permission to be stricter about it?

 

[dorsetladette]

I think the fairest 'booking' system I have come across has been on a good friend of my dad's yard. She would not let anyone book the school for sole use during high traffic times (part livery yard) so no one could book the school from 4pm until 7.30pm (my estimate/guess) on week days. I can't remember what the weekend looked like. I think the yard worked well in matching/pairing/buddying up with each other if riding in the school of an evening.

 

[blitznbobs]

Only allow to book 3 x 45 mins slots each per week and only one of these can be a weekend - otherwise you have to share or wait

 

[Dave's Mam]

We are only allowed to book the school for a lesson with your instructor once a week.