School etiquette - bit of a rant

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susie2193

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Bit of a pointless post but I really need to have a rant.

The yard I am on has indoor and outdoor schools. Last night there was a pony club rally in the outdoor, with various groups from 4:30 until 8:00 which meant all the liveries had to ride inside. Monday night is normally very quiet, and I thought it was a good opportunity to practice 2 dressage tests. I had warmed up and one other livery came in, I explained what I wanted to do and she was fine, just saying let her know where I was going and she would work round me. Rode the first test fine, having a walk round before I rode the second one when someone stuck their head in the door and said 4 pony club children wanted to come in and warm up for a couple of minutes before their rally. (These children were all teenagers). They came in and proceeded to walk round the school 4 abreast chatting for 20 minutes. When I asked them not to they just said sorry and carried on. I even tried deliberately riding where they wanted to walk, (petty I know), but they just carried on. Eventually the door was opened again, (with no warning) and they all left. I spoke to the mother who let them out and she just shrugged her shoulders. By this time I wasn't in the mood to ride properly and got off 5 minutes later. I spoke to the DC who said they had all been told off, but not one of them came and apologized to me, and I suspect they didn't really care.

My main issues were:
1. They hired the outdoor school not both and shouldn't have been in there anyway.
2. If they think it is acceptable to ride without a thought for anyone else, how do they behave in a collecting ring.
3. Last night is probably the only chance I will have this week to ride my tests in peace

Sorry for the rant and thank you for reading.
 
I dont think they should have been there either if not hired the indoor and think if the liveries only had the indoor to ride in then unfair.

I also found that at a show the liveries came into the warm up (kids on ponies with no sense for someone away from home on a hyper horse whizzing around me even when saw she was upset until she buckarooed then they left before told off but they meant no harm as just kids) and we had hired it so they shouldnt have been there apparently but I said nothing as didnt know this til afterwards when was giving off to organiser about them.

Not fair when your only chance to ride and very very annoying. I hate that when in the arena on your own and clearly riding a test through and someone comes in and just rides in your path instead of waiting about 4 minutes!!
 
On a different trail of thought regarding schools. My yards indoor school is so messy, people turn their horses out in their, churn up all the surface, **** everywhere, jumps not put away!! AND this is all mainly done by the YO, its shocking considering she has 10 liveries! NOT HAPPY, my rant over too!
 
On the plus side, you actually have an indoor school, and you got to ride one of your tests. And the teens were told off by the DC. Maybe they will learn from it.
 
ktj1891 - we get that as well. I frequently spend 10 mins tidying up jumps before I ride, only to have to do it all again the next time. As far as turnout is concerned riding gets priority, but doesn't stop the people who still see you tacking up and turnout, only to then say, "He's only had a few minutes can you wait a bit".
 
Arizahn said:
On the plus side, you actually have an indoor school, and you got to ride one of your tests. And the teens were told off by the DC. Maybe they will learn from it.
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Arizahn, I take your point, but then I pay a lot of money to be on a yard with an indoor. And knowing the girls in question I can guarantee they won't learn, they are a bunch who are at an age that they know everything.
 
Maybe its your yard owner you need to speak to.
While you understand the pony club hiring the outdoor, as you are lucky to also have an.indoor to ride him.
But that should be left for the liveries.
 
smellsofhorse said:
Maybe its your yard owner you need to speak to.
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^ This

If they haven't hired the indoor school then they shouldn't be in there, simples. YO could potentially bill the PC for using it. I remember numerous times clearing the school so I could practice a test, only to go tack up and find somebody had gone in and got the jumps back out. Highly frustrating and they wouldn't put them away again afterwards. I am glad your fellow livery was considerate, what were their thoughts on the kids' behaviour?
 
miss_c said:
^ This

If they haven't hired the indoor school then they shouldn't be in there, simples. YO could potentially bill the PC for using it. I remember numerous times clearing the school so I could practice a test, only to go tack up and find somebody had gone in and got the jumps back out. Highly frustrating and they wouldn't put them away again afterwards. I am glad your fellow livery was considerate, what were their thoughts on the kids' behaviour?
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Pretty much what I was about to type!

Think I would ask the YO to mention it to PC next time they hire the school and stress they are not to use the other arena and give the reasons why, stressing bad manners of previous children.
 
Don't get me started on school etiquette. I went to a local dressage venue the other weekend and had to question with a livery the correct etiquette nowadays, I thought I'd maybe forgotten it!
Kids everywhere, walking around the outside track, ambling along. No left to left courtesy. No common courtesy whatsoever.
I was in canter at one point and M had gotten away from me slightly with excitement. As I was trying to get him back I reached one corner where 2 young girls had just stopped for a natter! Nearly crashed into them and had no apologies or remorse, merely their mother pausing from her gossip with the other mothers and shouting over 'Oh, do be careful next time girls'. Grr.

Maybe a polite word with the YO about it?
 
miss_c said:
^ This

If they haven't hired the indoor school then they shouldn't be in there, simples. YO could potentially bill the PC for using it. I remember numerous times clearing the school so I could practice a test, only to go tack up and find somebody had gone in and got the jumps back out. Highly frustrating and they wouldn't put them away again afterwards. I am glad your fellow livery was considerate, what were their thoughts on the kids' behaviour?
Click to expand...

They felt the same as me, just haven't been there very long and didn't want to rock the boat. It's nice to know that other people have the same issues. When we all play nicely together and think of others it all works well, but it only takes a couple of people to be selfish and/or thoughtless and it all falls apart. This weather isn't helping as no one wants to ride outside.
 
susie2193 said:
Bit of a pointless post but I really need to have a rant.

They came in and proceeded to walk round the school 4 abreast chatting for 20 minutes. When I asked them not to they just said sorry and carried on. I even tried deliberately riding where they wanted to walk, (petty I know), but they just carried on. Eventually the door was opened again, (with no warning) and they all left. I spoke to the mother who let them out and she just shrugged her shoulders. By this time I wasn't in the mood to ride properly and got off 5 minutes later. I spoke to the DC who said they had all been told off, but not one of them came and apologized to me, and I suspect they didn't really care.



I probably would have pushed them all off their horses and then denied it!;)
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If its a one off I would just drop it after asking the YO to give the PC a reminder next time they come

If its ingoing then that would probably be the time to rant imho
 
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