School Rules / Etiquette - List Please

CBFan

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I'm talking:

Announce entrance / Exit
Pass left on left
Faster Paces to outside track
Pick up droppings
Put jumps away after use
wear a hat
don't always lunge in the same spot.
any more?

and up to how many horses would you say can happilly share a 20 x 60 school at a time?
 

AmyMay

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I agree 100% with all of the above.

And you could have quite a few horses working in the school, however put a lunger in to the equation and you reduce it's capacity to a maximum of 2 I'd say (1 ridden, 1 lunged).
 

BorgRae

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We have a 20x60, and 3 seem to fit no probs, 4 can be a bit of a squeeze, but is no major issue!

As for rules, can't think of any more that you haven't already mentioned :D
 

Dizzydancer

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Agree with your list...especially poo picking.
Also asking if people mind if someone jumps.
I personally dont like more than 3 ridden horses in the school at same time as me, thats if they are all working hard and all horses. we used to have 5 ponies in at one time though as they turn much quicker and smaller areas.
Agree with amymay only 2 horses if 1 lunging and would never lunge more than 1 at a time.
Maybe thats because my lad is a bit hot headed and too many things going on basically means he cant work properly yet (ex racer retraining).
 

rhino

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wear a hat correctly fastened at all times when mounted ;)

And not really a 'school' rule but no jumping unless they are supervised/someone else is on yard? Not a rule we have or one I would find it easy to stick to but think it is sensible :) especially for children.

Make sure door/gate is shut when riding.

:)
 

Kat

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Don't forget "give way to lateral work"

I think there is one about people riding "figures" in the school giving way to people on the track, so if you are doing a serpentine and someone else is riding along the track you would give way to them.

At the riding school I used to be at we had a maximum of eight horses in the school at once normally if it was big horses riding in open order but the school was 40x60 I think.

Had someone at the current yard enter the indoor while i was working the other day without announcing themselves. I was fuming but decided to give the guy the benefit of the doubt as I *may* not have heard him, and at least he came in while I was walking and at the opposite end of the school.
 

Housemouse

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Keep off the track if you are walking.
Halt across or down the CL.
Faster paces have priority.
Anyone riding figures has higher priority (serpentines etc)
Lunging and in hand work have priority over ridden work (however, I don't advocate lunging and riding happening in the same arena.
Halt if someone falls off.
Announce exit.

If you have to watch all this lot and get some concentrated schooling done I'd say 3, but if you are not switching from shoulder-in to travers, making transitions within the lateral movements etc, then 6.
 

Gorgeous George

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Pretty much what you said, we also always ask others in the school if it's ok to put out trotting poles.

We have a rule that you can't have someone riding and someone lunging in the school at the same time.

With regards numbers, we have a 40x20m and 3 schooling is just about ok, or 2 lunging.
 

dafthoss

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We used to aviod each other if we were parcticing a dressage test, not a rule as such just both helping each other, we would also read for each other occasionally when learning a test. But we used to share the school most nights so had ways that worked for us.
 

Horsemad12

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Being sensible, so if you are in a position that is easier to move out of the way then do regardless of what pace / movement you are riding.

Take "evasive" action sooner rather than later and perhaps say what you are doing!

Give way to lateral work / counter counter etc

Smile!
 

Shavings

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Pass left hand to left hand
Pass with a wide cap ( a girl came to close to me once and hit the horse I was riding with her schooling whip / good job I was on outside track as we cantered of rather sharp ish
 

Shavings

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Pass left hand to left hand
Pass with a wide cap ( a girl came to close to me once and hit the horse I was riding with her schooling whip / good job I was on outside track as we cantered of rather sharp ish)
Oh and breath!!
I always seem to hold my breath which makes me tence so we have the radio on (quietly) so I sing a song (also very quietly) but I breath woke singing and relax -not so much a rule to sing but help me loads!!
 

CBFan

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Thanks everyone! Very helpfull... I'm not sure if any of our lot are up to any fancy moves like lateral work but it's worth noting (most just seem to go round and round in circles of varying sizes :$ )
 

Colivet

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To some extent I think it depends on the experience and temperament of those riders using the school - with more experience and less nerves, then using your eyes, your brain and generally being courteous to other users quite often works well, as it would in a warm up area.

For those less experienced, or perhaps more nervous, a clear set of rules to be followed is a great tool. However, like all rules, I don't believe they should necessarily be followed slavishly. If for example someone passes me on the wrong side, but with ample clearance and no interference with what I am doing, then I don't think it's something to get wound up about.

Common sense and courtesy should perhaps be added to the rules :)
 

benson21

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We have a diary, so if you want to use the school for a lesson or you need sole use of it, you can book it, but it has to be 48 hours in advance. Also, when the clocks change in the autumn, the school cannot be booked between 5-7pm, as everybody needs it, as its our only one, and obviously we cant hack in the evenings. All seems to work.
 

Luci07

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My only complaint has been when people booked the school at "peak" times but I made such a fuss that it has now been noted. I do not see why I have to wait to ride my horse, after work when I have little free time so someone else can have a lesson. Do it at the weekend when we all have other options not when everyone needs to use it!

I also always always tell the other rider when I am going out as well just in case their horse throws a wobbly at my disappearance!

oh and a new one I have to observe. Ensure new dog who does not have a crate is properly secured in the car - or she will join you in the school...
 

maresmaid

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I would add

No halting on the outside track (especially if the halt involves a long chat with someone watching!)

and in our indoor school we have a rule that children must stay outside the riding area at all times if they are not riding, - I had a real fright when a small child ran right accross my path towards it's sibling (which was parked in a pushchair in the corner) as I cantered round once!
 

Mike007

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I think it is downright rude to do lateral work in a crowded school.Wait till it is empty. And dont constantly change rein ,it makes life hard for everyone else. Faster pace always to the outside. Left to left only if at the same pace.Clear up droppings grrrrr:mad:
 

Celestica

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My yard owner always has her two jack russell pups running around the arena during lessons :mad: Even though it's 60 x 40 it's such a hazzard as they're always chassing us or sitting infront or behind the jump we're coming into!
 

Hedwards

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I would echo those that have said about rules regarding lunging and someone else riding at the same time - its not allowed on our yard, and I whitnessed a horrific accident when a girl was riding her horse, it spooked right into the path of the lunge line and all hell let loose, poor girl broke her arm, and the horse on the lunge received a rather nasty cut on its mouth (being lunged on the bit and not a lunging cavesson)...
 

Kat

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I think it is downright rude to do lateral work in a crowded school.Wait till it is empty. And dont constantly change rein ,it makes life hard for everyone else. Faster pace always to the outside. Left to left only if at the same pace.Clear up droppings grrrrr:mad:

Ah well I have obviously been very rude for many years, then would not have got very far with lateral work or any dressage at all though if I had to wait to have sole use of the school. I would regularly do lateral work in a group lesson whilst working in open order with multiple horses in the school. If you keep your eyes open it should not be a problem. Same with changing the rein, regular changes of rein are good for your schooling, it shouldn't be that difficult to work around, unless someone has serious control issues.
 

Cortez

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Most people seem to know the "pass left hand to left hand", but they should also carry long whips in the right hand only, so as to not belt the other horse as they are passing.
 

CBFan

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Most people seem to know the "pass left hand to left hand", but they should also carry long whips in the right hand only, so as to not belt the other horse as they are passing.

You'd have thought so wouldn't you... unfortunately I have been in the middle of backing (about my 3rd time on his back) my youngster when someone has wandered in unnanounced, mounted and started cantering around the school and even when directed that it was ok for them to be in there with me (FORTUNATELY my youngster is quite well behaved - allthough they don't know that!) we didn't have our steering 100% sorted so could they keep out of the way, they didn't. - grrrrr!
 

helencharlie

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I must be very lucky on our yard we have a 37m by approx 18m school. There are 4 other livery owners there and I appear to be the only one who uses the school. Don't really have any rules, but would hope that if any one else did use the school at the same time as me to have some common sense. I am also fortunate that I can use the school during the day, due to shift work. I have been on yards before with all of the above mentioned rules. These only seem to work if people follow them. Having worked in open order group lessons there was always one rider (same person) every week who appeared oblivious to these rules. Very frustrating.
 

dafthoss

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But it can be useful to have another horse arround when your doing lateral work

It helped us get shoulder in without falling in as when theres another horse there (well behaved and planned I will add so I dont get shot down) its rather hard to just fall out and walk straight ;) :D We have also aided the collecting of friends canter as my pony is way smaller than hers so she just popped behind us :D and getting more definition to our medium trot following the bigger horse. See schooling with a friend has its benefits as long as you both dont mind obviously.
 

Boulty

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I agree with most of these, apart from the "faster paces to the outside" one. Where I used to be it was customary if there were two people on the same rein for the faster one to overtake on the inside track & then return to the outside track afterwards, thus allowing both horses to be on the outside track most of the time and meaning that we didn't all have to be mindreaders. Guess this must have been a rule unique to the yard. I didn't used to like sharing a school with more than 2 other people if we were all doing our own thing just got a bit messy trying to predict what everyone else was doing and ended up colliding with a few people who did things like decide to change the rein right where I was in the middle of a circle or didn't quite give enough space when passing! I just used to end up walking round til everyone else got bored...
 

Allie5

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Following an incident in our school tonight. "if thy horse is being a **** on the lunge, remove it!" Young girl riding by herself (I say young she's 15 and riding AM dressage!) when another girl brought her 24/7 stabled, just out of racing (left training 2 weeks ago!) 3yr old into the school. TB went absolutely loopy on the lunge, rearing, bucking, galloping flat out dragging owner all over the place. Owner then proceeds to crack whip loudly whenever it stopped! I would have objected loudly if it was me riding but polite 15 yr old just squeezed past and left! That's just so ignorant and rude IMHO. Rider was in first and had to leave because someone else was being an idiot!
 

CBFan

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Following an incident in our school tonight. "if thy horse is being a **** on the lunge, remove it!" Young girl riding by herself (I say young she's 15 and riding AM dressage!) when another girl brought her 24/7 stabled, just out of racing (left training 2 weeks ago!) 3yr old into the school. TB went absolutely loopy on the lunge, rearing, bucking, galloping flat out dragging owner all over the place. Owner then proceeds to crack whip loudly whenever it stopped! I would have objected loudly if it was me riding but polite 15 yr old just squeezed past and left! That's just so ignorant and rude IMHO. Rider was in first and had to leave because someone else was being an idiot!

That sort of thing makes my blood boil!!
 

Mike007

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I agree with most of these, apart from the "faster paces to the outside" one. Where I used to be it was customary if there were two people on the same rein for the faster one to overtake on the inside track & then return to the outside track afterwards, thus allowing both horses to be on the outside track most of the time and meaning that we didn't all have to be mindreaders. Guess this must have been a rule unique to the yard. I didn't used to like sharing a school with more than 2 other people if we were all doing our own thing just got a bit messy trying to predict what everyone else was doing and ended up colliding with a few people who did things like decide to change the rein right where I was in the middle of a circle or didn't quite give enough space when passing! I just used to end up walking round til everyone else got bored...

Never even occured to me that anyone would try to overtake . I meant head on, faster pace to the outside. I have always found it easier and safer to circle or turn across the school to avoid another horse going in the same direction. Also too easy to get kicked overtaking.
 
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