anuvb
Well-Known Member
Can anyone recommend a place for schooling livery in Wiltshire/Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire?
Am thinking about sending my boy away for a couple of weeks as I'm going to be away for work and am fed up of stop-starting him all the time. It would be nice to find somewhere which I could send him to regularly when work demands it of me.
But... I'm really fussy about schooling. Mainly because I've had bad experiences of schooling livery elsewhere which led to a horse of mine having all sorts of hang ups because the person I thought would ride him handed him over to a numpty. My current horse is far too nice a youngster to risk and so personal recommendations are a must!
I'm looking for somewhere that will be able to provide a varied programme of work but focus on the dressage; but as he gets bored so quickly they would need to be able to alternate hacking with flat work and not all dressage yards offer that. They also need to be able to deal with the odd temper tantrum in a non-confrontational way - he does get over himself but it needs patience rather than agression. For example, he's just started napping on a hack but getting mad at him only makes him worse so I have to sit there until he gives up, give it a few weeks and he'll be no bother again. A few months ago we had issues with teaching him to leg yield, and he'd spin, but he's worked through it and now works well. What he can't deal with is pressure and he needs someone who understands that he will co-operate but you have to ask gently.
I'm probably looking for the perfect schooling yard to only fail to find it, but because he can be a bit precious I need to know that wherever I send him, he won't come back worse than he went after all if I'm going to pay I want to see some benefit otherwise he might as well stay in the field!
Has anyone got any personal experience of good yards? Ones where it's really been worth the money?
PS - I'm really sorry I only ever seem to post to ask for recommendations but you're all so helpful! It's much appreciated!!!
Am thinking about sending my boy away for a couple of weeks as I'm going to be away for work and am fed up of stop-starting him all the time. It would be nice to find somewhere which I could send him to regularly when work demands it of me.
But... I'm really fussy about schooling. Mainly because I've had bad experiences of schooling livery elsewhere which led to a horse of mine having all sorts of hang ups because the person I thought would ride him handed him over to a numpty. My current horse is far too nice a youngster to risk and so personal recommendations are a must!
I'm looking for somewhere that will be able to provide a varied programme of work but focus on the dressage; but as he gets bored so quickly they would need to be able to alternate hacking with flat work and not all dressage yards offer that. They also need to be able to deal with the odd temper tantrum in a non-confrontational way - he does get over himself but it needs patience rather than agression. For example, he's just started napping on a hack but getting mad at him only makes him worse so I have to sit there until he gives up, give it a few weeks and he'll be no bother again. A few months ago we had issues with teaching him to leg yield, and he'd spin, but he's worked through it and now works well. What he can't deal with is pressure and he needs someone who understands that he will co-operate but you have to ask gently.
I'm probably looking for the perfect schooling yard to only fail to find it, but because he can be a bit precious I need to know that wherever I send him, he won't come back worse than he went after all if I'm going to pay I want to see some benefit otherwise he might as well stay in the field!
Has anyone got any personal experience of good yards? Ones where it's really been worth the money?
PS - I'm really sorry I only ever seem to post to ask for recommendations but you're all so helpful! It's much appreciated!!!
