What would you do?

[Ambers Echo]

In all honesty, unless she is in a lesson, I would just tack up and go in there and say to her "really sorry, this is the only time I can ride today as I need to get going, my Horse is fine and we can use opposite ends of the school if you are worried" she will either have to lump it and get on with it (which would build her confidence over time) or she will have to leave the menage.

This 100%!!!
We have no booking system either and occasionally in the past people have asked to be on their own. If there is a good reason (young horse, new horse etc) then everyone is more than happy to be accommodating. Within reason! But this is not expected. People who just don't like sharing - which included my daughter for quite a few months after her accident - rode late when everyone else had finished. On the other end of the spectrum some folk can take the mick with it and in the end people ignore them and just go in and face down any sulking with a breezy - sorry need to ride now. Don't worry we will keep out of your way. Though on one occasion a parelli woman went in to do some ground work and cracked a whip on either side of her horse in an arena full of other horses! Cue total pandemonium. She was given a wider berth after that!

 

[Leo Walker]

Of course they can coexist yes once the ridden horses are used to the idea (which they generally aren't today, unlike in previous centuries) - where there is room. However, I was having difficulty with the idea that you can work properly a horse and carriage (presumably the combined size of a large vehicle at least) and one or more ridden (or lunged) horses in a typical sized arena without either impeding each other so badly that proper work is not possible or risking a nasty collision. If that isn't the case then presumably your school is in the "ginormous" category!

I've happily worked my pony in her carriage with two other riders in a 20x40 with no issues whatsoever. I've also warmed her up with 4 others also in carriages in a 60x20.

 

[Lois Lame]

Unfortunately she doesn’t hack at all. I understand her being nervous and that’s why I feel that I could be coming across as rude. But like someone said before, if the rest of us are all okay with sharing then it’s her problem not ours and we shouldn’t be made to change our plans/not ride because of it. It also bugs me that she’s an instructor and will watch me riding when I’m in the school and try and give me a lesson, but the minute you give her friendly advice (leg on/breathe) she gets really, really offended. I’m trying not to be rude because we have all been there, me especially!

I read this yesterday and I had to have a cup of tea and a lay down.

It would absolutely do my head in if this woman did this to me. And combined with her wanting all you other riders to fit in with her, it's too much. I think she needs to get over herself. (Hope I'm not being too narky here.)

 

[AmyMay]

Any update op?

 

[tankgirl1]

I read this yesterday and I had to have a cup of tea and a lay down.

It would absolutely do my head in if this woman did this to me. And combined with her wanting all you other riders to fit in with her, it's too much. I think she needs to get over herself. (Hope I'm not being too narky here.)

Glad it's not just me that caught she's an instructor! I wonder how she would react if one of her pupils came to her with the OP?

 

[AmyMay]

Who’s an instructor?

 

[Lois Lame]

The woman at Bea's yard who doesn't want anyone else in the arena when she's riding and expects all the other liveries to bend over backwards for her.

 

[AmyMay]

She’s not.

 

[concorde]

Yes she is Amy May
OP says she is an instructor, and also tries to give advice to other liveries when they are riding.
That made my eyes roll !
All the liveries need to actually talk to her and tell her she can’t hog the school to herself in peak times.

 

[OldNag]

Where I was we could each book 1 hour sole use a week (bigger yard though). Any other time you just had to share.

I have sympathy for this lady but she is taking the proverbial.

 

[AmyMay]

Yes she is Amy May
OP says she is an instructor, and also tries to give advice to other liveries when they are riding.
That made my eyes roll !
All the liveries need to actually talk to her and tell her she can’t hog the school to herself in peak times.

Oh, missed that

 

[Bea_millard]

Any update op?

So she was supposed to have a lesson yesterday at 5.30 but as I arrived at 5, she was just leaving. It was a good job I hadn’t decided to give pony a day off because she didn’t tell anyone the school was no longer booked. Then I was speaking to another livery who I really get on with, and apparently this woman had been crying in her field and in the cabin with the YO for over half an hour. YO has also text us all to tell us there’s no booking the school between 5-7pm. So, me and other livery came to the conclusion that it was probably to do with this. Thankfully, I’m away for a week now so I’m hoping it’s all calmed down/sorted when I get back as I feel like this woman is trying to paint me as the bad guy as I said to her, when she tried to book the school on Wednesday (not for a lesson) that I was planning on riding at 5.20 and was happy to share, but not wait for her.

 

[Bea_millard]

Yes she is Amy May
OP says she is an instructor, and also tries to give advice to other liveries when they are riding.
That made my eyes roll !
All the liveries need to actually talk to her and tell her she can’t hog the school to herself in peak times.

Yep! She is an instructor and apparently a judge as well. It just bugs me that she tries to give me lessons, when my pony isn’t necessarily difficult but very green, when she can’t even ride her pony with others. I understand some instructors don’t ride, but it’s just infuriating!

 

[milliepops]

YO has also text us all to tell us there’s no booking the school between 5-7pm. So, me and other livery came to the conclusion that it was probably to do with this. Thankfully, I’m away for a week now so I’m hoping it’s all calmed down/sorted when I get back as I feel like this woman is trying to paint me as the bad guy as I said to her, when she tried to book the school on Wednesday (not for a lesson) that I was planning on riding at 5.20 and was happy to share, but not wait for her.

well that all sounds promising. I left my last yard because of impossible school booking rules that took no account of peak hours and no one would be prepared to share... I wish that YO had taken the same approach. hope it settles down while you're away.

 

[Horsekaren]

you could have actually written that about me a year ago. I wouldnt ride with anyone in the school. I was so extreme about it i was riding at 4.30 in the morning sometimes.
I got over this by riding with a friend, we would communicate with eachother what we were doing, where we were going ect and eventually we both became confident not being alone. I think it is dawnting if you have a nervy rider in a school with an inconsiderate rider running circles around them... one day it will be fine but with nerves i think slowley slowely catchy monkey

Agreed it's not fare for her to have the school to herself but if you all help her in a month or so it wont be an issue any longer.

 

[JillA]

LIke animals, you desensitise to a problem by doing it and getting used to it, not avoiding it. Think of it as doing her good getting her used to having others around - but don't offer suggestions unless either she has asked for them or you have asked if she minds if you make a suggestion. It may be she is intimidated by more confident riders?