Woes of a riding instructor............

charlimouse

charlimouse

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I'll try to keep this short! I'm a freelance riding instructor, BHSAI, on the BHS register, fully insured. I have several horses competing from youngsters to BE intermediate. Most clients come to my yard which has a good arena and wide range of sj's and xc fences.

I've got a very good friend, who lives just down the road, so comes up to use my arena several times a week for free. I also teach her/ school her horse for 10 pounds, rather than the 20 I would normally charge. Last year another girl (13yo) in the village bought a pony, which she kept at my very good friends house. When this girl decided she wanted a new pony, I was immediately called in to help with the search. After seeing a couple of unsuitable ponies (which I rode as the girl has a broken arm!) She bought a lovely pony, but is quite a bit bigger and far more powerful than the previous pony. As I was really doing this all for my very good friend (who has taken this girl on as a daughter pretty much) I didn't actually charge the girl anything to see any of the ponies. Due to the girls broken arm she still can't ride, so a couple of times I have schooled the pony for them. Due to this pony being very unfit a half hour session is plenty. The second time I schooled it I charged the girl 10 pounds (my very good friend had basically told her she was beginning to take the pi$$, so she did offer to pay) I told the girl this was mates rates as a favour to my very good friend. The girl is now saying she won't have any lessons with me as I am so expensive! I am so annoyed, I have given up so much of my time to help her out, even when a full paying client wanted a lesson I turned them down as I had to school this pony. My very good friend is now trying to keep out of it, but knows I am pretty livid. Do I have a right to be annoyed?
 
Yes but she is a teenager so won't notice you're annoyed so I wouldn't bother if I were you! :)

Just ignore her and don't help her unless she pays in future. You'll only get more annoyed that she hasn't noticed your annoyed if you don't just let it go. If that makes sense
 
jesstickle said:
Yes but she is a teenager so won't notice you're annoyed so I wouldn't bother if I were you! :)

Just ignore her and don't help her unless she pays in future. You'll only get more annoyed that she hasn't noticed your annoyed if you don't just let it go. If that makes sense
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Baaaaa :p
Some teens will always think anything other then free is too expensive,let it go but don't give any more of you time to her :)
Vodka might help ;) :p
 
I was charging £10 an hour for riding peoples horses when I was 14! so I wouldnt give this girl any more of my time. It always starts as a favour, but you end up getting stuck with them :)
 
Not really, as she has decided she does not want to pay £10 for your services, she may not be able to afford it. She may not like you anymore. She may wish to find someone (good luck) to do it for free. She may have any number of reasons.
It was your decision to not charge her (and a silly one imo-it sets a trend) and now the arrangement has changed she has decided not to continue it.
This is where I feel the horse industry has a lot to learn. Be professional, acknowledge that she no longer wants the arrangement as it stands and move on without being livid (not sure about what tbh!)
 
I am a part time gardener and sometimes I charge less than I really would normally, for various reasons; somehow this often turns out badly, just as it has with you, so unless the person is your long term best friend and you are helping out for a specific occasion, don't do it, it leaves you feeling as though you have done something wrong, some peeps are professional manipulators, and they will make you feel a bit sick.
If someone wants you to check out a horse explain you are running a business so will have charge for time and travel, and you would normally expect to see her ride to assess level of competence.
 
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Just don't dwell on it, you might feel peeved, but it's not worth your nerves.
I charge what I charge and if people want cheaper they can go elsewhere, even if I do mates rates they are not so cheap for me to resent doing things. That way I never feel hard done by.
 
Having had and having watched other peoples teenage daughters thay are the most self centred, self absorbed people in the world. You have now learnt this,walk away with a smile. You have a get out of jail free card. You can now say when she asks for help that you have a full price paying client and in the current finacial climate you cannot turn down work.
 
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