Would you be cross , I am.

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SALLYT

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I take my son for a private riding lesson it costs me £25 for 30 mins, which I think is a lot but thats another story.
His lesson should start at 4.00pm and finish at 4.30.

Now I know things happen and cannot guarantee starting at 4.00 which is fine, well last night he started his lesson at just before 4.10 and still finished at 4.30. Now I was cross at this, its not the first time this has happened and said I wasn't happy, I was paying a lot of money for a 30 mins lesson regardless of what time the lesson started. The instructer looked at me and said nothing to do with her, she is only a young girl, but to have a word with the owner.

Well what a waste of time that was, she just shrugged her shoulders at me and said that sometimes lessons over ran causing the next to start late, I said thats fine but we have had only 20mins and I have paid for 30 mins. MIght as well have spoken to the dog on the floor for all of the response that I got.

She then asked did I want to book in for next week!

So now on the look out for another riding school, or maybe for the money I am selling out per month £100 I may look for a 1st pony on loan for him . So if anyone knows of a 1st pony who would be kept on a great yard with my horse let me know.
 
For a child's lesson I don't think it is right not to get your full 30 minutes. I would look elsewhere, or try to get him a pony of his own.

My lesson is supposed to be 40 minutes, sometimes we cut it short if she has done well and likewise we often run well over the time, if my instructor thinks she needs it.

I pay £35 on my own horse, at the instructors premises.
 
Yes, I would be very cross. Firstly you have not got your full half hour and secondly because of the way you were spoken to.

£25 is a lot of money. Worth it though if you are getting quality teaching and therefore obviously your money's worth but this doesn't sound the case.
 
i would be really cross. perhaps you could share one for a couple of days a week. a friend of mine used to pay £100pm for sole use of a pony 2 days a week.
 
Extremely cross and £25 is outrageous!

Look for the first pony and a freelance instructor. Your child has the benefit of a parent who is knowledgeable and can support them. He would, in my mind, learn more about looking after a pony, the responsibility and gain more confidence, from having his own beast to look after, than a 20 minute lesson once a week.

I mean, what really can you do in 20 minutes if you're a novice!? Honestly!
 
He loves coming up with me and is always helping muck out and prepare feeds etc. When you break it down I am paying £100 for at most 2 hrs riding a month.

He is such a good little rider and I think he could be quite good if he sticks to it, enjoys a jumping and a good canter.

I have not been happy with the level of instruction for somewhile, but this latest saga has sourred me to do something about it.

My own lesson for an hour maybe more dependant on how things are going is £20 and thats her coming to me.

Will definately look for a pony on loan for him, he has asked many times for this.
 
I would be annoyed if it is not your fault that the lesson started late.

On the other hand, I get people booking a lesson for, say, 10.30, who roll into the yard with their horse at five past, then spend 10 minutes tacking up and wanting to chat, and then wonder why their lesson finishes at 11.30.
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They would also quite like to chat (sorry, analyse their horse's every footfall) for a while afterwards.
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It doesn't seem to occur to them that I have made sure I am ready to teach them at the arranged time, and will probably have another lesson or something else to do afterwards, and I am not just at their beck and call all day (and night).
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Bad business. You are right to talk with your feet. Steep prices, but no service to match. Why is the lesson previous always runnind over, yet yours doesn't? That's what I'd want to know!
 
Well when he was in a group lesson again at 4.00 I would expect everyone to be there a good 5 mins before hand, but no some ,and it was the same every week would saunter in at 4.10, and the whole class was waiting for them and again finish early, this is way I opted for a private lesson thought I migh get better service. Thought wrong didn't I.

It makes my blood boil, there appears to be NO organisation, but this riding school seems to have all the clients regardless of service given.
 
bit of a cheek imo.
if you are going to buy or loan a pony be prepared to still have to pay for lessons. i can't teach my lad to ride as it turns into an almighty row between us lol
 
We have stopped doing half hour lessons for precisely this reason. They always overrun because you want to give the client their 30mins.

I would be cross in your position. Also as an instructor I would be mortified if a client felt their lesson had been 'cut short' in anyway so I don't think the young instructor behaved appropriately. Likewise, the YO sounds like a rude and unhelpful person, I woudl look for another yard pronto if it were me.

Can I also add the IMO £25 for 1/2hr is a lot of money. Would you consider a longer lesson but in a group for your child, he might get more out of it as would have more 'riding time' but not such intensity as in a private. Just a thought. Good luck
 
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The instructor looked at me and said nothing to do with her

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It's everything to do with her! You were there & ready to go, she wasn't. So she decides to put herself back on track she'll cut your lesson by 33% but still charge you the same amount?

She should have given you the full 30 minute lesson & phoned the next appointment saying she'd be a little late, that's the proper thing to do. You're doing the right thing, bin her & get yourself a more professional instructor....you'll notice the difference in the quality of teaching as well. My daughter has an International Show Jumper as an instructor who gives the full 45 minutes & sometimes longer if she feels we need to get to a certain point. I won't say her fees, but much better value both cash wise & content & knowledge I would imagine.
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i'd be angry, that's very steep even if you do get the full 30 mins. cutting it by a few mins i'd allow, by 1/3 is ridiculous. i'd have paid £16.33 and walked out!
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agree with the above point, he'd probably get more out of an hour's group lesson tbh, it's riding practise that's required just as much as specific instruction imho.
 
This is very wrong, the only time I end a lesson early if the horse (or rider) is tired, has worked hard and both ending positive.
Especially young horses (I don't have child pupils), the give and work hard and will tire.

However, this should never impact upon another person's time, you should complain and also I would have deducted the necessary amount that I never received as service!
 
Unfare on you and totally unprofessional by the sounds of the responce you got.

Yes we cant always run by schedule and sometimes people are late, or you run over but they should of either given you a decent apology or insisted that you have extra time allocated to your sons next lesson to make up for it...that would of been a half decent thing to do.

Don't get mad, just take him somewhere else and forget about it, if you they treat all there clients like that, then they wont be going for much longer anyway.
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I would be angry and I would walk too as I did from my past riding school.

In fact yours sounds the same one I used to go to I would be interested to know.
 
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