Riding schools and school holidays?

Skib

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2003
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Am hopping mad as the RS cancelled my ride next week. Staff shortage as they are busy with kids on Pony week. True they asked me to switch days but I couldnt do the day they wanted. They are closed Mondays and Thursdays which means I arrange my diary round them.
I am a bad tempered old woman.
Any other RS riders get messed around in the school holidays?
 
I don't ride at schools, but I know it can be a problem around here. Camps etc are very popular in the holidays but they do tie up staff, ponies & facilities.

Why not have a ring round & see if there's somewhere else you can ride? Who knows, you may enjoy a change of scenery & a different horse.
 
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I sympathise. My RS cancelled the adult group lesson last week due to insufficient riders. They asked me to ride earlier in the day, in a kids' lesson: I turned them down as I prefer not to ride with children if I can help it. Nothing against them at all - they are after all the majority of most RS riders - it's just that I prefer a more grown-up ambience.
 
Snap what Joosie says. It's how we all learnt at some point when we were younger if we were lucky enough to start young,not necessarily camp but usually a good riding school that let us and helped us :)
 
Carthorse - Yes I have done this. I have three back up schools - Last year I even rode a proficiency test at one to qualify to hack. But it didnt seem practical to ask to hack a new horse at a new place at such short notice when I have so much else arranged this week. I needed to slot in that particular ride.

For those who talk about helping, For a long time I helped out at a livery yard and learned a lot. I recommend it.

But be aware any work with children requires clearance. Pony week is equine child minding for Primary age children - under 9. The RS dont use amateurs or volunteers.
Voluntary work is important and well run here in London. But it is important to match volunteers' talents to the work. OH and I do translation work that uses our specialist knowledge.
I decided against the RDA when asked a couple of years ago, as I didnt have the energy. But anything that involves children or vulnerable people involves training and checking. I used to hack in summer with unqualified temporary staff - teenagers who could ride. But I guess health and safety has caught up with that too. And overseas students perhaps cant get permits.

For me and other busy older riders, we have to weigh up the convenience of RS riding -which are many - against the alternatives of owning or sharing. It is something I constantly do. And I posted here because I wondered what happened to other people. It seems I am lucky by comparison.
 
From my memory Skib it worked both ways for us when we ran our RS!

School holidays were a nightmare for people not turning up for normal lessons and yes we had two weeks a year when we stopped normal lessons for 'camps'. We also had a week off at Christmas and after the summer for the horses ( and us!!) to have a holiday.
 
School holidays were a nightmare for people not turning up for normal lessons.

My RS has an entirely reasonable policy - you pay in full for no-shows or late cancellations, barring emergencies.

I have to admit that I've also benefited from riding during school holiday-time, as school-age employees and helpers have been around to lead hacks that I've been on. I am conscious, though, that it's a busy time for riding schools. As a regular, I would hope that I can be accommodated and ride at a mutually convenient time, but it isn't always possible. The adult RS client is always in a minority. I wish my RS ran an adult camp, as some do.
 
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