coach with no lesson horses?

I've just stumbled on a coach who teaches eventing and he wrote me back that he doesn't have any schooling horses, but that that could change. I believe I read that he competes to level 3 and coaches to level 2.

I have never met a riding coach at an established facility who doesn't have lesson horses! I'm thinking this means he is serious business. Like if you want to be his student then you better be serious enough to have investe in buying your own horse. Oh and the stabling fees are over $500/month!

What do you all make of this?

Honestly, I'm intrigued. I feel like I would be stepping in to the big leagues or something if I go with him for a trainer! I've never been around eventing at all so I have no idea what to expect.

Well as for stabling fees, $500 a month is considered fair here. I've seen board up to $1250 a month.

I would expect an independent instructor to not have any lesson horses if he travels to his students. But i'd think any established instructor who is permanently at a facility should have access to lesson horses. Just my opinion.

I have no lesson horses, either. My students all have their own horses. I am able to keep my schedule full and I save a ton on horse care, insurance and assorted tack.

If you're new to eventing, I would keep his card, but find a trainer more suited to your current needs. It's common in ALL pedagogical enterprises to start with one teacher/trainer and then move up if/when your needs surpass the teacher. In the music world, the teacher determines your suitability by an audition. I'm not sure about a coach who just quotes you $, without first checking your abilities. Somebody's reputation is important. If you don't do well, or if you excel, people will want to know WHO your coach is. Word of mouth advertising is probably more important than Internet ads are. Hope you like eventing! =D

I think this is such an important part of horse riding that I didn't really grasp until recently. It can be hard to break ties with a trainer and even harder to know when the time is right!

I emailed the coach and gave him a brief description of my experience and goals and asked for quotes. I hope I didn't give the impression that he was solely focused on finances. He did say I was welcome anytime to watch a lesson. And his group lessons are max 2-3 people, which I view as a positive; he also teaches private.

So there are 3 eventing places near me and I plan to look in to all of them when I return home. Something to look forward to as I will be SO sad to leave Ireland and my horse! I'm sure something will work out!

Some instructors are like that, even if they are "established" at one facility. I would check him out, just sit and watch a lesson one day, and see what he's all about. Maybe ask one of his students what they think of him (not right in front of him, of course).

I've found this common at Eventing barns. Most riders in Eventing are looking to improve to compete and have their own horses. These aren't the places where you learn the basics. Horses that can teach and perform at something more upper level like eventing are harder to find than your average lesson horse.

The trainer I school with allows me to lesson on prospects that she is bringing along, but doesn't actually have a lesson horse. I try to take my beast as often as possible. Eventing really does rely on the bond between the horse and rider, it's important to foster that.

This is very common with eventing barns. I actually don't know a single eventing barn in my area (there's at least 5) that has school horses. Some smaller "eventing" barns may have some schooling horses but these are usually the trainers that do a little of everything: schooling horse trials, hunter shows, dressage. The upper level event trainers usually don't have school horses. One of my trainers will sometimes give dressage lessons on her semi retired upper level dressage horse, but only to experienced riders.

I wouldn't say it is very common, of course it happens, but on my neck of the woods there are Eventing Barns/Facilities where they have their own lesson horses.

There are 2 who are owned and ran by Upper Level Eventers, one being 3* and the other just merging into 4*. They have their own lesson horses, but they also offer discounts to boarders who allow the facility to use their horses in lessons. They also have "Assistant" Coaches who teach while they are in Florida and other warmer states training with "Big" named Eventers.

Then there a handful of other facilities - Green Gables, Derbyshire, Cobblestone, Hunt Club, etc, etc, etc who are at the Lower to Mid Levels who have their own lesson horses.

BUT, there are also "Free Lance" Eventers who are Coaching who don't have their own facilities, but are riding/training/competing in the sport at respectable levels. They have their own horses, but keep them at a facility that does not belong to them, but are in "business" with the BO. Bringing business into the facility, boarders who want to event, lessons, clinics, etc, etc.

Depends on where you are looking I suppose.

Plenty of trainers around here don't have lessons horses. My dressage trainer I work with for over a year doesn't have one: she allows me to take lessons on border's horse during winter. So yes, using your own horse for lessons is pretty norm for the top facilities around here.

P.S. And I'm not very surprised. Personally I found my own horses to give me much better ride/lesson than any lesson horse I tried (unless you are lucky to get one on private schoolmaster, which I did once or twice).