Help for a horseless rider!

I'm getting fed up with my trainer. She's a good instructor, but she flakes on me all the time. It seems like my lessons get canceled every other week, and half the time I don't hear about it until I've already driven out to the barn.

I feel like it's time to find another place to ride. The problem is, my options are pretty limited in this community. I tried out the other two stables in town when we first moved here and wasn't impressed. At this point in time lessons are my only way of getting to ride. Do you guys have any tips on finding a new barn? Or even better maybe, ways to ride that don't involve taking lessons?

Wow this sounds alot like what just happened to me this spring! I had an awesome trainer with awesome horses but she would flake on every other lesson. She would just text me to hack this or that horse so I was okay with it. But then every lesson she failed to show up or "forgot to write it down" but I had nowhere else to go so I would keep texting her to make lessons.. Then it got very sketchy. She stopped answering my texts or would answer once but not after that. Made me feel VERY unwanted. I got lucky and found an horse I used to ride offered for lease at another nice barn so I did that. But I feel ya, this situation sucks and don't let th trainer make you feel unwanted cause others will gladly take you in :) so mabye broaden your barn search? You may hve to drive farther but if it means you can ride... Or look into someone looking for a lease, ask around there's usually one or two!
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A lease might be a good idea for you now. And some owners also offer lessons on there own personal horses, or to leasers just so they can make sure you are riding there horse in a way they want.

You would be surprised at how many people are interested in having someone ride their horses. Before I got mine, I posted an online ad reading that I was willing to exercise. I received a lot of responses, and ended up with two that I was riding whenever I wanted. The owners were so grateful.

I agree with Honey. I got back into horses by putting an ad out as a horseless rider. Explained my situation (mine was mostly financial) and rode other peoples horses for 2 years before getting my own.

I might have to look into trying to find someone who needs their horses exercised. I'm a little leery of posting an ad on the internet though. Do you have any pointers to tell if someone is legit?

I found a listing for barn in the next town over. It's about a 35 minute drive, but if it's a good place, I think I can manage that once or twice a week.
I'm looking forward to the day when I can just get my own horse!

Look and/or post at local feed stores, tack shops, and/or vets. I've seen postings for horseless riders/riderless horses in these places and I deem them more reliable than internet postings.

Hey Ink..... Where in TN are you? What kind of riding are you looking to do? PM me if you want

When I posted, it was a fairly localized website. We exchanged a couple of emails, a phone call, and then met in person. It was pretty easy to see that they were good, honest people.