Cost to clinic with BNT?

[cuatx67]

Sorry if this has already been talked about, I did a search but came up empty.

What is the highest amount you have ever paid to ride in a clinic with a BNT. I don't mean your very successful local GP trainer, I mean an internationally successful trainer. Not trying to start a train wreck, just genuinely curious as to what the norm is for this level of trainer.

Thanks!

[Velvet]

The going rate is usually around $250-$350. (I know there are more expensive ones, and a few less, but that's the typical rate for a true BNT.)

[Pony Fixer]

I paid a *lot* more than that to clinic with Steffen Peters. It was worth the money, and I learned a lot from auditing the other riders as well. Basically my weekend cost what a USDF show costs me for a weekend.

[Gracie]

I pay around $150 per ride with BNTs who come to my area. Usually, clinics run 2-3 days. There is no break for multiple rides, so a weekend clinic costs $300 (not including any temp boarding fees and gas). There are some mega dollar BNT who visit this area, but they are too rich for me. I had to get realistic with my budget.

I feel compelled to mention that oftentimes the host barn does not provide adequate information beyond the call for rides with BNT and the dates. I'm lucky if they provide a contact phone number.

[Tasker]

Clinic with a really BNT - $500-700 as a Young Rider, included lectures, on foot lessons, bio mechanics & training techniques as well as 'show polish', lessons were private & 60 minutes for 5 days.

Clinic with not quite as BNT - $165 for a semi private, 40 minutes provided other participant is having a smooth ride
Private lesson with Olympian - $100 for 50 minutes - includes discussion of polish & execution of show riding as well as training tools (figures, patterns, technique, etc)
Private lesson with BNT - $120 for 40 minutes
Private, semi private or group lesson with mom...priceless as she knows _all_ my bad habits and doesn't strangle me for sloppy elbows! :)

[kahjul]

The lowest was $160 per 30 minute private ride, the highest was $450 for the weekend-no option on number of rides. This included 2-45 minute rides and lunch.

[exvet]

I've been pretty lucky in that I've had two opportunities to ride with internationally known (and competed) BNTs who typically cost a whole lot more for $175 per ride each time. I traveled 8 hours to one and the other was hosted at a barn just down the road. Both times the experience was well worth the cost but I do not have the budget to afford more though there are others I would like to ride with. The reality is, I compete on the local and regional level and other than scores ranked nationally through USDF/USEF really will never get "bigger" than that; therefore, I cannot justify spending more though I certainly can understand others who do and feel that it's money well spent. I should also add that both lesson formats were private/45 minutes which quite honestly stretched into an hour or so each time (both days of the clinic) & included lunch each day, plus a "free pass" for my regular instructor to audit. You can interpret that however you wish but again the lessons I took home and the opportunity to see both of these riders actually ride my horse as well as coach me were well worth it. If given another opportunity with either I would take it in a heartbeat but unfortunately the clinics with them are closed to outside participants and/or are much more expensive with their current host(s).

[CTM]

From $200 - $275 per lesson.

[egontoast]

Travel costs will affect the price.

[J-Lu]

In my experience, BNTs cost $150-400/ride. I've not paid more than ~150-ish/ride. Some charge what they can get (alot), others are much more reasonable.

Personally, (PERSONALLY) I can't wrap my head around $300-400/ride.


J.

[akor]

Me personally, $165 a day

[Velvet]

Um, my prices were PER RIDE (45 minutes). :yes: There are more expensive clinicians you can ride with, but if the person is resonable for what they charge and the organizer isn't trying to scalp people, it's usually in the aforementioned range, anywhere I've lived around the country. I can get national BNTs for less--and often they are just as good since they pass on the information they get when they ride and spend the bigger bucks than I want to on a regular basis.

[Gucci Cowgirl]

This is kind of a loaded question...and there is a lot of variablility in fees per lesson when you are talking about Int'lly successful BNT's.

Private 1 hr lesson with former German team coach and olympic gold medalist on the German team - $350 per ride (clearly he has no idea what people charge these days, or he would crank it up a couple hundred bucks)
Private 1 hr lessons with current USET team rider - $250 per ride

I think Anky charges the highest rates in the world, I have heard rumours (so dont take it as gospel) that she charges $1000 per ride, but I doubt it is an incredibly accurate rumour.

The amount of money you spend on a lesson does NOT mean you are going to learn that much more from the person. It has no effect on the effectiveness of the teaching, or the quality of the lesson.


I think BNT's will charge as much as they can get away with. As long as people fill their clinics, why should they have realistic prices?!

[ACMiller]

The most I've paid for 45minutes was $180/ride.

[atr]

Debbie McDonald was $400 a ride here a year or so ago. Somehow I think someone other that Ms. McDonald was getting a substantial cut of that one.

Do bear in mind that the costs of transport and accomodations can amp up the price quite considerably, particularly if you have a clinician from the other end of the country.

[Jeannette, formerly ponygyrl]

The amount of money you spend on a lesson does NOT mean you are going to learn that much more from the person. It has no effect on the effectiveness of the teaching, or the quality of the lesson.


On the other hand, most anybody can tell you something you're doing wrong on a horse. Many can tell you an idea or two how to fix that error. Fewer have a whole bag of tricks, images, and exercises to address errors.

When I have paid the big bucks (and about 170 for half an hour has been my top $$) it has been to people who could pick the root issue to address - the issue which when it's gone or improved, many of the other errors disappear.

THAT skill is priceless, and tends to come from years and years of experience.

How much we learn from any instructor is more under our control than we often like to admit. I do find when I'm paying 3 bucks a minute I'm even more motivated to watch everyone's rides, take notes, and follow direction immediately, without question, to maximize my learning...

[fiona]

I think BNT's will charge as much as they can get away with. As long as people fill their clinics, why should they have realistic prices?!

I think that is a bit unfair.
Everytime this topic comes up people complain they are being ripped off but you have to look a the other picture.

You are a trainer at the start of your career. You work hard get some good horses together make your way up the ladder via competition success and take your trainers exams. You may work as an assistant to an already established trainer in exchange for their help in progressing your skills and horses training. This could take 10 years, maybe 15. You get to national GP.
Then you start.
Maybe one or two of your horses are good enough to make international competition. Possibly attract some sponsorship/state support. Another 10 years down the line maybe you had that big success and got to the Olympics. If your wildest dreams came true you got a medal.

To recap you put in 20/25 years of work educating yourself and getting the skills needed to train at Olympic level. It would be hard to put a figure on the investment you have made in yourself in dollar terms but i'm thinking millions. You worked an apprenticeship, you put in hours of hard study to get to this point. Nobody handed it to you on a plate. Why would you give this knowledge away? Is it really worth so little?

[cuatx67]

Thanks for all of the replies!
I really wasn't trying to ask how much it is *worth* to ride with an internationally successful trainer, I was just looking for the going rate. It wasn't meant to be a "loaded question" at all.
Thanks again - I appreciate the answers!

[CDNJumperGirl]

$250/lesson (not including the stall fees/trailering/etc.) with Lisa Wilcox

[tidy rabbit]

Wow, don't you all come to OHIO cause we don't get clinics that cheap!

It really depends on the area you're in and who is hosting the clinic. I know that GM's clinics can run 450 for a weekend on the east coast and then 700 for the same 2 days in Ohio or 1K for 3 days in KY and that's not including stalls etc. So just depends on who the host is.

Other BNTs bring about 350 / 500 a weekend around here.

[tidy rabbit]

I think BNT's will charge as much as they can get away with. As long as people fill their clinics, why should they have realistic prices?!

In regards to the clinics, I think most of the rediculous pricing comes from who ever is hosting the thing, but not being a clinic organizer I don't really know, that's just an educated guess. I'm only a participant willing to pay my money from time to time.