Question regarding trainer's requirements

[mycothalter28]

Looking for input from hunter/jumper clients and particularily trainers---what type of requirements do you have at your barn? As in, how many lessons per week do you have to do, how many shows per year do you have to do, etc? Are clients allowed/encouraged to ride with other coaches?
How much freedom do clients have to do things on their own, if any? Do clients go to shows on their own, without trainer/trainer's 'permission'(for lack of a better word).
does this all change if client has horses at trainer's barn, or keeps horses at home and hauls in?
Any other general requirements at your barn?
Guess it wouldn't hurt to know if you are working with/are a BNT, or ???

[Wizard of Oz's]

I ride at show hunter/jumper barn. I do 2 lessons a week, but we are not required to do any shows. They go to many shows a year, and we have a good-sized show team that goes to all the shows, but you don't HAVE to show. We aren't allowed to ride with other coaches though unless you actually move barns. We don't do anything on our own, as far as shows and clinics and such go. We have a couple people who haul in, and they can do whatever they want, because they do not board, but 99% the clients board.

What is a BNT?? I've seen the term a lot I just never bothered to ask what it is lol, so I have no idea if I'm working with one.;)

[Dance_To_Oblivion]

BNT = Big Name Trainer

[Green Acres]

What is a BNT?? I've seen the term a lot I just never bothered to ask what it is lol, so I have no idea if I'm working with one.;)

BNT = Big Named Trainer

I trailer in for lessons and there aren't any requirements for me on lessons/per week/month, etc. Pretty laid back barn and no requirements to show either. I can show/clinic or whatever with who I want since I keep my horses at home.

I don't know what it's like boarding there so I can't answer that part but I don't think there is any requirments for the boarders to show either. Oh, and I'm with a LNT (local trainer).

[Horseymama]

Our clients are required to do at least one lesson or trainer ride per week to keep their horse with us. They don't have to go to shows, and we have a couple of clients that do not show, but they are still dedicated riders. Clients are encouraged to go and clinic with visiting clinicians but we don't like it if they haul out to ride with other trainers in our same town. We don't want just boarders at our barn, I have found that boarders can be more work than not because they may or may not show up, take care of their horse properly, (i.e. have their horse's feet done on time, etc.) We want to have clients that are into their horses and improving their riding and learning. And we want them to want to learn from us, otherwise they might as well ride somewhere else!

[Lucassb]

Looking for input from hunter/jumper clients and particularily trainers---what type of requirements do you have at your barn? As in, how many lessons per week do you have to do, how many shows per year do you have to do, etc? Are clients allowed/encouraged to ride with other coaches?

I ride at a MNT barn these days. We are formally affiliated with a VBNT barn nearby, and do mostly A shows, but there is no specific requirement for lessons or showing. However, most clients lesson at least once or twice a week. We show several times a month; some clients go to almost every one, while others will just pick and choose the ones that appeal to them or fit into their schedule.

We have frequent clinics with BNTs - most recently, Linda Allen, Timmy Keys and Jeff Cook. Everyone is encouraged to participate in those opportunities. Our trainer is a very secure person and actually encourages the clients to ride with the previously mentioned VBNT if they wish to do shows she is not available for (WEF, etc) and would probably be open to someone doing another clinic or something like that. If you mean riding regularly with someone else? She would probably try to accomodate it but frankly I don't think anyone in the current program would ask her to.

How much freedom do clients have to do things on their own, if any? Do clients go to shows on their own, without trainer/trainer's 'permission'(for lack of a better word).


The trainer encourages her clients to be independent, educated horsemen. Some clients have gone to shows on their own and she has been fine with it, but most of the time she is either there for us or has made arrangements for us to ride with a fellow professional.


does this all change if client has horses at trainer's barn, or keeps horses at home and hauls in?

She works with both categories of clients; the haul in folks tend to be more DIY-ers, and that is fine. However, most of the clients stable with the trainer.

Any other general requirements at your barn?
Guess it wouldn't hurt to know if you are working with/are a BNT, or ???

There are standards for care and turnout of the horses. They are kept in top condition and the trainer is intimately familiar with each of them as individuals. She is also very hands-on in terms of her management of the riders; she will offer additional rides to those who want/need them, offer schooling opportunities on her own horses, etc in addition to the program she works out for the horses.

The program is very collaborative (assuming the client wants to participate in the management of their horses, and most do, although it is not required.) The program is individualized for each horse and is very organized. As an example, my horse (who lives with the trainer) works on the treadmill every morning, 5 days a week. The trainer will monitor those sessions and adjust the program on the treadmill appropriately. She also manages his turnout and rotates all the horses depending on their needs and the particular schedule that week (taking into account whether we will be showing, doing a clinic, etc.) I take two lessons weekly and probably two other rides per week, I will get "casual input" from the trainer when she is in the ring while I am riding on my own. I will get "homework" to do on my own in between lessons that I will work on independently. Because I am on a constant campaign to improve my horse's fitness, I will also do a couple days of trail riding and hill work, and if my work schedule gets difficult, I will schedule a pro ride or have someone hack for me under the trainer's supervision.

[otwist123]

I ride at a h/j barn and there are no requirements to show. There are some boarders who hardly ever ride. BUT if you do want to show, you are expected to have atleast one lesson a week, and exercise your horse 3-5 days a week on your own. My trainer will advise us on feeding/vet/farrier/chiro/etc. but ultimately if it's your own horse, you have the final decision. We have never really had a problem with vet/farrier since those are arranged and horses are held for it.

We are allowed to go to whatever clinics/shows we want. With or without a trainer. We are not allowed to bring in outside trainers though unless it is for a clinic.

There are a few people who haul in, and they are pretty independent. Some only come for lessons in the winter to use the arena then ride at home during the summer. They are coached by my trainer at shows and are stabled with us, but still pretty independent. We all come together to bring hay/bedding/etc. and all our horses come at the same time.

This is a local big name trainer I guess. I live in Canada and the system is a little different. We don't exactly have "A" shows, they are divided by EC into gold, silver and bronze shows by prize money. We go to all the shows around here and they range in all those levels. I would say this is one of the bigger boarding/training barns around here.

[indygirl2560]

I ride at a really nice show barn with a trainer well known in at least my area and there are almost no "requirements". You aren't required to take a certain number of lessons a week unless you pay for your horse to be in a full training program. My barn usually goes to big(A and AA) shows, so if someone wants to go to a small schooling show that our barn isn't going to all together, than my trainer is fine with it. However, if, say, you went to one of the shows our barn is going to but try to go by yourself, that's a no-no. When I had my pony, she wasn't in the training program and I brought her to schooling shows by myself, but when it came time to go to the B show, I had to suck it up and pay the extra trainer fees to go with the barn, instead of pissing my trainer off.

[Dun Ciarain]

Last barn was a BNT. Everyone is in full training, so the lesson requirement does not apply. While there was no actual show requirement, the barn is on the grounds of a facility that hosts 7 weeks of "A" shows a year, so showing at those shows is really easy and very reasonable. Insofar as "freedom" to go to shows on your own and ride with other coaches - as a boarder: NONE.

[mycothalter28]

thanks for the replys so far! Would love to hear more. Especially concerned with using other coaches, and whethere that's different if its a clinic, or 'regular' lessons. Also showing without trainer. Thanks!

[shawneeAcres]

I am an SNT (SMALL name trainer!) and have my own barn. I don't "require" much of anything, I PREFER for a student to take lessons once weekly at least, but life often gets in the way of that with kids particularly. We usually have outside trainers come in and do clinics, and have recommended my students clinic with others that come to the area. I probably wouldn't really like a student regaulrly lessoning with another person, just because they often get conflicting viewpoints and messages, but if it were a discipline I don't teach, then fine. I don;t have any "requirements" as far as showing goes, I share with my students what shows I plan to attend, they are welcome to go to them, or "do their own thing" if they have the means to get to other shows. Since I have some students doing the hunter "C" circuit, some doing QH circuit and some just doing local, as well as some that do dressage/eventing I cannot be everywhere all the time, but I try and do something in each area/discipline with all of them thru the year. Everyone seems to understand and it works out OK. I like my students to be exposed to other disciplines and areas of riding, I think it makes a better, more knowledgeable horse person in the long run

[eclipse]

I'm at a h/j barn that has no show requirements, but most people do a few a year at least. You do have to take at least one lesson per week, but most people take 3 a week (you get it cheaper than if you take 2 as an incentive to take the 3 lessons). We can't train with outside trainers, but we have 2 barn trainers that we can lesson with. If you want to take clinics, go ahead, there are no problems (although there aren't a ton of clinics with GOOD trainers offered very often around here!)

[Giddy-up]

Looking for input from hunter/jumper clients and particularily trainers---what type of requirements do you have at your barn?
As in, how many lessons per week do you have to do, how many shows per year do you have to do, etc? none
Are clients allowed/encouraged to ride with other coaches? yes
How much freedom do clients have to do things on their own, if any? 100%
Do clients go to shows on their own, without trainer/trainer's 'permission'(for lack of a better word). yes
does this all change if client has horses at trainer's barn, or keeps horses at home and hauls in? I do both
Any other general requirements at your barn? behave yourself ;)
Guess it wouldn't hurt to know if you are working with/are a BNT, or ??? not a BNT

My trainer is also not strictly h/j. There is also dressage & eventers who comes for lessons which I think those disciplines are a little more encouraging (or is tolerant better?) of trainer independence.