Instructor travel fees

[Jeannette, formerly ponygyrl]

Curious what you pay or charge for an instructor travelling from her home barn to yours to teach a lesson or do a training ride? Does it relate to mileage, or is there a flat fee split between however many share the trip, or???

I used to do all my teaching and training freelance, so anything within about 30 minutes stayed the same rate, and I clustered my lessons to minimize driving. Now my farm is up and running pretty well - between lessons at my place and within a couple miles, one longstanding farm which always has work for me, and a couple other on-going gigs, I stay about as busy as I want to be.

Diversification is good, though! A couple lame horses in my herd would drastically affect my income... And I don't like to be a total homebody - but there are only so many hours in a day. When I take on students I always want to be wholeheartedly in the venture, not feeling like it is an intrusion in my day, so I try to take on people and horses I really feel like I can help, and I try not to undercharge for my time, so I don't feel any resentment or hurry.

That may, of course, be too much back story! Really, I would love to know what sorts of travel fees people pay or charge, and the distance or time it relates to. Thanks!!

[copper1]

When I did it I charged a flat fee for a 25 mile radius then added mileage after that. I don't ahve time to travel now but if I did, I would charge for the entire time spent at someone's place. Me standing around for an hour while riders bring in, groom, hunt down all their stuff, etc, is a big waste of my time. I would expect the rider to at least have the horse in and groomed! Can you detect a rant here?

[msj]

I asked my trainer if she would come to my farm to teach if I could find several other people to truck in. She said yes and the first couple of times she came she didn't ask for any additional fee for travel as there were 4 of us.

Winter came and snow stopped us from doing any more until spring came. My trainer was still willing to come up for us so I asked the other riders if they would be willing to pay an additional $5.00 per person to help cover her travel time and all were willing since coming to my farm saved them a good hr on the road between the trip down to the trainer's farm and back.

I asked the trainer if she thought that was fair and I think she was surprised that we offered to do it. She did accept but I honestly think she wouldn't have charged us extra because there always at least 3 of us and sometimes even 6. It gave her a long evening but a pretty profitable one too. :)

[Rocky]

I go to a barn 45 miles (one way) from my primary barn. I charge $10 above my "home" lesson rate.

[dressagedevon]

I pay a 20 travel charge. But frankly I a willing to pay it and smile, because my horse HATES my trailer and it takes hours to get him loaded, plus sometimes after I ride (get really hot) I can get a migraine, so it would suck to drive a horse trailer home an hour away, wanting to puke the entire time!! :no: