Anyone know anything about meat cycles?

[marknotgeorge]

Drama Queen, who at 12 and 8 months is well on the way to becoming a female Kevin, is insisting that all her friends get free riding lessons by working in a stable. This is something I've absolutely no knowledge of, or interest in, but I promised her I'd do some research to shut her up, if only for a few seconds (dunno where the girls got their social skills from, but it certainly wasn't me...).

I've had a Google of the local schools, none of which mention anything about working for lessons. Does anyone know anything about this?

 

[Angry Blonde]

Normally if you go down and do a lot of graft in the stables, mucking out and whatnot they will inturn let you ride a bit

 

[TVC]

Try to get her into something more affordable like collecting Faberge eggs.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Have I misunderstood the thread title

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Yep, loads of girls round here get lessons in return for grafting in the stables

 

[Saluki]

When I was at school, I used to work at a BHS riding school on Sundays from 7am to 6pm for a free 1 hour ride. I didn't have a free lesson but a free hack. By the age of 14 I was more than competent on a horse.
It's unlikely that your local yard will let a bunch of people work for them for a free ride. It's a 'job' - a day's work for a 1 hour hack or lesson - that is sometimes given to someone who has ridden with the yard for a while. Having worked with horses a lot and taught in some very good yards in the past, I would doubt that all her friends are getting rides for work and as your daughter is under 14, I feel that it's even less likely (assuming her mates are the same age) that a reputable yard would take on someone of that age.
If it's a crap yard with no scruples, however, they'll probably take all the help that they can get.

Oh. I am a BHSI - that's British Horse Society Instructor - and went through a fair few grades, courses and years to reach that qualification. I hope that I know what I am typing about.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I hope that I know what I am typing about.

Maybe it's just different where you are?

 

[midlife]

Where my girl learned to ride they had youngsters who would do all the donkey work for about 6 hours and then get 10 minutes on a horse. Deffo no lessons. Slave labour IMHO.

We learned the basics at a yard and then bought our own Tobiano Cob

Shaun

 

[fossyant]

The going rate is about £18 for one to one for about an hour lesson. I'd go down the route of getting her to earn it round the house then paying for a 'real' lesson. I suspect those working for many hours just get a group lesson at best !

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

My sister did something similar at a yard before falling in love with a really difficult horse that wouldn't let anyone else (except her and me for some reason) near it let alone ride it.
She bought the horse in the end out of her money and used to show-jump with the horse (at a county level iirc and quite successfully) until she (the horse not my sister) had to be put down. The bills were endless and my sister ended up working all hours at the stables (now paid work) - it was the fittest and the happiest my sister had been, and also the hardest both physically and emotionally.

 

[marknotgeorge]

When I was at school, I used to work at a BHS riding school on Sundays from 7am to 6pm for a free 1 hour ride. I didn't have a free lesson but a free hack. By the age of 14 I was more than competent on a horse.
It's unlikely that your local yard will let a bunch of people work for them for a free ride. It's a 'job' - a day's work for a 1 hour hack or lesson - that is sometimes given to someone who has ridden with the yard for a while. Having worked with horses a lot and taught in some very good yards in the past, I would doubt that all her friends are getting rides for work and as your daughter is under 14, I feel that it's even less likely (assuming her mates are the same age) that a reputable yard would take on someone of that age.
If it's a crap yard with no scruples, however, they'll probably take all the help that they can get.

Oh. I am a BHSI - that's British Horse Society Instructor - and went through a fair few grades, courses and years to reach that qualification. I hope that I know what I am typing about.

Thanks. I suspected it would be something like this. I am a bit leery of her working all day just for an hour's lesson. An hour's group lesson at a local school is £25, which for your 11 hour day is the equivalent of £2.72 an hour! I think I'd rather she did some other job when she's old enough, and if she wants to pay for horse riding so be it.

 

[Saluki]

Maybe it's just different where you are?

Maybe it is but if it was my daughter wanting to ride at a stables I would want her to work and ride at a BHS approved stables and not some yard that doesn't teach or care for their livestock to an approved standard. Horses can be bloody dangerous.

 

[fossyant]

These horsey things are even more expensive than bikes !! And they still try and chuck you off !

 

[TheDoctor]

Am I the only one to think of this?

 

[summerdays]

A friend's daughter does get free lessons now, but that's after years of paying for the lessons and she is now 17. I think she may have volunteered before she started getting the free lessons, as she loved being around horses.