Looking For Lessons

Riding

Awareness of the outside world. “The Term of the Court begins, by law, on the first Monday in October.” SCOTUS: The Supreme Court at Work.
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Another entry in the ongoing series detailing my failing efforts to achieve the seemingly simple task of finding a riding lesson.

Barn 1. No. Spoke with boarder of barn. No lesson program currently. Had I considered … named barns that had already crossed me off their list. Encouraging. Not.

Barn 2. No. Stopped by barn. Trainer out of town. Was told boarders only. Judging by spiffiness of barn and monogrammed tack trunks of boarders, I posit a train-and-show boarding barn rather than a we-feed-your-horse, do what you will boarding barn.

Barn 3. Yes, but. Stopped by barn. Well-established lesson program. Full. Sigh.

I have submitted my name for the waiting list. They operate month to month. So, I have to wait at least a month, have someone decide not to continue, & have my name bubble to the top of the waiting list. Not holding my breath.

Filling out the form was fun. Parent Name. Not applicable. School Attending. Not Applicable. Prior Experience. Used to show there. Yes, the last time I was at that barn, I was showing Previous Horse. That was good for a nostalgic sniffle.

Barn 4. No. Lesson program for kids only. This is a change since Covid. Maybe due to having fewer people at barn? Got this secondhand from Barn 1 boarder. Seemed knowledgeable enough that I see no reason to doubt the info.

Running out of places to check. Several more barns in the area, but many/most of the rest are similar to Barn 2, i.e. one trainer with a handful of horses. They may achieve great things, but I am not their business model.

Plus, I’m not just looking for a horse to ride. I have horses to ride. I’m looking for a steady, reliable, schoolie who will calmly trot cross-rails while I hyperventilate. The sort of horse who unflappably lugs small children around for a living.

Sam. With jumps.

Plus, plus, I am ultimately looking for two kinds of lessons. One set with school horses and another set for me & the Gorgeous Dork. Willing to go to different places for each. Same place would be nice. Any place would be nice.

This go-round was all about school horse lessons. I need to get back to working on the other as well. Am out of juice at the moment.

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine