That riding school shouldn't charge me for this?

They are total charlatans. Of course its there mistake. Wouldn't be keen to carry on with such people.

And I agree, 9.20 is a perfectly reasonable time to arrive for a 9.30 lesson, assuming you aren't expected to groom and tack up yourself (in which case I would arrive a little earlier).

Sounds like pretty poor customer service. However, this is not uncommon in riding schools and I would have walked around and looked for someone to ask, or if I knew which horse I was supposed to be riding, gone to find the horse and check it was tacked up.

It seems you've been given a hard time on this thread OP. I wouldn't think to ask young children either. Nor would I be inclined to pay half in this situation - but if you need to do so to feel you can continue, then that may be the best choice ultimately.

How is arriving at 9.20am late for a 9.30am lesson. When all the other lessons had been waiting in the car park to be met by the instructor. No way I'd be allowed to walk around any of the stables I've ever been to find my group. Op also said it's a large stables with different arenas in different areas who knows where they were

So you arrived late. Waited for someone who didn't know you were there to come and get you? Every other time you've "led or ridden the horses to the lesson arena or in the case of the ride, got on them there and gone out." Yet you don't say you've checked the lesson arena to see if everyone was there? It's either a vast riding school, or these are super fast horses, if they had gone so far that you couldn't just do a circuit of the riding school and find them! It is a bit weird that the kid on reception didn't say anything, but it's no wielded than the fact you didn't ask! I'd say pay because it was YOUR choice not to bother to find anyone.

This is very interesting OP, as it does bring back the (very limited) experience I had of riding school some 30 years ago! Lack of customer care to the point of rudeness, and in our case, grown women learners being bossed about by a 12 year old😅 It was a weirdly unfriendly environment, and I assumed it was just this place, but sounds like it's quite common.

Glad it's resolved to your satisfaction anyway OP. You sound a very reasonable customer and I hope they have the sense to hang on to you!

Having just seen your last post @Pistachiovillian I am very glad that you are satisfied with the result now, but I stick by what I said above about what I think was a more likely scenario. I do feel a little frustrated that you are going to pay half for the lesson they almost certainly screwed up, for whatever reason!

You sound like a really lovely and thoughtful person OP, but please try to make sure that your loveliness doesn't lead to you being taken advantage of. 🐕🐴💐

I agree. Everyone who works at a stable is there for the horses, not the customers. It's generally understood that horses are amazing and it's a privilege to be with them and learn about them. Customers are there to learn and to be kept safe whilst doing so. The vast majority of people working there will be pony-mad volunteers. There just isn't that customer service ethic in the majority of stables.

They should absolutely charge you - as far as they are aware you were a no show!

They're child volunteers, OP, it's not Tesco's. They don't have to have a customer service ethic. It seems obvious to me that you'd walk up to where the lesson is before going home.

*I was one of those child volunteers once

Riding schools are not really known for their organisation and customer service unless it's a really smart one. I don't think I've ever been to one where there's someone 'on reception'.

They also desperately struggle to make ends meet.

If you like it there, write it off to experience and pay for your class.

This.

@Pistachiovillian The supposed "teenager" had probably either left the reception area for whatever reason, or wasn't actually there in the first place...

The manager wouldn't want to admit that they were at fault - which in my opinion they definitely were - because then they might have had to offer you a free lesson to make up for it, and they definitely wouldn't have been entitled to your money for the lesson they said you missed. In fact, maybe you ended up being the only one able to attend the lesson that day, so they decided not to bother for just one new customer?

I hope you get this sorted adequately and nicely. If not, I wouldn't pay, and I would try to find a more professional riding school to attend.

I would have just said, ‘hi children, do you know where everyone is?’ and see what they said. Even if they were all 7 years old, that doesn’t mean they won’t be able to communicate? They’ll either say, ‘no’ or ‘yes they’re all in x place’

I'm on your side OP. I found the people at stable very unlikeable and unhelpful. They seemed to think I just knew how it all worked. Which I didn't! I grew up very working class and had never been near a horse! But my daughter wanted to ride. She had many lessons and each time it was a different instructor which meant she didn't make any improvement. Each time we arrived there was no one in reception. Sometimes there was a child around age 8 and I wouldn't have thought to ask her anything, mainly because she couldn't even say hello or hold eye contact. We just had to hang around waiting for them to bring a horse out which cut 10 minutes of each ride. Its obviously a if we know you we will look after you but if they don't, they don't give a shit.

We stopped going in the end. I was paying £30 for a pony ride tbh.

I’ve ridden at four different schools over the last twenty years, three of them regularly. The first place I went to was similar to your experience. Never very clear where and when to meet and not particularly organised or welcoming. On my first lesson there was no one around and then they phoned me and I should have been 5 min walk away where the school is. No one bothered to tell me that when I booked it and my lesson was short because I was late getting to the actual school. I took my business elsewhere.

My current school is great - there is a clear process for booking in and a sign showing where you wait. Helpers have tabards on and in any event reception is either run by adults, or if the office is closed the teacher has the clipboard and checks you in.

The stable I ride at has a 100% charge cancellation policy if less than 12 hours before the ride. Then 50% if 24 hours. bevause it’s difficult to fill the spot at such short notice.

if you just don’t turn up they’ve still got the horse racked up groomed and ready to go and it may not be ridden. (Noted that you did turn up).

if you like the yard and the instructor then pay it and continue.

I started lessons at a local school. Went in a regular slot for a private lesson. Really enjoyed it.
We discussed what horse I would be riding next time.
I turned up at said slot and they swore blind I hadn’t booked. I mentioned the conversation about what horse I’d be riding, they denied it saying they never plan ahead like that.
They begrudgingly put me in with someone else (I think they’d double booked). Had a great lesson, no problem.
I paid, plus the next lesson (so they couldn’t make the same mistake again.
4 days later I got my extra payment returned and told not to go back !

Still don’t know what I did wrong and it still hurts 20 years later !

You should have just asked the kids.

But to be honest, I have found riding schools to be amongst the most hostile places on earth 😂so I gave up riding a long time ago. My daughter also did it for a bit, but when at the age of 5 she asked "why is everyone so unfriendly and not fun", she gave up too...

AlltheFs
You should have asked! Do you not have the use of your mouth? “Where is the 9.30 lesson?” would have done it.

I would also have gone everywhere and looked if they hadn’t been able to tell you. Or asked them to find out. Goodness me. However do you manage real life?

I'm sure she manages fine, geney mac calm down!!

Wouldn't it be normal, I'd your lesson starts at 9.30, to need to verify kitted up beforehand? Ie arriving in time to do that.
Was the meeting time/place not communicated to you when you booked?

I'm also really surprised that you didn't ask any of the humans you saw if they'd seen the horses go up to the arena, or if they knew where X (teacher's name) is.

I know several riding schools you can't just go wandering around and meet at the car park as the OP has said @AlltheFs, amd you'd get a bollocking for just going wherever you wanted. I don't think you should be paying the full price , no, although I probably would have asked the kids where their parents were. I'd maybe offer a third, but the full price is ridiculous. Is there somewhere else you could go?

I would make an appointment to see manager, explain why SHE should be rescheduling this lesson due to THEIR lack of communication.

The OP has answered what you're asking already. You can click see all at the bottom of the first post to read all of their posts.

I'm a riding instructor and I'd be horrified if I found out that young helpers on my yard just watched somebody turn up, come into the office to get a hat, hang around in the place horses are normally brought to riders and return the hat well before the lesson ended without saying "hello, can I help you?," or "oh, back to put your hat away so soon, is everything okay?". Not every client is confident. New clients don't know the routines yet. And no client should be expected or allowed to go wandering around the yard unaccompanied unless they are very well known and trusted not to get themselves or the horses into a pickle.