NC because I don't trust the woman and don't want identifying.
There is a woman near me who decided this summer to open up a riding school.
Firstly, the woman who runs it cannot handle or school her horses. She admits this herself. Most of her horses are young (most if not all are under 5).
She buys cheap youngsters for the school. She is putting beginners and children on these horses. (Horses she admits she is too scared to ride herself. Just the other day she wouldnt canter one in open space and got someone else to). Most of these kids have non horsey parents so have no idea. I think she is under the impression that the horses will get their schooling from the lessons.
I happen to know the person she buys them off and i don't think I've ever seen one come off him that wasn't neglected or diseased in some way (I know her neighbours are annoyed about this as she knows them too and is worried about her horses being in contact over the fence. They are not isolated at all on arrival).
The neighbour also knows who she buys from and is extra worried because she had to deal with a pony a friend of hers bought from them who had bastard strangles. They are the lowest of low end dealers.
None of them have any qualifications whatsoever. One woman they have teaching occasionally for them is very capable but she is the only one who has half a clue and she has refused to teach on occasion (example when the owner wanted to go ahead with a jumping lesson using youngsters on ground that was as slippery as an ice rink due to bad weather (no suitable riding area).
More than one of them are prone to kicking out quite nastily (have witnessed some myself.) One of them who isn't used in the school but is left with children is an absolute nervous wreck. This horse spooks spectacularly at such things as changing a headcollar or a rope dropping to the floor.
Then there's the fact she has way too many horses for the land she has. I will be highly surprised if she can feed them through the winter as their grass situation has been poor all summer simply due to over grazing).
I can't see her being able to keep them going on 3 liveries money (I imagine they will leave when they can't provide grazing) and I can't see her current customers being happy to do nothing but walk (you really can't do much more on that ground when it gets wet).
The whole thing just seems like it's going to end in a nasty accident or a welfare situation. Even if I'm wrong and she can see them comfortably through winter the other stuff is surely not acceptable?
I don't know if you need some sort of license to run a riding school or insurance but I really feel someone needs to look into this as I am terrified for her unsuspecting customers.
it's not uncommon for as many as 12 (more recently 8) to be in a small section of fenced off grazing. Maybe a quarter - a third of an acre.
Am I being unreasonable here? If not who can look into this situation? I feel really bad for their kids because their children are lovely. One of them I particularly have a soft spot for but she is constantly put in frankly dangerous situations. It is sheer dumb luck that that girl has not been hurt and I don't want to see it happen to her.
Advice appreciated and if I am being unreasonable I won't be offended if I'm told to keep my nose out. I'm just genuinely concerned.