I'm an adult returning rider although was never a particularly good rider as a kid. I've started lessons at a local trekking centre. It's all a bit rough and ready- the owner is the only one who teaches and there isn't a huge amount of money sloshing around- only an outdoor arena for example which isn't lit and doesn't drain well. Other than that you're in the field. She has about 20 horses and ponies and she has a few women who help out and a few people she teaches. She does horse holiday weekends away quite a lot too.
I'm really loving my lessons there- she is really enthusiastic and very good at teaching and I've loved the horse I ride. She's cheaper than the other local stable I've been to and she doesn't clock watch so I always get a full lesson. I also really like the woman from what I know of her so far. My other local stable I've been for lessons and you get a strict 30 minutes on a docile rocking horse often taught by very young girls who really aren't as detailed or instructive.
Anyway- I know another lady (not very well) and she has told me to be careful of this woman and her stables. She has a horse of her own at a different yard. She won't tell me all the details because she says she doesn't want to gossip but she says that she's known people to buy horses from the stables and they have been riddled with worms. There was also an incident a few years ago with a child who got bitten at these stables- I said I knew about it and she said "yes and a few other things have happened like that" and didn't elaborate. She just told me to be careful a few times.
What do I do?! Do I abandon my lessons at the stables I really enjoy or keep going and just "be careful" whatever that means?
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What would you do- rumours about my stables
bravelittletiger · 18/10/2022 20:29
Postapocalypticcowgirl · 18/10/2022 20:45
Kids get bitten around horses- even, say, 10 years ago, that sort of thing would be a non-event. Unless the incident is a lot more serious than I'm imagining (e.g. permanent scarring?), it's just one of those things that happens sometimes around horses. It's not ideal, obviously, but when I was a child, I was bitten and kicked by riding school ponies- it was more accepted as normal. I was never seriously hurt, and I learnt a lot at that place.
If her horses currently look in good condition and well cared for, it's hard to know about what's been said about ponies "riddled with worms" being sold. It could, possibly, be an exaggeration, or perhaps she did have some problems due to covid. I think it's very hard to judge on hearsay.
If you are happy with the stables and enjoying your lessons there, I wouldn't worry about gossip. There's always a lot of gossip in the equestrian world- some will be based in truth, some will not be.
QuestionableMouse · 18/10/2022 20:50
Worms and one bite? She's shit stirring. I'd ignore her!
AlisonDonut · 18/10/2022 20:52
I'd carry on and 'be careful'.
bravelittletiger · 18/10/2022 20:50
Yes it was very serious- the child needed surgery afterwards. Apparently the horse was roped off at the time but not well enough so the judge in the case wasn't impressed. I'm guessing she no longer has that horse because I've never come across any like that- they are all soft as anything as far as I've seen.
Postapocalypticcowgirl · 18/10/2022 20:45
Kids get bitten around horses- even, say, 10 years ago, that sort of thing would be a non-event. Unless the incident is a lot more serious than I'm imagining (e.g. permanent scarring?), it's just one of those things that happens sometimes around horses. It's not ideal, obviously, but when I was a child, I was bitten and kicked by riding school ponies- it was more accepted as normal. I was never seriously hurt, and I learnt a lot at that place.
If her horses currently look in good condition and well cared for, it's hard to know about what's been said about ponies "riddled with worms" being sold. It could, possibly, be an exaggeration, or perhaps she did have some problems due to covid. I think it's very hard to judge on hearsay.
If you are happy with the stables and enjoying your lessons there, I wouldn't worry about gossip. There's always a lot of gossip in the equestrian world- some will be based in truth, some will not be.
Rutland2022 · 18/10/2022 21:01
Unless you are planning on buying a horse off her I’d not worry. But I would make sure I had my own liability insurance, that would be my approach to “being careful”. BHS Gold or similar.
limitededitionbarbie · 18/10/2022 21:14
Not sure I want to know the answer to this but what happens to horses that bite? Please tell me they can be re homed.
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limitededitionbarbie · 18/10/2022 21:14
Not sure I want to know the answer to this but what happens to horses that bite? Please tell me they can be re homed.
limitededitionbarbie · 18/10/2022 21:14
Not sure I want to know the answer to this but what happens to horses that bite? Please tell me they can be re homed.
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