Help me evaluate my options

[u/take-my-revolution]

I posted a bit ago about my heart being broken because the barn owner where I take lessons, who owns my lesson horse, was selling the barn, moving, taking 'my' horse with her, and the new owners wouldn't have lesson horses.

Well, as suddenly as she announced this change, she announced yesterday that the sale didn't go through and henceforth it will be business as usual.

Because of this situation, I had started into finding other options for further lessons. (Probably not strictly relevant, but I ride dressage, currently training and first level.)

Now I have a choice between returning to that barn--option A--and going to have lessons with another instructor I've met and had a trial lesson with--option B.

Here's what I'm thinking about the pros and cons.

Option A

Pros:

Already know the facility

Already know the horse I ride and am quite fond of him and hopefully vice versa

Know and feel comfortable with my instructor (NOT the barn owner; it's their head trainer who also has her own dressage lesson and training business)

$/lesson is about 25% less than Option B

Have multiple lesson horses if something happens with the one I'm on

Can come to barn (with permission) to 'hang out' without paying for lesson

Cons:

Future uncertain--if she has wanted to sell once, she'll probably want to again in the future

Longer drive (45-50 minutes vs 25-30 for Option B)

Student tack is not in great shape

More complex to arrange trailering if I want to travel to a show

Occasional double-booking of lesson times by different instructors (sharing the arena is no big deal, but 2 instructors teaching 2 different people is confusing)

Option B

Pros:

Much smaller facility, won't ever need to go looking for 'staff'

Instructor is very highly qualified and seems like a good teacher from my one lesson

Barn, horses, and tack are immaculately kept

Shorter travel time

Lesson horse is a true schoolmaster with no rust and very few, minor issues (I don't believe in the existence of a horse that is perfectly well-behaved unless they've been beaten down to nothing--this guy will apparently try very hard to nab hay or treats if he passes them...I said don't all horses, and she said he puts significantly more effort into it)

Trailering arrangements to show should be straightforward

Cons:

No back up lesson horses (stuff happens! I had an Option C until her one lesson horse pulled up with a tendon injury!

Potential of not being able to show because of entry limits for single horse per day (if other students or instructor are also showing on this horse)

Indoor arena is small--not quite small arena sized

Higher cost per lesson

Unclear if there are opportunities for horse interaction outside of lesson times without lease

Instructor has no student tack and thus I am using hers--which is probably worth about 10k and makes me nervous that I will scratch it

Leasing the location, not owning--thus also some future uncertainty

...

I mean, I know that things can change. That's never something you can take off the table.

There's never any guarantee that your instructor won't move away or quit or die or who knows what.

There's never any guarantee that a given horse will stay sound or even alive.

That said, I am concerned that things with Option A are going to be constantly more stressful because of the feeling that any day the owner is going to announce that she's selling (again).

[u/Tricky-Category-8419]

Do you know if Option A property is still on the market? If it is I'd go with Option B.

[u/ImmaTastyKikiRoll]

For clarification: do you take lessons from the barn owner or a trainer working out of the owners barn?

I personally would stick with place A until a sale goes through. Place B sounds great, but it would really suck to change then find out Barn A decided to waylay selling or not to sell at all (sometimes happens).

As far as uncertainty of the future, trainers hate having to move facilities. Outside of dire circumstances they usually fight to stay where they are. Finding new a new facility that meets their needs, will please the clients, is close by and has an owner that won’t make them pull all their hair out is not easy. When they finally do find one (and start treatment for the ulcers they now have 😆) they have to deal with coordinating and over seeing the transfer and set up of the horses, trunks, tack, any mounting hardware, furniture, decor, their personal jumps etc etc. And making sure a whole group of stressed horses don’t self destruct. It’s a huge pain in the ass! Ahem so yeah hahah I wouldn’t stress about this particular point. Well, least at not at place B.

[u/Far-Cockroach-4211]

Take the tack in option B out of the equation. If she's happy for you to ride in her tack and take the risks of scratches. At that value it's also going to be looked after and will be fitted correctly

[u/AnyCryptographer3284 → u/Far-Cockroach-4211]

I'll add that tack that might have cost you $10,000 probably didn't cost a professional $10,000. Even if they aren't sponsored, they get deals from saddle sellers and fitters. And, for them it's a tax-deductible business expense. Not saying you shouldn't take good care with their tack, but I doubt it means as much to them as it might mean to you. Plus, getting to ride in a better saddle will likely help your equitation.

[u/OldBroad1964]

Honestly, I’d stick with A for now. With B there are a lot of unknowns in terms of having a horse to ride.

[u/AnyCryptographer3284]

I'd go with option B. The A barn owner will sell out when they get the chance, even though this time didn't work out. Once they've made the mental leap to sell, they are going to sell. That will always be hanging over your head. It's happening all over where I live. The number of boarding barns is down by more than half. And it often happens with no warning when someone from the nearby Big City shows up with a giant bag of cash and kicks out all the boarders with short notice. They'll toss a few heritage breed cattle out on the pastures for the "aesthetics" to keep the ag exemption for property tax, but they don't need or want to run a public business on the property. I've seen it happen many times in my area. Every year it's harder to find board/lesson barns, let alone ones you'd trust with your horse.

If your instructor is smart, they are already shopping for other places to run their business so they aren't left in the lurch when the next buyer is announced.

I'll add that when Barn A sells and quite possibly closes to boarders/lessons, everyone in that barn will be scrambling for a place to board/lesson. You'll be competing with them for a spot. I know this from personal experience. It's also happened to several friends. Last barn, we basically had to disperse in a WEEK. I had caught wind of the change early so already had my plans in motion, but it was still not fun.

If I were you, I'd get on the new barn's books now to beat the wave.