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[RC] Need quick advice... - Burnett, Elly

Title: Need quick advice...

Hello ridecampers....

So I have my four-year-old endurance prospect at a local trainer that shall remain nameless.  I've had nothing but glowing feedback from anyone I've mentioned the trainer's name to, and the trainer had come highly recommended from another respected riding instructor that I've worked with.

I should also mention I have zero (0) experience with sending horses to trainers whatsoever.

I dropped him off on September 1st for 60 days training, and signed a contract that said he'd be doing X, Y and Z at the end of 60 days.  I called once a week for an update, and six weeks into the deal the trainer still hadn't ridden him (she'd been doing "extensive" groundwork with him).  I was more than a little frustrated, since I'd be getting him back in two weeks with only a short amount of time under saddle.  I understand the need for a good groundwork base, but it seemed like this was a little excessive.  I finally got fed up and told her I needed to see what he was doing, and went down and was thoroughly impressed with his groundwork and attitude change.  She wanted to keep him for another month, and we negotiated back and forth and I agreed I'd only pay board at the facility so she wouldn't lose any money and she would finish him in another 30 days.

At the end of the training period, she does a lesson to show the progress and to show me things I need to be doing with him.  I was supposed to pick up my horse last week.  She called and said she'd been sick and that she'd keep him for an additional week for free.  Fine.  So we arranged for me to go pick him up tomorrow.  She's been pressuring me to leave him for an additional month, for board cost only.  She just called me and said there was construction at the barn and that we'd have to reschedule for next week.  So now I'm mad.  Steaming, raging, storming mad.  I think I'm getting the runaround, but I sure as heck don't know why.

Does anyone have any experience with this?  Advice?  I don't know who else to ask....

Elly