Fall / Winter Program and Riding Considerations (Part 4 of 4 - Cancellation Policy)
Fall is officially here, and in the Pacific Northwest that means the start of the rainy season (and lots of mud!). While running Little Bird Farm I found several ways to manage both of these elements. I’m hopeful some of them help you (and your students/clients) be best prepared, too. In this 4-part series I’ll be covering clothing, tack, facilities setup, and policies.
Because Little Bird Farm is an outdoor facility, we have a cancellation policy that addresses weather. While I teach in most any weather short of ice, wind, and lightning, I recognize that many of my students aren’t comfortable riding in certain weather types and I do my best to make accommodations. My cancellation policy is written as such:
Little Bird Farm
Cancellation Policy
To maintain operations and resources, and continue teaching lessons, Little Bird Farm requires at least 24-hour cancellation for all scheduled lessons. Lessons canceled under the 24-hour cancellation timeframe will be subject to the full lesson fee.
The only exception to the above is weather-related cancellations. We are an outdoor facility, subject to weather restrictions. We have created a robust and stimulating unmounted horsemanship lesson program for bad weather days, at rider's discretion. In the interest of everyone’s safety we do not charge for cancellations pertaining to wind, ice, and lightning activity.
Signature: ________________________________________
Printed Name: ________________________________________
Rider(s) (if under 18): ________________________________________
Date: ________________________________________
Oregon riders are pretty tough, so I don’t typically get many cancellations due to weather unless we have very heavy rain or snow, and even then a good handful will still show up. Feel free to use the above policy and adjust it based on your program's needs.
Note: even if you don't have a need for a weather clause, I highly recommend that anyone running an equine business serving the industry via sessions, appointments, or lessons have a cancellation policy. It's standard practice both within the equine industry and across service-based businesses as a whole. You would never make a reservation for a massage, not show up or cancel timely, and then not expect to pay. The loss of income by not having a cancellation policy could mean the difference between whether your business makes it or not. Don't believe me? Take a month and add up all of the missed income as a result of last minute cancellations. Multiply that by 12. I would be willing to bet that you have left a huge chunk of income on the table by not having and enforcing one.
Well, that's a wrap on our Fall Program and Riding Considerations series.
Have you found some supplies, tools, resources, or policy adjustments that really help you get through the fall and winter seasons? Share your favorites and help fellow equine professionals prep as best they can in the comments below.
Did you miss another part of this series? Get caught up below:
Hugs and Happy Riding!
Kristin
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