07/02/2026
𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙄 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝘿𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙍𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙇𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨
I charge $100 an hour for a private lesson.
I’ve been told that’s expensive.
I’ve been told it’s too much.
I’ve even been told I must be getting rich.
It’s kind of funny, isn’t it?
The reality is that your lesson starts long before you ever pull into my driveway.
Before every lesson, I water and drag the arena. That means diesel for the tractor, equipment maintenance, replacing drag teeth, and spending time making sure the footing is safe and consistent. None of that is free.
When you come for a lesson, you’re not just paying for one hour.
Many students arrive early to watch me ride, ask questions, and learn while I’m tuning another horse before their lesson even begins. That’s extra coaching I don’t charge for.
If I see one of my students at a high school rodeo or barrel race, I’ll coach them there too. There’s no additional coaching fee.
If you text me late at night because you’re worried about your horse, I’ll answer if I can. I don’t send you an invoice.
Some students haul in multiple horses, spend extra time bathing them afterward, or simply stay and talk horses. I don’t charge for that either.
That $100 doesn’t go straight into my pocket.
It helps cover liability insurance, arena maintenance, fuel, utilities, equipment, and all the behind-the-scenes costs of operating a safe facility where people can come ride and learn.
But more than anything, you’re paying for experience.
You’re paying for the years I’ve spent taking lessons myself, attending clinics, hauling thousands of miles, entering races, learning from my mistakes, and continually investing in becoming a better horseman and coach.
I’ve qualified for the California Circuit Finals five times, competed at the NFR Open, and qualified for the American Semi-Finals three times. I’m a professional barrel racer, and when you take a lesson with me, you’re getting one-on-one access to everything I’ve learned along the way.
You wouldn’t expect an attorney, a mechanic, or a doctor to charge based only on the hour they spend with you. You’re paying for the years it took them to become good at what they do.
The same applies here.
You’re not paying for just one hour.
You’re paying for years of experience, individualized coaching, a safe place to learn, and someone who is genuinely invested in helping both you and your horse improve.
When you look at it that way, $100 an hour doesn’t seem nearly as expensive.
