Is Your Trainer Working for You?

When considering the right trainer for you and your horse many factors should be considered and evaluated. To be a reputable trainer, it should be a full time job, six days a week. When building young or green horses especially, time, routine, and repetition are of the utmost importance. Proper work ethics in young horses cannot be achieved with a trainer that works half a week, or so-called “bankers hours.” If the trainer doesn’t put forth consistently, how can they produce horses that do?

The horse’s welfare should be at the forefront of the training program. Your trainer should consider what is best for the horse. Sometimes the riders “wants” may need to be postponed until a time when the horse is ready, especially when dealing with a green horse. Finding the job that best suits each horse goes hand in hand with their welfare. Not all trainers are willing to take the time to explore each horses strengths so that they may show to their utmost potential. When a horse is truly happy doing their job, their longevity in that role is much longer than a horse that is not physically or mentally suited for that job. Often people are paired with an inappropriate or poor match for a horse. Although nobody wants to hear that their horse is not in fact the right horse for them, sometimes the truth is more valuable than any sugar-coated excuses. At the same time, your trainer should be willing to work to fix problems and always give it the old college try with a horse before throwing in the towel. If a trainer wants to move you out of your horse into another every time a problem arises it’s a bit of a red flag.

Another important factor to consider is the role your lessons take in the training program. Incorporating lessons into a program can be tricky. A young horse needs solid, consistent riding, preferably from the trainer. Here’s the catch 22. You need your riding time too! Some trainers abuse the lesson aspect. If you are taking three or more lessons a week on a young horse, who is actually doing the training? That’s another horse marked off the trainer’s schedule for the day. Even two lessons a week on a green horse can affect the training process.

Older, more seasoned horses can handle more lesson time but still won’t reach their full capabilities if the lessons consistently out way the training. It is up to your trainer to  inform you of what your horse can handle. There are always alternatives when dealing with a reputable trainer.

When looking for the right trainer, it is important not to be subjected to peer pressure, or unfounded rumors. Do your own homework, make your own decisions and form your own opinion.