Hiring a Trainer

Hiring a horse trainer can be tricky, so I'm here to offer a few tips to help you wade through the murky waters of selecting the correct boarding school for your horse.

First of all, be sure that you and your horse are suitable for each other.
Trainers can't "fix" mis-matches (ie: bold horse/timid rider), nor can they alter a horse's basic personality or temperament.

What they CAN do is educate a horse within the parameters of his abilities, teach him to be more (or less) responsive to cues or stimuli, and hone the skills he needs to perform well in the discipline you've selected for him... period.

One of the biggest challenges many hard working and honest horse trainers face is convincing owners to have realistic expectations... so wake up from your Unicorn Dreams before trainer shopping if you want good results.
Sure there are plenty of trainers who will mollycoddle you and play into the unicorn dream... don't allow it, or you'll be sorry as your bank account dwindles and your horse fails to improve.

That said, if you've decided that your horse will benefit from some professional training, selecting the correct trainer for the job requires some homework and effort on your part; else you risk wasting your money on ineffective training.

Start by determining your goals... because that will dictate what strengths and experience you'll need in your trainer.
Whether your ambitions encompass jumping at A-rated shows, winning the Kentucky Derby, or just riding uneventfully through the woods at a walk, there are trainers suitable for assisting you in reaching your goals, and trainers who are not.

Obviously, you wouldn't send your reining prospect to a H/J trainer, nor your dressage mount to a trainer who specializes in barrel racing, right?
So take a little time to research your prospective trainer's background and experience in your chosen discipline, even if it isn't his primary area of expertise.

Let's assume you have a trail/pleasure horse who isn't all that much of a pleasure out in the woods.
You're fed up with his spookiness and inconsistant performance because you never really feel safe on him, but you do feel that the match is good... he simply needs more mileage over rough terrain, more exposure to wild animals, more confidence when something rustles in the bushes.

So you're shopping for a trainer.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1]  Find a trainer who shares your philosophies on basic care, riding, and horsemanship... otherwise you'll clash, and no one will benefit.

2]  Check his references (especially previous training clients).

3]  Ask him direct questions regarding his plans for your horse's training, and expect straightforward answers.  If you detect "Trainer Speak", let him know upfront that you are a realist, and desire open and honest communication in regards to the investment you're making in his horse training services.

4]  In the case of your trail horse, if his "training plan" doesn't include time and mileage spent in the woods trail riding, it's a waste, and you need to keep shopping trainers... you don't train "real-life" trail horses in an arena.
This line of thinking applies to whatever discipline you've chosen... training (at some point during its course) must address the horse's actual job.

5]  Inquire about owner participation, and also about riding instruction on your freshly trained horse... most hobbyist riders need lessons, and if you resist learning to ride better, you'll only screw-up your horse's training after he gets home.

6]  Visit the facility and pay close attention to the attitudes of the horses as well as their physical condition... are they friendly?
As you take your tour, keep a sharp eye for safety hazards and note cleanliness.  Pride of ownership in their stable is directly related to pride in their work.

Of course there are many questions to ask and things to consider, but I feel those are all important aspects to cover before committing to a trainer.

In addition, I prefer a trainer with a smaller stable that does his own riding and is personally involved with the horses on all levels.
In my experience, large training operations use *catch riders* who are students or hired hands... the horses get mileage, but they don't get the expertise of the actual trainer, which leaves some issues unresolved.

Unless I'm sending a show horse for "tweaking", I avoid show barns for pleasure or trail horses.
Believe me, the trainer at a large successful show barn is far too busy working with his "money horses" to be concerned about your nag... not to mention all the missed training days you'll be paying for because the trainer is at a show or out-of-town.

Hiring a trainer is easy... hiring the right trainer for you and your horse requires some work on your part, and isn't always so easy.
Just make sure the trainer "fits" what YOU and YOUR HORSE need, and that you are comfortable working with him to achieve the goals you've set, regardless of what they may be.