Pros and Cons of Sending a horse out for training. [Archive]

GotSpots

Jul. 26, 2009, 07:37 PM

Nothing wrong with it at all, assuming you have a rider you like/trust who is a good fit with your horse, and you've got the $$ to pay for it. I think for most of us trying to balance a day job with riding competitively, we don't always get enough time in the tack to fix all of horses' issues and/or to help teach something new. We've all heard the saying about green plus green equaling black and blue: particularly if you're trying to move up a level and have never done it before, or have an issue you can't quite get through, I sometimes think it makes more sense to have the horse understand the lesson clearly, rather than having the rider/horse getting into a circular set of battles. However, I do think that it makes alot of sense to come and watch the rider who is working with your horse and take a few lessons with him/her so you can help learn how to apply the tools they've helped install. There isn't some gold star for struggling through on your own, particularly if you're stuck in a place where you're not able to fix a particular issue or can't give a horse the confidence he needs or understand an issue. This is a sport/hobby - it's supposed to be fun, and I suspect that if you/your horse are stuck somewhere, you'd both appreciate having the conversation cleared up.

There are definitely times when it may not be appropriate, but for your average amateur/young rider learning the sport, I think it can be great.

PennyChrome

Jul. 26, 2009, 07:38 PM

None of the eventers I know can ever afford it.

Caroline Weber

Jul. 26, 2009, 09:15 PM

None of the eventers I know can ever afford it.

Plenty of people can - otherwise BNTs would have nearly empty barns.

That said, I certainly couldn't afford it, I work off all of my training.

CookiePony

Jul. 26, 2009, 09:28 PM

It make sense to get professional training help with a horse for all the reasons GotSpots mentioned-- but it certainly doesn't have to be a BNT for it to be valuable.

Jleegriffith

Jul. 26, 2009, 09:30 PM

Heck if I could afford it I would do it more often! When I was starting my conn/tb as a 4yr I got launched off during a schooling just because of someone else riding stupidly. I wanted him to keep going so I sent him off to someone who came highly recommended so she could keep him going. He came back full of confidence and with a ton more skills. One event at intro and he went right to novice. It was expensive but he hacked out, schooled x-c, did basic flatwork and just got to see the world a bit more. I considered sending him out again to have a bit of work done with ditches before he got hurt. It would have helped me to know he could go around a training course with ditch and walls, trakeners and coffin complexes because he could be tricky to ride to ditches.

I have been considering a few pro rides on my current personal horse at some competitions because he is just so sensitive at the moment and really requires that perfect ride. I feel as though I do a perfectly acceptable job and although I normally do all the training myself some horses really do need someone who doesn't make mistakes and I make plenty of them:lol: I might be able to work something where he gets a ride or two a week by a pro and then she will ride him at a show but really I have no idea how much it costs.

I think the ideal situation is finding someone you already lesson with and then having them work with you to draw up a plan for the horse. I don't necessarily think horses need full-time training but a ride or two a week can make a world of difference along with a few confidence boosting competition runs so when the ammy owner gets on the horse already knows the job.

deltawave

Jul. 26, 2009, 09:52 PM

I send mine to my trainer's every winter (well, going on 3 years--before that I didn't really have a regular trainer, which would explain why my 9yo horse is JUST now getting up to Training level, LOL) and it's been great:

PROS:
1. I don't have an indoor (or outdoor) arena, so without being at my trainer's barn I would pretty much not get to ride at all from December until April due to dark, cold, and snow.
2. My trainer is amazing at producing horses for whom a dressage score of 25 is NORMAL. :eek: Bonnie's gotten below 30 with her a number of times, which is a big deal for a horse with a very average set of gaits. :)
3. Instead of brushing off the dust/rust every spring, I have a horse that's fit and ready to go.
4. It gives me a little break--only one stall to clean in the winter instead of two! :lol:

CONS:
1. A little pricey, but IMO what my trainer charges is more than fair.
2. I wish there was a little more turnout at my trainer's barn because normally I keep mine outside 24/7 with stall access, but that's just not do-able at a boarding stable.
3. Some of the stalls are pretty small, so I always cough up for the bigger/airy ones. If I don't get one this winter (the waiting list gets longer and longer!) I might give Bonnie this winter off.
4. Related to #3, I personally feel like every horse needs a break now and then, so keeping them in training year-round can eventually be a negative.

I don't have any "guilt" about not producing my own horse, because I don't have the time, talent, or know-how to do it on my own. I raised and broke her myself, and I'm happy with how that turned out, but if it were all me doing the training we'd still be bobbing and weaving our way around BN. :lol: OTOH, if she were with a pro ALL the time she'd probably be going Prelim by now, although that's probably Bonnie's limit scope- and speed-wise. :)

Speedy

Jul. 27, 2009, 09:31 AM

I think it can be a great benefit to you and your horse. The only caveat I would make is that it is important to choose a trainer whose training method and style of riding are fairly consistent with your own - ideally, it would be someone with whom you would work yourself at the end of the training period to confirm that you understand what has been done with your horse and with whom you plan to have a lesson now and then to check in. If you don't do these things, it is likely that your horse will come back looking and going like a million bucks (assuming you choose a good trainer, of course!), but you won't be able to sustain it.

RunForIt

Jul. 27, 2009, 09:46 AM

here's a caveat: can you ride enough if the horse isn't at home/nearby stabling to keep yourself riding fit and still learning yourself? Beyond the money, that's one of the problems for me. Rasta will be going somewhere ...not sure to whom or where the money will come from, but he's just too nice for me to learn on...:cool:

Janet

Jul. 27, 2009, 09:50 AM

I guess I am the sole naysayer.

years ago, when I was out for several months with a broken wrist, I sent Music to my trainer.

Yes, she moved her up to Training for the first time.

Yes, she understood that Music was not as easy to ride WELL as she looked.

But those were the only benefits.

There weren't any significant downsides, aside from the cost. But it just didn't seem worth it to me.

I got ZERO satisfaction or pleasure from watching someone else compete her, even when she got a ribbon. Maybe that is just me, becuase I know plenty of people DO get satisfaction from that.

If I had a problem I was having difficulty working through, that would be different. But just for a general "brush up", or becuase I am out of the saddle for a while, it no longer makes sense to/for me.

Fence2Fence

Jul. 27, 2009, 01:08 PM

If there was a medical reason, and I wanted to keep the horse going, then yes...but only to someone I knew really well and with a defined agenda. But sending one out, just because they have a Name. Nope, no thanks.

I just spent a week with my coach, taking lessons everyday. She rode him one day--I think she meant to ride him for ten minutes and then hand him back, but it ended up being a half hour ride. Then she put me back on for another ten to let me 'feel' what she wanted us to understand. That was very, very educational!

So, if I could send both of us out for training where we'd lesson everyday, with an occasional half-ride/half-lesson to really get at an issue. Yes, certainly! But just to have one sent out, to be returned with all the buttons in place; no thanks!

RunForIt

Jul. 27, 2009, 01:35 PM

bornfreenowexpensive

Jul. 27, 2009, 01:48 PM

But just to have one sent out, to be returned with all the buttons in place; no thanks!

LOL...they never really have the buttons in place or keep them even if they do!

For me....it all depends on your horse and your goals.

I've brought along many horses to Prelim with just me riding...but now I'm rusty beyond training level, don't have the time I used to....and don't bounce as well as I used to (athough I can stick on pretty good most of the time still). I love breaking and starting young horses...always have and probably always will...and can deal with a green horse rear or buck or spook. So I will probably never send a horse out to be started....did it once and will never do it again. But there are times with a green horse or moving up to Prelim or beyond...that I want my trainer to compete the horse...to give them a good confident ride in a competitive setting. For me...it isn't about buttons or training....it is about confidence and creating a horse that loves its job (and can therefore take a joke when I'm riding;))

In the end....even if you send a horse out for training or get some training rides or have your trainer compete your horse.....if this is a horse you are keeping...you will still have to be able to ride it...it is about the partnership between you and your horse so it still takes both to get it right! But getting some help along the way is NOT cheating and can really benefit both you and your horse.

jn4jenny

Jul. 27, 2009, 01:52 PM

I've sent mine out for 4 months' training this summer, although these last 2 months of July/August I am also riding the horse 3x weekly with one lesson a week (on top of 5 rides weekly from trainer). I used my routine trainer, who is no BNT but has my utmost respect and excellent credentials. It's definitely cheaper than a BNT and I know exactly who's riding my horse and how they're riding it. My horse is only an hour away so I've been able to watch a lot of the first 60 days, and of course now I'm back in lessons and riding regularly to transition the horse back to me.

I brought my horse along myself, very slowly, over the last 3 years. Then I decided to go back to grad school this fall, and I wanted my horse 100% confirmed at Novice before I left. Full-time training was the logical way to get that in a big hurry (only had from April to August to pull it off!)

I ditto all of deltawave's pros/cons, but here's a few more for my case:

PROS
--Trainer had several discussions with horse that I was not equipped to have.
--My guy is a fairly straightforward, friendly, fun ride. It's been an absolute pleasure to watch someone else have as much fun with him as I have. At one point, my trainer was riding 5 horses a day, and mine was the only one who wasn't a royal PITA.
--Now that I'm riding the horse again, there's no question that when we have a problem, it is MY fault. :)
--I now know that my horse CAN adjust to 3 hours of daily turnout if he's got a sufficiently big, cushy stall and is in regular, intensive work. I would have NEVER guessed that my horse would survive on that schedule, but he's just as calm as ever. I choose to keep my horse on more turnout than that, but it's good to know what he can and can't take.
--Speaking of which, a trainer is often more equipped to find a horse's physical and psychological limits. Obviously YMMV, but let's just say that watching my trainer push my horse confirmed a lot of things that I already suspected about him (all good things).
--Trainer, who has legs of steel and very kind hands, still felt that the horse was strong over fences. Now I won't have to second guess whether the horse needs more jewelry for the jumping phases. Especially since the dressage has been in the twenties at both shows this summer, so it's obviously not a problem based in the flatwork!

CONS
--It's been quite the adjustment to learn how to ride my Shiny New Car. Thank goodness for the lessons/help!
--I was pretty hard on myself when I first got back on the horse. I even cried at one lesson because I felt so incapable of doing what my trainer was asking me to do; she was very kind about it, pointing out that I was being asked to ride my horse in a totally different way than I used to ride him AND that my riding muscles were totally out of shape. The re-adjustment period is not to be underestimated.
--Some horses don't take the joke as well as mine does. Mine is very kind about going from a pro rider to little ol' me. I've watched some of the other training clients go through the same transition with less generous horses and it's not always that smooth.
--I miss my horse. I can't afford the gas $$ to go and see him 6 days a week, so I see him only 3x weekly, and that's been a real switch.

Overall, I'm very glad that I did it.

Fairview Horse Center

Jul. 27, 2009, 01:54 PM

I know someone that sent their horse to a BN dressage trainer for 2 months each year. The horse came back each time confirmed at the next level. Then she was able to learn/ride/show at that level all year.

Long Shadow Farm

Jul. 27, 2009, 02:15 PM

I think my guy is going off for the fall to a nice pro that moved into our area. I am having too many shoulder issues lately and surgery is looming more and more in the future so he is probably going to her place so she can finish getting him ready for the QH World show and ride him in that. Plus she is going to work on moving him up to Prelim for me so once I am well and back in the saddle, he will have had some great Prelim experiences. That will make my move-up so much nicer. I have never sent one off myself before, so I am very nervous but he will be about 30 to 45 minutes from me (depends on if I am at home or in the office), so I can go and check on him often. Plus I am looking forward to his dressage skills improving as that is where I have the hard time getting him together.

Bobbi

Saskatoonian

Jul. 27, 2009, 02:20 PM

jn4jenny mentioned that some horses don't take a joke as well as hers - this brings to mind two friends who've sent their horses to BNTs to get mileage at P, when they wanted to move up. Intellectually, a great plan. Great trainers. And both horses came back expecting a pro ride and not forgiving of their ammy owners. These are owners the horses had been packing sweetly around for years. One, at least, did not get his sense of humor back.

I have no personal experience because I like riding my own too much and could never send him away (and have been lucky enough not to have med issues or travel stuff keeping me from riding)!

PS Bobbi, you posted at the same time - this was written before I read yours, so PLEASE don't think it's in response to yours. Good luck!

bornfreenowexpensive

Jul. 27, 2009, 02:29 PM

jn4jenny mentioned that some horses don't take a joke as well as hers - this brings to mind two friends who've sent their horses to BNTs to get mileage at P, when they wanted to move up. Intellectually, a great plan. Great trainers. And both horses came back expecting a pro ride and not forgiving of their ammy owners. These are owners the horses had been packing sweetly around for years. One, at least, did not get his sense of humor back.

I think that is why it is important who you send your horse to...and what are your expectations....and be very clear with your pro what are your expectations. A really good trainer will train a horse a bit differently if it is a ride for them...or a ride that will be going back to their owners (and why a trainer that knows the owner and works with the owner is probably best...unless you are sending them off to get sold...).

And in the end....there is rarely such a thing as a true packer, especially at prelim...so if the rider doesn't also get training....it may not always work out.

deltawave

Jul. 27, 2009, 02:59 PM

just to have one sent out, to be returned with all the buttons in place; no thanks!

Oh Lord, I would take that in a heartbeat! :) I totally get how cool it is and how fulfilling to make your own, but lacking time and talent makes that goal, for me, somewhat unrealistic. I'll take big, shiny buttons that are easy to find whenever I can get them! :D

SBClancy

Jul. 27, 2009, 03:13 PM

I don't have any "guilt" about not producing my own horse, because I don't have the time, talent, or know-how to do it on my own. I raised and broke her myself, and I'm happy with how that turned out, but if it were all me doing the training we'd still be bobbing and weaving our way around BN. :lol:

This sounds like where I am now in terms of trying to do the training and everything myself due to lack of time, talent and MONEY. Clancy, an RIDSH gelding just turned 8 July 1. I feel no guilt about sending him off. Even when I went away on vacation last summer for a few weeks I sent him to the trainers during that time instead of having him sit around while I was gone. I sent him off two winters ago for 60 days with my trainer and got back a remarkably improved horse. If I could send him off every winter even for 60 days the horse I got back would be going training instead of considering our first BN in August. We'll be the ones weaving our way around BN.

PhoenixFarm

Jul. 27, 2009, 03:21 PM

To re-iterate what some are saying above.

There is a world of difference between training a horse to take an ammy rider around (insert level here) and training/riding that horse at that level with an eye towards bigger and better things and future progression. Not every trainer is capable of doing both things. (And unfortunately, if you have a nice horse, someone might think it's in their best interest to make it no longer so ammy friendly as to continue to get a paid ride on a nice horse to keep moving up with. Rare in eventing, but does happen). If you don't currently work with a trainer (which is always the best choice of who to send a horse to, so you can work WITH them, not just get a product back you may or may not know how to work), then look for a trainer who has consistently produced horses that go for non-pro riders. In many cases that may not be the local BN, who may be a successful trainer and rider, but produces a very different type of horse than most ammy's need.

I also want to discuss the issue mentioned above of say, a horse that packs at training, but then came back from the trainers at prelim but could no longer take a joke. When I have seen this circumstance I often think it's not because a pro has screwed up or anything, but because the horse may not be suited for the job of prelim packer. At training Horsie was comfortable, it was relatively easy for him, and he was willing and able to be forgiving of mistakes. But maybe prelim is near the top of his range, either physically or mentally (you really cannot underestimate the toll the new technicality can take on a horse's mental state), and so he NEEDS the rider to be more exact in order for him to feel like he is able to do the job. With the pro, he can do, but with out them, it's too much to ask.

There is a reason that "prelim packers" are rare and expensive--because a lot of horses than can and will pack at training, simply can't at prelim or above, even if it is within the realm of their physical gifts. Now, I would say it would be the job of a pro to know what they're sitting on, and be able to say to a student, "He's had three clean runs with me, but I'm definitely having to give him a very careful ride. I'm not sure he's going to be up to the task with you at this level at this time" and then have a discussion about whether we want to give it a try, or stay at training, or what not.

Communication is the key to making this arrangement work.

EventingChase

Jul. 27, 2009, 03:30 PM

I also want to discuss the issue mentioned above of say, a horse that packs at training, but then came back from the trainers at prelim but could no longer take a joke. When I have seen this circumstance I often think it's not because a pro has screwed up or anything, but because the horse may not be suited for the job of prelim packer. At training Horsie was comfortable, it was relatively easy for him, and he was willing and able to be forgiving of mistakes. But maybe prelim is near the top of his range, either physically or mentally (you really cannot underestimate the toll the new technicality can take on a horse's mental state), and so he NEEDS the rider to be more exact in order for him to feel like he is able to do the job. With the pro, he can do, but with out them, it's too much to ask.

Communication is the key to making this arrangement work.

I think this is a VERY good point in this whole thing. The other thing to consider is that very possibly with many more miles the horse could be a prelim packer. 3 prelims do not make a horse exerienced at prelim. At training level there can only be so many "questions" and most courses are different versions of the same one. At Prelim there can be a uge variety of questions from course to course and it could take a horse much longer to gain the skill set to "pack" over all of them.

JWB

Jul. 27, 2009, 05:00 PM

I work a full time job, am in the middle of remodeling a house and am currently pregnant! If I didn't use a trainer, I'd have a fat pasture ornament. My trainer may not qualify as a BNT but she's brought several to advanced and has a heck of a lot more knowledge than me. I'm looking forward to coming back to riding on a horse that's had a year of professional training instead of a year in the pasture!!!!

Ritazza

Jul. 27, 2009, 05:52 PM

Just be careful who you send the horse out to and make sure someone is nearby to keep an eye on them. Even the most supposed perfect match (my mare and the trainer I sent her to after much deliberation when I went abroad for 6 months) can go horribly awry. Trainer got along with every other horse except mine, apparently, and I came back to find a rack of skin and bones with a rearing problem and a fear of people. Trainer told me all along how wonderfully she was coming along and that she was "learning not to be a princess." Should have been my first clue. I really liked this trainer and I trusted her. Instead of 6 months worth of additional, quality training, I had 6 months of trainwreck that I had to attempt to erase from her mind. It's two years later now and sometimes you can still see it in her eyes.

Check up on the horse. Often. Watch it being handled and ridden. I can't say it enough.

RunForIt

Jul. 27, 2009, 06:05 PM

this thread needs to go into the RESOURCES file...:cool:
Thanks DW, BFNE, and so many others....:yes:

Count your blessings, CP!

jn4jenny

Jul. 27, 2009, 06:39 PM

I think that is why it is important who you send your horse to...and what are your expectations....and be very clear with your pro what are your expectations. A really good trainer will train a horse a bit differently if it is a ride for them...or a ride that will be going back to their owners (and why a trainer that knows the owner and works with the owner is probably best...unless you are sending them off to get sold...).

Amen. My trainer's barn is full of happy adult amateur riders with horses that came out of training more able to take the joke, and my trainer talks very actively in the "let's set expectations" stage about how long/what it will take to get the horse to X level with the pro versus how long/what it will take to get the horse to X level with the owner/rider. The people whose horses didn't take the joke had been duly warned of that possibility before training began; these were either horses with pre-existing issues, or horses that were known to be difficult rides, etc. There's only so much a trainer can do to make a not-naturally-ammy-friendly horse more ammy friendly.

eponacowgirl

Jul. 28, 2009, 01:50 AM

What an awesome thread.

I've, for the first time in my life, been considering sending my guy out for a month. He is, for all intents and purposes, TRAINED, and I did it all myself to this point, but now I'm looking for that extra little bit and I wonder if I'll be less frustrated (and it'll go quicker) if someone else just gets the foundation there and I can SEE a result instead of muddling through the daily grind and with incremental improvements that I barely see.

Ah, the age old question.

Fence2Fence

Jul. 28, 2009, 08:35 AM

RunForIt--

I don't live too far from my trainer--35 minutes to trailer over. Since I go after work (half hour home/half hour trailering), I have to bust some tail to get there on time. Since I didn't have enough vacation time to take the week off, and my job is too inflexible right now to skip out early, it was less stressful on all of us just to board him.

Completely worth it. If I can scrape the money together to do this again in the fall, heck yes!

And I'm certainly not complaining about the 'straightness button' she installed when she rode that one day! :D :D

kiwifruit

Jul. 28, 2009, 08:51 AM

Yes...a very good thread with some food for thought. Just to clarify some things...BNT should have been more of a professional. At least someone who is more talented than me in the saddle. Regardless if they've ridden in the Olympics or a backyard type of person, just a good rider/horseperson. I am of the thought of being a part of the process when it comes to training. My ideal situation is to have the professional ride the horse for a week or two at their barn, and then have me come into the scene and take weekly lessons on horse while horse is with them. This way I can keep an eye on horse and still keep a connection on him as well. Do you think most professionals would be willing to be creative like this and help an ammy out in the process? Or do you think they would just want the owner to be out of the whole thing? This professional/BNT, I've taken a lesson and a clinic with and found he/she to be great. He/she actually got on my horse and did a nice job putting him together so that is why I'm leaning towards sending him to this person. I don't have an established relationship with this person (but people on the COTH have given me good insight on he/she as well as their experiences as well as some local references) so I'm willing to take a chance. I'm using this as a way to break free from old habits, people, experiences and hopefully turn the page for me and my horse. Sometimes you just need a change. Am I going about this all wrong? As for the horse, he has way more experience than me but can take "a joke". I've let him get away with some things and thought this would be a great way to get both of us on track. He already has the buttons but I just need someone to help me find them!

ponyxjd

Jul. 28, 2009, 08:54 AM

I traveled around my area looking for a barn to send my greenie to for a month when I bought her a few months ago, and in the end I opted for finding an amazing trainer in my area that came to my barn four times a week. In the beginning it was mostly training rides, (with me watching) and after a month or two that switched to my trainer teaching ME how to teach my horse. While my trainer is still the only one who can make my horse look like a million bucks, I can at least make her look decent. If I would have sent her away I wouldn't have been able to bond with my horse and I'd have no idea how to ride her. But, if I were close enough to a BNT to take regular lessons, I might consider that.

Some people that I know sent their green(ish) horse to a BNT before he was ready IMHO. They took him out of training with a dressage trainer to go to an event barn, and while he seems to be making progress over fences not quite sure about the flatwork. Just something to consider while you're looking around.

GotSpots

Jul. 28, 2009, 09:08 AM

My ideal situation is to have the professional ride the horse for a week or two at their barn, and then have me come into the scene and take weekly lessons on horse while horse is with them. This way I can keep an eye on horse and still keep a connection on him as well. Do you think most professionals would be willing to be creative like this and help an ammy out in the process? Or do you think they would just want the owner to be out of the whole thing? This professional/BNT, I've taken a lesson and a clinic with and found he/she to be great. He/she actually got on my horse and did a nice job putting him together so that is why I'm leaning towards sending him to this person.
Honestly? Ask him. Most pros I know are pretty willing to work with you (or will tell you that what you're looking for isn't really part of their program). If the plan is for the horse to become more broke for you to ride, I would be very up front about that - but your proposed plan isn't anything extreme or outrageous (heck, it's pretty darn similar to the program my horses are in).

CookiePony

Jul. 28, 2009, 09:39 AM

In hindsight, I rather wish I had sent my old horse for some training, even if it had only been for a short time. I overestimated how well I could deal with his greenie issues on XC, and his, um, reluctance in his flatwork. The result was reduced confidence for me, that I am rebuilding now with a generous and experienced (though not pushbutton) partner.

The goal would not have been for my old guy to return as a packer but for him to have exposure to certain situations and concepts, guided by a strong and skilful jockey. I would not have needed a BNT for this-- my own local trainer, who is very firm, gentle, and knowledgeable, could have done this for me. Oh, well.

Catalina

Jul. 28, 2009, 09:59 AM

I totally recognize my limitations as an Ammy with a family and a full time job; I just can't spend the hours in the saddle that I would like too, especially when it starts getting dark at 5:00 in the winter time :mad:. So, hopefully this winter I can send Connor away for a month or two and then send Spy out to be started in the Spring.

subk

Jul. 28, 2009, 10:35 AM

I think you have to take some personal assessments before you can decide what's right for you. Why do you do this sport? There are lots of different answers, but for me I enjoy the process of bringing along young horses and learning what they have to teach me. I have no deadlines or goals that can't be put off until next year and little interest to create something to sell. So outside training isn't going to be something that I'll leap to in most instances. Then you need to honestly consider your own abilities.

The cost of training is significant. It's easy to put in $3-5k in a few months of training with a BNT without getting $3-5k added to the value of your horse. It would be cheaper in many instances to buy a horse with the training you want than spend the money to have that training put into the horse! Sad but true.

I've sent horses out to trainers a few times. Sometimes for no other reason than to keep one in work and fitness while I can't ride. Once to sell. This last February I sent a newly purchased, 3 year old out because I wanted him to come home more trained. It was a great experience, but what made it a great experience was the investment of my own time. She rode him alone a couple days a week, I watched her ride him a couple days a week, she gave me a lesson on him a couple days a week. I was there 4 days a week at least. We talked and analyzed theory, abilities, talents and goals. It was educational and an absolute blast!

At the very least I think any training needs to be coupled with some type of lessons. Horses go the way you ride them--if you don't change the way you ride the horse will only revert to what it was before you sent him out! I cannot tell you how many times I seen that happen. I would be hesitant to send my horses to anyone I don't or can't ride with--BNT or not.

RunForIt

Jul. 28, 2009, 12:26 PM

originally posted by subk:
I've sent horses out to trainers a few times. Sometimes for no other reason than to keep one in work and fitness while I can't ride. Once to sell. This last February I sent a newly purchased, 3 year old out because I wanted him to come home more trained. It was a great experience, but what made it a great experience was the investment of my own time. She rode him alone a couple days a week, I watched her ride him a couple days a week, she gave me a lesson on him a couple days a week. I was there 4 days a week at least. We talked and analyzed theory, abilities, talents and goals. It was educational and an absolute blast!

THIS is the situation that I want...would love it with the very same trainer. Alas, Columbia, TN is a bit too far to travel..again, you and CP are both quite lucky. Each of you had/have different reasons/goals for working with your trainer...its worked for each of you...

If DH's fall golf trip could somehow be located in Middle Tennessee at the same time of my week off in September...I know where Rasta and I would be going!!!! And subk, we could FINALLY have lunch! :cool:

Saskatoonian

Jul. 28, 2009, 01:09 PM

Someone may already have covered this - if so, sorry - but in choosing the trainer, I'd want to think about his or her style of riding, especially on XC. There are some who stay out of the way and let the horse do his or her job, and others who manage every stride. The two I mentioned above went to trainers who manage every stride and are brilliant at it. The riders are good ones, but earthlings like most of us. The rider who made my P packer, and took him through ***, was much more like Lucinda Green. Get him there with the right pace and balance and stay out of his way. You can make a mistake, but leave him the ability to fix it. She's also the one who taught me to ride XC, so that probably helped.

JWB

Jul. 29, 2009, 01:09 PM

I personally would not put my horse with a trainer that didn't want to teach me on the horse.... Unless it is a safety issue or I have no intentions of riding the horse ever, "training" should include lessons for the owner.

I'm not riding at the moment (pregnant) but prior to and asap after, I'll be back on my horse again even though she's in training. I think this is more the norm than the exception..... The only cases where it might be different would be with the true BNTs who are developing horses for themselves or other upper level riders but that's a whole different agenda than sending a horse out for training with the understanding that the horse will be coming back to you....