# Arizona Trainers *Rant*



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

So i have decided that i cannot see my horse enough to try to train her myself (or really know what the heck im doing). So i started trainer shopping and most are charging over 1k a month! heck i dont even MAKE that much a month! I would rather not ride her than send her to a Crackpot trainer, no training is better than bad training. the horse people in my area are all trail riders (or weekend worriers) so they dont know anyone. Most tell me to get so an so's book, or that they use parelli or CA. thats fabulous but that person cant come and help me when i get confused out of my mind. I may have to hold off riding for a year or two until i can find someone/ get a better job. its both a blessing and a curse living close to scottsdale. all the good trainers charge an arm and a leg, and half dont include board in their training price half the time...


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

That works out at $33 a day. 
Consider it all.
Handling the horse with catching, mucking out and riding and grooming, minimum of 2 hours a day labour. 
On top of that feed and general maintainence. 

I consider it good value.

Why should a good professional not make a profit! They might not have been to university for several years, only the university of life. 

Odds on they are charging a lot less than your dentist or doctor would.

Chances are if you go to a chiropractor they would charge more than $33 for a 30 minute treatment.

Two years ago I was charging $950 a month for a hunter at livery. Breakers / trainers were more. 
Admittedly hay and feed is more expensive but, consoder the time I spent working the horse to keep it fit, time grooming, tack cleaning, mucking out and so forth, it meant I was working for less than minimum wage.


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## Hackamore (Mar 28, 2014)

I am not familiar with the AZ, but here in the east you can buy a decent broke riding horse for less than it cost to have one trained. 
If you are not overly attached to this horse this may be an option to consider.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Sent you pm.


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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

What is a "weekend worrier"? Someone who worries only on the weekend?


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

sorry cant spell *warrior*. and i'm all for them making a profit but 1k a month just for a restart, yikes. i know a barrel racing trainer that charges 600 a month, and she is the best in the state. I dont want her show ready, i am all for that for going to a trainer who will get her show ready. I just wont her to be a safe riding horse. And i just cant get rid of this horse. she would end up in mexico in less than a month. few people want an unregistered 15 year old arab with training issues. there are well broke horses, or registered arabs from scottsdale who only go for abut 600-1k. It was a bit of a rant. I know they need to make money. but they either are crazy expensive (and about half a gas tank away) or they are only "show" trainers and i have seen some of them at westworld... yeah not happening.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Instead of sending her out for training, why don't you try to find someone that is experienced but not in the business to help you work with her? 

Or, you can trade barn chores or helping part time for 'coaching' time. We do this all the time. We have had people that helped get trail string horses saddled and ready, brushed and gentled yearlings, saddled horses we're training, you name it, in exchange for helping them learn to ride or helping them work with their horse.

There are a number of options other than just sending a horse out and most will do more to teach you than sending the horse out would do.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

What about finding someone who can come to you? They work with the horse, show you what to do & you do the 'homework' until the next time they come out & add more steps. 
I've done that for people & it works well unless the person is a total beginner, which you are not.

They may not be a big pro but they can get the job done. You also will be there every step of the way to ask questions & intervene if you don't like something.


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## STT GUY (Apr 23, 2014)

natisha said:


> What about finding someone who can come to you? They work with the horse, show you what to do & you do the 'homework' until the next time they come out & add more steps.
> I've done that for people & it works well unless the person is a total beginner, which you are not.
> 
> They may not be a big pro but they can get the job done. You also will be there every step of the way to ask questions & intervene if you don't like something.


^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^

We have a gentleman who pretty much follows Clinton Andersons "Method". He comes out and we do some stuff together for six hours or so and do hands-on practical exercises. 

Our "homework" is to work with the horses and become proficient. it's very self-paced and we have the Fundamentals and Intermediate DVD's and arena mates (these are small laminated quick-reference guides for field use) to help us.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I find trainers in the rural parts of Arizona to run $650/$700 month. And they tend not to want to take a horse for just a month.

I had a colt already with 2+ months of professional training on him and couldn't find anyone to take him just for a months tune-up. So I ended up just working through it myself. So I guess that's my biggest pet-peeve. Nobody in my area will take a horse for less that two months and they assume your horse is some kind of problem horse if you are looking for a trainer. :-x


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

KigerQueen said:


> sorry cant spell *warrior*. and i'm all for them making a profit but 1k a month just for a restart, yikes.


I just wanted to say that my trainer charges about $900 for a restart, only because they are often more complex and challenging than a normal start. When I took on some clients my price for a restart was $850 because of the work involved. (I later upped mine to $1,000 because I traveled to the place and worked with the owner. That barely covered my gas, health insurance and time....)

We both mainly do trail horses. 

I agree with Cherie, there are many experience and great riders out there who don't do this professionally (sometimes I'll trust them with a horse more than any trainer.)


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## EchoAttack (Apr 6, 2014)

Are you willing/do you have time to take lessons with the horse? That way you can still be involved with the training process, get the help that you need, and have homework for your lesson next week! If lessons are an option, do you have a trailer/are you willing to trailer for a good trainer?

I'm in Tempe and I have a wonderful trainer that's helping me start my 3rd youngster. He's got tons of experience with horses of all sorts, including problem horses. There are tons of options if you look in the right places!

Good luck to you


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

Would just like to add that I had contacted you last year when you were looking. We talked a little and I told you that we charge $150, plus hay, for board and then the training is $160 a month. We also said it was no problem if you had your farrier come out and do the hooves. The offer still stands if you're interested.


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

^ Wow, that is a pretty darn deal if you're close. Though I would be wary why it's so cheap.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ThunderingHooves (Aug 10, 2013)

Roman said:


> ^ Wow, that is a pretty darn deal if you're close. Though I would be wary why it's so cheap.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


The price was quoted for a couple things she needed worked on, not restarting the horse.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

she still need those things touched up, though most people have just said she needs restarted. idk anymore . Casa grande is about 1 hour and 40 min from me atm. That was my main issue. I would not be able to come out more than once a month thunder. That would be an entire tank of gas, and my truck does not like freeways (nore do i). IF that is something i can swing (assuming it only cost me 30-40 to fill my tank come next year) i may be all for it. Thank you for letting the offer still stand. . I just need the truck to not be a mess or the Kia to not drop an axle while driving...If i can fix the power steering on my truck and get the jollies to dive over 55mph ill contact you .
She may not need a restart, maybe just a tune up. she is good but just acts up off property (or randomly because its a tuesday...) and im just flat out terrified of her antics. I may have a vet check her to see if something is up with her ovaries, because she is now constantly in heat and its december and no new horses have moved in. As people have told me recently, she is the barn ho -_-'. In the winter she is fine (besides being a mess from being in heat her legs go from black to mostly white half the time). in the summer she is like an unhandled mustang. she even runs away from home/food and other horses. when she has dumped me and gotten loose she had NO intentions of coming back. she was not like this the first year and i half when i got her. there might be something medical going on.

I was trying to find someone to come to me, but im leary on people you find on craigslist. I have seen people go down that road and some it works well, others... I would LOVE to be coached but all i am finding is the big scottsdale trainers. As nice as that is i am not planning to show. I may show fiance's gelding but not Negra (unless she stops being bipolar). I would love to work with a trainer weekly with her. Thats what im looking for more than just sending her off. though the ideal thing would be to have her tuned up then take lessons with her.


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## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

Gosh, in my area board plus training for less than 1000 a month would be a steal... Even if it was a crackpot ha ha... Perhaps, you Bo could just do regular lessons with a reputable trainer? Then youhave a professional eye watching what yall are doing, right or wrong.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

KigerQueen, I sent you a pm. Don't know if you called him yet, but from what you described of her behavior, my personal opinion is a vet check soon. I recently had a mare that started very similar behavior and it turned into a health issue later. Not saying that's what it is. Please check into it.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

i plan on checking into it. hey bipolar cycle is too predictable not to. im getting mare magic and wild yams to give her this summer. If there is improvement i know its a hormone issue.


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## southernbound (May 17, 2014)

If you're willing to travel twice, I'm about 5 hours from you and my trainer charges 610. Full board, gets worked with 6 days a week and they can fix anything. The barn travels to shows up in scottsdale regularly, I'm sure someone could work out a ride there and back if you were willing to not see your horse regularly while she was being trained.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

sounds nice but 5 hours wow!I have only been driving less then 5 months and 10 hour round trip drive (and possibly 2 tanks of gas) is more than likely something i wont be able to do. I want to work with the trainer. If i dont know what the trainer is doing i could undo ALL the training i spent so much money on. 

Thank you for the offer though. I know im playing goldilocks here but i want whats best for her and me. Stopped her from being dogfood once, but i really dont know what im doing. there are days i do know what im doing and i think i have it, then she flips a switch and i can't even figure out how to get her to stop being a nut long enough to put her back in her stall. its winter now so she is lulling me into a false sense of security. I know come spring she is going to snap again. im thinking of taking vid of me working with her once a month. maybe twice a month to see when the switch starts to flip. Then show it to the vet...


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## hyperkalemic4 (Dec 8, 2014)

Trail horse rider, right on. It is the first mo that is the hard one especially if the horse in a "no" horse I think from then on it is easy money for them. I feel if a trainer cant have a horse working well in one mo. he will just take it easy a little at a time and run you broke. Watch, read, listen and get at improving the horse yourself.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Yeah vids will have to wait bit. During thanksgiving and the following weeks i have been unable to see my horse for more than 20 min. Got a GOOD look at her last week and realized that my horse lost more than a "little" weight. her 1 1/4 inch coat hid the fact she is REALLY skinny! yup, BO cut back AGAIN (and is getting crappy alfalfa). So now she is getting 3 flakes of alfalfa a day and 2 scoops of senior with amplify in it. id give her more but cant really afford it at the moment sadly. NOT happy in the least. Cant WAIT untill i can move her. Tired or getting her to a good (and somewhat fat weigh just for her to become emaciated when my back is turned. She lost weight QUICK too! Would not surprise me if she got skipped a day or two.


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## PreecePerformanceHorses (Jan 8, 2015)

Hi I'm Linzie Preece. My husband and I own Preece Performance Horses. We are based out of Utah but we winter in Wittmann AZ. We charge $550 a month and Thant price includes weekly lessons. Just google us and you'll find our page. We do everything from foundation work to finishing them and tune ups.


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