# Comparing old trainers with new.



## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I have had the honour of meeting very many different trainers and most would knock the modern into a cocked hat. 

Comparison between Parelli and Anderson is so common it is boring and both leave a lot to be desired. 

I would have loved to have an old family friend, Geordie, go up with either of them and show them how to train a horse without ropes and sticks or deciding whether a horse is left or right brained, introverted or extroverted!

Geordie could do anything with a horse without appearing to do anything at all. 
Horses would go across a field when he walked into it, just to be near him. He had never met any of them before but, they all wanted to be with him. 

I watched him with a feral New Forest pony mare with a foal at foot. He fussed her, all over, with a hand on her withers and on the mane he had her lie down and then when she was standing got up on her and cantered her in a circle in both directions before getting off her and fussing her again. When we drove away the mare cantered down the road following the car. Geordie was in his 70's at the time. 

Another time, when he was in his late 80s at a major show some idiots were trying to load a young horse. They were being very rough with the poor animal and Geordie went to the young man issuing orders and using the lung whip.
When the lad swore at Geordie her reversed his walking stick and clouted the man behind the ear with the rounded handle. He then took the horse, hobbled alongside the horsebox and down the line for about three horsebox lengths, returning back to the ramp. Everyone had cleared away and at the bottom of the ramp Geordie stopped, put the halter rope under his arm, lit his pipe and hobbled very slowly up the ramp with the horse following him like a well trained dog. It had taken him about 5 minutes to walk around with the horse and about three for him to get up the ramp!

Now that is what I call a _real_ understanding and a _real_ aptitude to training.

When you have seen someone like this work with difficult animals and then see Parelli, Anderson, Roberts or others is it any wonder that they do not impress?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I think the big names are in it for the money or the fame.. not for the horse.

Sometimes the best trainers are those that don't brag about their abilities. They let the horse speak for them.. if that makes sense.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

My thoughts on this are the same.

The older trainers I knew? Would have run circles around the new ones I see now.

They read horses well, knew horses, and had real horse sense.


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