# Horse Trainer Expectations



## thecolorcoal (Jan 28, 2015)

Because I don't have many offline mentors and need some experiences:


What is your expectation for an on-site trainer? I mean trainer, not coach? If they ride once or twice a week and give you one lesson a week, what does one expect from them as far as management goes? 



Do they control the horse's feed program?
Do they control what tack the horse wears?
Do they have authority over vet care?
Do they tell you who you can and can't work with besides them?
Do they say what the horse can and can't do under saddle?


How are they expected to treat and address you as a client? Do you fall behind them or expect them to fall behind you?

Just trying to see what the expectations are. I only have one experience to draw from and I don't think I have very balanced or educated expectations.


----------



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Hi

My green pony is at a barn where the BO trains him sometimes and the other trainers train him sometimes. They also give me lessons, sometimes on lesson horses and sometimes on my pony. I think all of the questions you have just depend on what you have agreed to, but in my case the answer to your first five questions is "no." Now, the trainer does advertise a "full service" barn, and she will take care of tack, feed, vet, and farrier visits, but I prefer to be involved in all of those, so I make the time to come out and do it myself (with her consultation). 

I don't see how she can forbid you from riding with someone else. Having said that, if you're really new to riding, it's probably better to just stick to one instructor (for you) at first, IMO.

She doesn't say what my horse can or can't do, but she makes recommendations, and since he's green and I'm pretty green, I pretty much follow them. Because she obviously knows better than I do. I hired her to train him, and I am happy with the job she is doing, so I'm not going to question her on that.

As a client, she treats me just like a stereotypical instructor / trainer: ("More contact!" "Leg leg leg" "Kick him!" "No no no!"). I guess she is more available to me via text and email than she is to the college riders that she trains.

I only have one experience to draw on also! Interested to see what others say...


----------



## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

I am not sure what you mean by an "on-site trainer" - do you mean a trainer at a boarding barn or one which you send your horse to?

I'll respond, but I use two types of trainers (I do not board my horses, they are at home) - (1) I have a horse at their facility and they are riding the horse. (2) I go to different trainers to lessons, but the horse stays with me. My responses are based accordingly.

_*Do they control the horse's feed program*_? The horse with the trainer, yes, with my input. I expect if he changes any part of her feeding program that he tells me and if I object, I expect him to follow my wishes. The trainer who I just take lessons from have no input as far as what I feed, but may make some suggestions. Whether I follow the suggestion is up to me.

_*Do they control what tack the horse wears*_? The horse with the trainer, yes. That is part of what I'm paying him for. But, again, if he is using a piece of equipment I object to I expect he'll stop using it. If he doesn't I have the option of pulling my horse from him. The lesson trainer, again, can suggest tack, but what I use is up to me.

_*Do they have authority over vet care*_? Horse with trainer, yes, again with my consent, unless it is an emergency and he cannot contact me, then he has full authority to call a vet and make decisions. Lesson trainer, no. Again, can make suggestions only.

_*Do they tell you who you can and can't work with besides them*_? No.

_*Do they say what the horse can and can't do under saddle*_? No. but I may defer to their suggestions.

_*How are they expected to treat and address you as a client*_? With respect. And that is how I treat them. If they do not, I have the option of pulling my horse or taking my business elsewhere.

_*Do you fall behind them or expect them to fall behind you*_? I don't know what you mean by this.


----------



## thecolorcoal (Jan 28, 2015)

@kewpalace, thanks for your response.


In my experience there are two trainers: the ones that come from somewhere else to work your horse, and the ones who are at the boarding facility you have picked.


My definitions:



A lesson trainer is someone who comes to give you lessons on the horse, but does not "train" the horse themselves. AKA, does not ride with it or work with it on a personal level.


A "trainer" is someone who's goal is to improve the horse for their client, and then teach the client how to ride the horse they have "trained." They install the buttons, and then teach the client how to press the buttons.


My experience with trainers is they either take complete control of the animal, in the case of an owner who cannot be present, or they do whatever the client wishes with the animal in exchange for the ability to show the animal and further their own careers. 



I'm coming from an english background. I have seen both POV's. I have seen trainers who's clients drop off horses at the facility for 3-12 months, telling the trainer they can do whatever, and I have seen trainers who train horses who's owners are very present and active, doing whatever the owner wishes as far as horse care in exchange for use of the horse in lessons or use of the horse in shows. 



I have an unsettling feeling in my gut about my own situation. I am not sure if it is because of the kind of experiences I have witnessed, or if it is something to listen to. The trainer is VERY GOOD for the horse. I watched her ride last night and I was in awe. However her training methods completely upset everything I have come to learn about the sport we compete in and it is the opposite of what the "texts" say you "must do" (as i affectionately think of BSMS as I type this  ).


She is also not communicative. She is the horse's "trainer." I take lessons from her AND another instructor of who is in direct competition with her business-wise (didn't know this at the time, a rivalry sort of evolved...). However, the other instructor i ride with is 3 levels higher than our trainer and has achieved more than the current trainer, who took a step back to have children. 



I have had situations where trainers try to take complete control of my horse for their own personal gain and slowly phase me out of all decision making processes. I have seen very successful, well-respected trainers do this too, but not out of malicious intent but because of a general expectation that "trainers know best" and clients should "fall behind" the trainers and do whatever they say.


But these clients also tend to lack horse education in general. I am very involved, have worked with this horse since I got her, and know her extremely well. To have my say in her care removed upsets me but again, is this NORMAL in training? This is the most dichotomous situation I have been in. The last trainer was personable but extremely manipulative. This new one has fairly bad bedside manners but can get incredible results, she is just not connecting with me on a personal level.


----------



## thecolorcoal (Jan 28, 2015)

@ACinATX - got this too from my trainer, though it doesn't bother me. I rode at H/J barns were owners were treated like royalty and lesson kids... not so much. I'm not getting that "royal" vibe from this trainer HAHAHA! xD she definitely tries hard not to shine light on anyone specifically special although she has her collection of "favorites" that get maybe a fraction or two more attention. 



I am definitely struggling with the trainer/client relationship. Her ability to get results is great, even if her methods are fairly unorthodox (not abusive, just very different). They seem to work for my horse, it's just not how i was TAUGHT to ride for 20+ years. She got results 2x as fast as any trainer i've ridden with, but there's no research, reading, or education you can do yourself with her training style. It is completely custom and unique to her, which is hard for me because I am a very independent person and like to work on things alone. She also only feeds me tips bit by bit. Is this a way to hang onto me financially? I don't know, and I sure hope not because I just got out of an extremely abusive trainer relationship...


----------



## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

thecolorcoal said:


> I have an unsettling feeling in my gut about my own situation. I
> 
> her training methods completely upset everything I have come to learn about the sport we compete in and it is the opposite of what the "texts" say you "must do"
> 
> ...


 I tend to go with my gut feeling. And if you have questions you can certainly bring them up to your trainer and if you don't like the answers you can pull your horse. 

As for what is "normal" ... from what I've seen there is no "normal". Training experiences are what a trainer and the client agree to. Client involvement is what they agree to or, if the trainer is manipulative, what they can connive the client into doing (or not doing). I have friends who drop their horses off and don't care much about how the training is accomplished. Others want to be really hands on. They find a trainer who is OK with them being really involved. 

With the Trainer my horse is with to train, we had an understanding on my involvement from the beginning. If questions come up we will ask each other about it and make joint decisions. However, my situation is not really "normal" since I've known my trainer for 16 years and know how he trains and how he treats horses in training, so I trust is opinion/advice. It doesn't mean that I don't question him or make decisions about the horse that he may not agree with, but more likely than not I'll go with his opinion on how to do things.

From friends, not a lot of people have that type of relationship with their trainers. BUT, if I didn't and I couldn't find a trainer who would let me come and watch frequently, who won't take my suggestions or take my preferences for my horse in consideration, who tries to move me out of the decision making/ultimate authority for what goes on with my horse, I'd be going it alone. 

Really, you have to stand up for you and for your horse. If you don't feel you have enough information to make any decisions, ask firmly to come and watch and question what the trainer is doing. Don't take texts as what is actually going on. Go and watch. Maybe your gut is right - you won't know until you go and see it.


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

thecolorcoal said:


> What is your expectation for an on-site trainer? I mean trainer, not coach? If they ride once or twice a week and give you one lesson a week, what does one expect from them as far as management goes?
> _I expect a "trainer" , one who works my horses, furthers their training to be very experienced in handling many different personalities of horses and to be able to educate them so that I, a less experienced rider, can then ride my horse with more success once the training time is up and the horse returns to my care/riding completely._
> _If the horse is at their facility, then they manage pretty much everything about the horse...they are the ones we reach out to for their extended knowledge and what they can teach the horse and then us the rider so we communicate in quiet harmony together._
> 
> ...


This is what I experienced in both the English and western world of training barns.
I was the barn worker/manager.
I only once actually sent my horse for "training" and then it was at my work place so my relationship was slightly different, but I saw and observed hundreds of client/trainer/instructor/boarding barn relationships over the years.
Hope that helps answer some of those questions...
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


----------



## thecolorcoal (Jan 28, 2015)

*@horselovinguy*, thank you! very informative


----------

