Saturday, August 11, 2007
FINDING THE RIGHT TRAINER FOR YOU AND YOUR HORSE
1. Define your training goals. What do you ultimately want to do with your horse? What will be your horse’s job?
2. Location – although this is a consideration, the best trainer for you may not be the closest trainer to you. If you are looking for a trainer with very specific, high level skills you may have to travel farther than if you are looking for a trainer to start a colt. However, you do not want to choose a trainer who is so far away that you can not visit often enough to accomplish your goals.
3. Budget – training general will run between $400 - $3000 per month. Be sure to choose a trainer who is within your financial budget. Keep in mind that there will be additional costs such as worming and shoeing and that your horse may have to stay longer than anticipated to reach your goals.
4. Ask for referrals from others in the horse industry, veterinarians, etc.. Most breed and discipline associations exercise little or no oversight over their members. If you intend to compete with your horse; visit events and watch what goes on in the show pen, barns, and warm up pens. Watch for trainers whose personal style and that of their clients’ appeals to you. Obtain contact information for those trainers.
1. Define your training goals. What do you ultimately want to do with your horse? What will be your horse’s job?
2. Location – although this is a consideration, the best trainer for you may not be the closest trainer to you. If you are looking for a trainer with very specific, high level skills you may have to travel farther than if you are looking for a trainer to start a colt. However, you do not want to choose a trainer who is so far away that you can not visit often enough to accomplish your goals.
3. Budget – training general will run between $400 - $3000 per month. Be sure to choose a trainer who is within your financial budget. Keep in mind that there will be additional costs such as worming and shoeing and that your horse may have to stay longer than anticipated to reach your goals.
4. Ask for referrals from others in the horse industry, veterinarians, etc.. Most breed and discipline associations exercise little or no oversight over their members. If you intend to compete with your horse; visit events and watch what goes on in the show pen, barns, and warm up pens. Watch for trainers whose personal style and that of their clients’ appeals to you. Obtain contact information for those trainers.
# posted by The Double HH Ranch @ 4:23 PM 
