Trainers and mentors. Do you follow one or many?

How do you know the trainer/mentor is right for you and your horse? Who is your favorite and why?

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on September 8, 2009 at 5:30pm

yummy horse... :) so sweet looking.

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Permalink Reply by Marti Langley on September 6, 2009 at 11:42pm

Geoffrey, interesting stuff! As in judging your sanity, my husband says all horse people are nutz!!

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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Pannell on September 7, 2009 at 12:38am

Yes, but some of us are nuttier than the rest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Sky Horse on September 11, 2009 at 12:19pm

.....*nodding in ever so complete agreement with Mr Pannell* ...
But ...erm ... I'm NOT pointing Any fingers mind .. *pelts Geoffrey with some carrots* ..
~ Barby ..*laughing* ..

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Permalink Reply by Marti Langley on September 12, 2009 at 6:41pm

Barby, maybe you should be pelting him with almonds, lol!! Save the carrots for the horsies.

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Permalink Reply by Melissa L on September 13, 2009 at 1:13pm

I don't have a famous trainer but what I do have is a trainer that listens to my horse and puts my horse first above everything else. She is also great at boosting my confidence as a rider which I so desparately needed. I had a wonderful trainer in the past who trained my psycho mare (off the race track) to a mare that was trusting and gentle. However, she passed 4 years later and I quit riding for 4 years until my filly was old enough to ride. Unfortunately that trainer got extremely frustrated because I had gone backwards in my riding capabilities and would yell at me. At that time I lost all confidence in my riding so I switched trainers. My old trainer also was one that thought that she had to ride my horse at least 90 times before she would let me get on her back. She tended to forget at times that I was the client.

My mare is only 4-1/2 years old - has only had about 20 rides on her so far but with a new patient trainer who understands my horse, I feel completely safe on my mare. I am now riding her at the walk and trot. Next week my trainer will start working on her cantering before I get on her.

We did a lot of ground work, driving with long reins, lunging with side reins, pessoa, etc. to get her balanced to where she could take the weight of a rider and still remain balanced.

I truly believe it is a teamwork approach between the client and the trainer. Each must listen to one another and have the same set of goals. If I ask my trainer to "slow down" and not rush my horse then I expect my trainer to listen to what I am wanting and not be egotistical to the point of they are more interested in what THEY have accomplished with a young horse in a short period of time but more interested in the long term picture. I would much rather take 2 years to accomplish what most trainers try to accomplish in one year. As in the long run you want a horse you can trust and who will be your team mate and who will want to do what you ask them to do. I have seen too many horses rushed in their training and they ended up being mentally pyscho because of it.

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Permalink Reply by Marti Langley on September 14, 2009 at 1:56pm

Hi, Melissa. I would like to find a trainer to work with my riding. I need more balance since my shoulder replacement in '07 and resulting nerve palsy in my right arm. I see slight improvements every so often. My mare Maggie was pretty well trained to trail ride when I got her. But Cloud, my rescue mare, who was given to me on my birthday, last month, is very very green. She only had a few rides when I got her. But she is sweet just needs calmness around her. I have been riding her with a sidepull. She is still getting used to me putting the saddle pad on, but once that is on, she is fine with being saddled. I am just giving her the time and calmness she needs. She is pretty good for mounting, surprisingly. That is something I have been working with on Maggie. Still, lol. I have owned Maggie for a year this Nov 1st. I too, have seen horses rushed in their training, and you are so right, it is not a pretty sight. It takes as long as it takes, as PonyBoy would say.

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Permalink Reply by Melissa L on September 14, 2009 at 2:45pm

Marti - I have found personally that one of the best ways to find your seat and balance again is to have lessons on a lunge line because it takes away from your need to steer the horse and back to where you can "feel" your horse underneath you.

I love to have lunge line lessons because of this and also I close my eyes so that all my senses are directed to how my horse feels. By feeling only, I can tell when my horse is not bent correctly, or her haunches are pushed through to the outside, she is not using impulsion from the back legs, her neck and shoulders are not bent in a circle correctly, she is not bending her neck at the poll, her frame on a circle is not correct. At the same time I am constantly talking to my trainer letting her know what I am feeling and what aids I am using to correct the problems. It is mind blowing what you can feel when you have your eyes closed.

I personally think that riding on a lunge line with your eyes closed is the best way to find your balance and maintain it. Once you get your seat balanced properly then it makes such a difference when you are just riding your horse. I had to relearn so much since I stopped riding for 4 years while I was waiting for my foal to grow up.

When Jazzy was 3 years old I just started her - lunged her, drove her with driving reins, the trainer rode her about 10 times and then we let her rest all winter long and started her up again the following March right before she turned 4 years old. By then she really matured mentally in that one year. Also I have to take things slow since she is going to continue to grow for another 2 years.

I hope you find a good trainer to work with you and remember lunge line lessons can be so much fun and help you in so many ways.

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on September 15, 2009 at 1:16pm

good comments!! I love my trainer... we've known each other for 5 years... but right now, we are not communicating well.... let's see what happens.... Oliver is happy, my horse, so that is good... for now my trainer rides my horse and I do my own thing with my horse, and my trainer and I do not hang out..... but my point is not to say that in this instance I have to get a new trainer... when my trainer was impatient or stressed about my performance, I told him, I'll just hang out with my horse by myself.... I mean you taught me enough to know what to do... now I just have to do it.. and when I'm good at it, I'll give you a call... my confidence and practice and level of ability is not on anyone else.... that is on me. :) I have to do the homework. My horse though, he needs to be ridden and I am not doing it, so he has a professional babysitter that rides him for me... that I trust and love.... but how my trainer talks to me, right now, I am not gonna deal with it or put up with it.... trainers have stress in their lives too.... since my horse is so important to him, he is a keeper.... when he can start to listen to me, then things will be better.... or Oliver is gonna have to start writing the checks. :)