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Choosing the right trainer for your beloved equine and yourself is one of the most important decisions you will make. Secondary only to choosing the right farrier and veterinarian. Finding the right trainer for your beloved horse, mule or donkey is extremely tough and vital. In the case of mules or donkeys we know that longears are not as forgiving as other equines and that makes choosing the correct trainer even more important. Our hope is that this article will help ease that process and keep you from making some costly mistakes.
The horror stories.
Sadly, many of us have heard stories about someone who chose the wrong trainer, resulting in long lasting training or health problems. In a matter of 90 days things can go terribly wrong with the wrong trainer and put your equine at risk.
As equine owners, we have a diverse level of skills, with some of us having the ability to start a young equine, but not to finish them. That was the case with Jack. Jack had raised and taught the basics to his gaited equine that showed a lot of promise. In searching for a gaited trainer Jack reached out to a trainer in another state who had a reputation for winning gaited classes and training some great gaited equines.
Jack told the trainer what he wanted to do with his gaited equine. The one stipulation would be if the gaited equine could not do the show ring gaits naturally, the equine would be returned home to become a trail partner. The decision was made and the gaited equine traveled to the trainer’s barn. Fast forward 90 days. According to the trainer everything was going well and the gaited equine would soon be at his first show. Excited to see how his equine was progressing, Jack traveled to the show. But Jack’s equine wasn’t there. The trainer tells him his equine was having some issues with colic so he had left him home. Jack immediately leaves the show, heads home to pick up his trailer and continues on to pick up his equine.
When Jack arrives at the barn he walks by his beloved equine twice before he realizes it's him. In a stall with knee deep mud and manure, crappy hay and very little water. Jack’s beloved equine was almost dead and no one was around tending to him. Jack loaded his equine and headed home with him, praying he would still be alive once he got home.
Jack’s equine did live, but it took nine months of wound care, meds and a great feeding program to get him back to where he could be ridden again. He never made it to the show ring, but he did make one awesome beautiful trail partner. Jack’s beloved equine was never sold and lived out his days on Jack’s farm.
What are the lessons to be learned from this horrible true story?
There are tons of questions to ask yourself before you send your equine off to the trainer and what you can do if you suspect neglect or abuse.
First ask yourself what are your short and long-term goals as an equestrian? What is your equine discipline. For example, if you are a trail rider you may not want to seek the help of a show jumper trainer. A better choice might be an all-around trainer.
Once you have identified your goals and plans. Make yourself a list of potential trainers to interview. I advise that you start this research at least 14-16 months in advance of your anticipated date to send your equine to a trainer. Most trainers have a waiting list and can be as long as 12 months.
Check your potential trainer out.
Thanks to social media and Google researching your potential trainer has been made simpler than in years past. Had Jack had access to Google he could have researched that this trainer had already been investigated by the Humane Society in his state.
When you are interviewing your trainer, there are a number of additional questions to ask. How many head do they have in their barn currently? Does your trainer have a helper? Will the trainer be riding your equine or their helper? Some trainers charge you a flat fee per month regardless of how many times they ride or work them. Some charge only per ride and then charge you a daily boarding fee. Does the trainer have a minimum amount of time they would train your equine? All this money spent on training your equine, does that include you the owner taking lessons? Is there an extra charge for lessons?
Check out the facility.
Go the barn where your equine will be living if possible, check little things. Are the water troughs clean? Are the pens and stalls clean? Are there salt and mineral blocks in every pen? Will your equine be stalled with no turnout? Or will your equine have a shed and a run? Is the area safe? Does your equine have a dry space to get during wet weather? Take a look in the tack room. Red alerts would be caustic materials stored there to sore an animal. What does the hay storage look like? What kind of hay and feed will your equine be eating. You are paying for a service and have every right to ask these questions. There are professional ways to go about it as well. Any professional trainer will be more than happy to say here is our feed supply, here is the tack I use and here is the run where your equine will be staying.
Once you have picked “the right trainer” for your equine, make sure you visit regularly. Don’t plan your visits at the same time. Be random with your visits but tread carefully, you don’t want to show up at 8 pm when you know your trainer is spending time with their family. Ask for video updates and photos. With all the current technology sending a snipped unedited video or photograph should not take more than 5 minutes.
If you find that your equine is in an abusive trainer situation don’t remove them from there until you have called the local sheriff’s department. If you don’t feel safe staying there while the Sheriff department comes or while you make the call go to a public place and make the call. The point being, you need to have it on record from a public official the condition you found your equine in. If your equine is out of state at the trainers don’t leave that state with them until you have had a licensed veterinary check them out and give you a full written statement and clearance to travel.
Don’t Let Your Dreams Turn into a Night Mare
Choose the Right Trainer
Rein Photography