QUESTION:
I have been showing paint horses for a number of years and I have just recently purchased a 2-year-old gelding that I have put in with a trainer to be broke out. The only problem is this trainer doesn’t have any horses for me to take lessons on while I wait for my horse to be broke out. I have been riding for about 20 yrs but am not one of those riders who can go without riding for long periods of time and just get back in the saddle and go out and show, what I want to know is, would it be wrong to see if another trainer could give me lessons while I wait for my current trainer to finish breaking out my colt? I respect your opinion and really appreciate your time. Thanks so much.
ANSWER:
Hi Shelley,
I personally keep one or two lesson horses around just for that purpose. I also have other older training horses that need suppling and other exercises that I allow other clients to ride, and teach them basic training techniques. I call this my graduate program, and it is only on the older broke horses, and I only do this with a few people. I feel that one needs more instruction other than just the “sit back and heels down” lessons. I try to teach them how to keep their horses together so I don’t have to constantly fix them at the shows. I would talk with your trainer regarding this situation and it would seem to me that if it were I in his shoes that I would be concerned with loosing a client. Every client’s needs are different, and it is up to us as trainers and professionals to meet their goals. I cannot speak for your trainer because he runs his own shop. I can only speak as to the way I would handle it.
Thanks…
Mark