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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
  
Location: Idaho | So I'm having a little anxiety!
I am considering sending my horse to a trainer to be seasoned. I found the one I want, she is relatively close by so I can check on him and has come highly recommended from people in my area. I am having some concerns though as I have been doing some changes in the past few weeks.. such as getting him properly fitted for a saddle, had him readjusted, building up his topline to help hold his adjustment (long story short he kept going out because of a piece of equipment I was unaware was not what it had claimed to be, so he has atrophy and the chiro I had just wasn't cutting it, so he recently got adjusted by a very highly recommended one) and also pulled him off his grain because it just was not working for him.
I have never sent a horse of mine to training before. The trainer I am looking at takes very good care of the horses in her care, but the grain she feeds all of her performance horses is the grain that I just pulled him off of that didn't agree with him. I'm not saying she won't listen, but I'm not sure if he will be able to digest any of those high performance feeds as he's never been on them before now. She also has all of her own farriers, vets etc. which I think is normal, but I am picky about who lays their hands on my horses as I've had some experiences! Also with my recent saddle fit discovery and finding one that fits him, I'm unsure if she would be willing to ride him in the right type of saddle. I have spent what I feel is a lot of money getting him readjusted the past few months and I don't want to get the phone call saying he's out or needs time off when I'm paying a lot of money to have him trained, I'm just unsure and having those anxiety blues because I never had done this before!
The main reason I am sending him to get seasoned is because I'm in grad school and I just don't have the time right now. Also I'm moving come end of June and I'm moving him in the end of July and I don't want him sitting. I started him myself and He's going good on the pattern, real quiet, he just needs to be pushed and more seasoned out. Is this normal what I am feeling? Is there anything that I need to do or ask? I'm just freaking out a little bit.  | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| You need to breathe! If she is a reputable trainer then you need to let her do her. If you think he needs a certain kind of feed, then take it, that shouldn't be that big of a deal. The saddle thing I feel like is gonna be an issue if you don't handle it correctly. You cant take a horse to someone and then tell them they have to use a certain kind of saddle. Just tell her your feelings about how it should fit your horse and if she is really as good as you say she is, then she shouldn't have any problem finding something she likes to fit the horse. Or even offer to let her use your saddle. I seasoned a horse for a friend of mine last year and none of my saddles fit the horse so she let me use hers and it worked out great! Relax and just talk it through with the trainer. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | I have 2 in training at the moment. I feel part of the trainers responsibility is to be sure their tack fits my horse properly and that they are fed properly. I am providing the feed for mine while they are at the trainers. If you want your horse fed something specific discuss it with trainer.
I have used both of these people before and both have references.
I too, have anxiety about both horses being with someone else, however, I visited the places my horses are being kept at, talked with the trainers, and have a "good feeling" about the situation.
I know these horses need these experiences to make them better and I searched, discussed and inquired about local trainers (upto 2 hours away) until my husband groaned every time I asked him what about so n so!!!!
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
 
| I think some of the things you are expecting are unrealistic.
What are you willing to do/say if she doesn't have a saddle that meets your "approval" You cannot expect her to go out and buy a saddle. Are you willing to lend her the saddle, will it fit her, will she agree to ride in it, as some saddles don't fit to certain people's riding style. When I send out horses, I am fully aware they may have an ill fitting saddle on, but this is also something I believe I can fix when they get back, also everyone has a different opinion on saddle fit, what one person considers a good fit, may be a horrible fit to another.
As for the extra costs, I would rather a trainer call me up and tell me my horse needs chiro. I don't believe it is their responsibility to be arranging chiro, teeth, or farrier. It is my horse, I am paying them to ride my horse, it is not up to them to treat the horse as it is their own, all those little things take time, and time is money.
As for feed, I started taking my own feed to the trainer ( I only get my horses started/broke, I do all the rest on my own), and this works very well for me. No I don't get a discount, and I don't expect one. The trainer I use communicates with me on body shape, behavior, etc, then I can adjust the feed how I see fit.
If you have this much anxiety, it isn't going to hurt the horse to sit in the pasture, and sometimes a little time off does a horse a world of good. | |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I have 2 at the trainer, I take my own feed so they stay on the same program. | |
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 Saint Stacey
| I think you might need to reevaluate sending the horse off. I'm not sure that your expectations are realistic. You usually hire a trainer because you trust their knowledge and the job they do. A trainer that rides for others doesn't have time for every single owner to micromanage the horses they send to a trainer. I can't imagine the nightmare of having 15-20 people questioning everything you do, wanting their own specific grain fed (even if they do furnish it), wanting their own farrier's to do their horse, wanting a specific chiropractor...talk about a nightmare. | |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| SKM - 2017-05-08 5:09 PM I think you might need to reevaluate sending the horse off. I'm not sure that your expectations are realistic. You usually hire a trainer because you trust their knowledge and the job they do. A trainer that rides for others doesn't have time for every single owner to micromanage the horses they send to a trainer. I can't imagine the nightmare of having 15-20 people questioning everything you do, wanting their own specific grain fed (even if they do furnish it), wanting their own farrier's to do their horse, wanting a specific chiropractor...talk about a nightmare.
You make some good points, if you have done your homework, you need to trust the trainer. I would never send my horse to a trainer that has 15-20 outside horses, if a horse needs more saddle time they are not going to get it. I also would not send my horse to a trainer who thought it was a problem to feed my horse something different. | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | A highly recommended trainer is someone that knows their job so if you want to send your horse to this person dont be a nagging them on how to be riding are what tack ,saddles to be using. Like Cheryl Makofka said not all saddles fit the same to others.. Let this person do their job, dont be a nightmare to them or they may tell you to take your horse somewhere else. if your that picky about how your horse is handled or picky about what vet or farrier they use you may just want to keep your horse home and when you have the time then do your own seasoning.
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2017-05-08 5:29 PM
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| I have a couple of horses at a trainer right now. She has complete management. I think she has enough sense to know if a saddle fits or not. If you are that worried about your horse, a trainer is not for you. I really don't think a trainer is going to enjoy having you change her routine for your horse. Just my opinion | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Idaho | Thanks for everyone's feed back.
I'm not trying to micromanage, and I know horse training is a big job. I have a lot of trust in the person who I picked to put time on my horse, they have a lot of good recommendations.
Yes, I should trust her more but like I said, this is my first time in 27 years of riding my own horses, sending my horse off to be seasoned by someone else so I feel that at least a little insecurity and anxiety would be normal, right? I did send him off when he was 3 to put 60 days on, but I knew the person I sent himto for years and I considered her a really good friend, and I knew he was going to be taken care of. And to be honest, I am not too familiar with who is the best around vet/chiro/farrier around here to say who is the best.
Would I send my saddle off with my horse? Absolutely. Would I provide feed for my horse? Absolutely.
I did call her yesterday to speak with her but had to leave a message.
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| DashNDustem - 2017-05-09 9:29 AM
Thanks for everyone's feed back.
I'm not trying to micromanage, and I know horse training is a big job. I have a lot of trust in the person who I picked to put time on my horse, they have a lot of good recommendations.
Yes, I should trust her more but like I said, this is my first time in 27 years of riding my own horses, sending my horse off to be seasoned by someone else so I feel that at least a little insecurity and anxiety would be normal, right? I did send him off when he was 3 to put 60 days on, but I knew the person I sent himto for years and I considered her a really good friend, and I knew he was going to be taken care of. And to be honest, I am not too familiar with who is the best around vet/chiro/farrier around here to say who is the best.
Would I send my saddle off with my horse? Absolutely. Would I provide feed for my horse? Absolutely.
I did call her yesterday to speak with her but had to leave a message.
I think you have valid concerns.
I also think a good trainer can address those concerns.
Almost every week there is a post about a bad farrier job, bad saddle fit, and finding a feed that works for a horse. | |
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Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| I have thought about this. If you need to have your horse seasoned, maybe a trainer is not what you need. Why don't you put your horse on the back burner while you work on your masters. It does not take that long and it will give your horse time to mature to be ready to season. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Idaho | streakysox - 2017-05-11 11:42 AM
I have thought about this. If you need to have your horse seasoned, maybe a trainer is not what you need. Why don't you put your horse on the back burner while you work on your masters. It does not take that long and it will give your horse time to mature to be ready to season.
I spoke with my trainer about my concerns and she addressed them! My nerves have calmed down quite a bit and I am feeling much better about it now. :)
Streakysox, Thank you but I just started my social work degree and will be in school till Summer 2019. I just want to enjoy my horse and run barrels when I can, so he will be heading to the trainer next week.
Thank you all for your thoughts and advice! | |
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