dk66 - 2016-01-05 3:03 PM

Let's do some math! If I take a horse in and a person expects me to feed, clean, care for and train their horse every day of the month for $700 and let's say this month there are 30 days. I would spend no less than 2 hours a day on this horses behalf. Now the math, it is going to cost me roughly $220 for quality hay, water and electricity so subtract that from the $700 now I am down to $480. Break that down and I am working for approximately $8 an hour. This is quite a bit of extensive labor for $8 an hour working every day this month! I guess I don't understand why a really good horse trainer is expected to work for darn near less than minimum wage working 7 days a week. No way I would do it and pick up the extra cost to train a horse. I ride and exercise my horses give or take 4-6 times a week. In my opinion, they need turn out time no less than 1 day a week to roll, buck, kick and stroll around at their leisure for a much needed mental break! So I'm thinking you are getting you money's worth at 20-25 rides a month and then some.

Frenchie - 2016-01-05 8:21 PM

I'd agree that very,very few ride them 30 days straight.  This is just my personal opinion but I won't ride them 30 straight and wouldn't want mine.  They need time to refresh, recharge like we do.  The other challenge is keeping them motivated if you ride that often.

We charge a flat rate per board per day AND a flat rate per ride.  It protects us and the client as there is no hurry to get the horse off the feed bill and scotch on the rides (not that we would).  We also FEED them.  They might go home fit but theres no reason for one to go home thin.  Going home thin does NOT meant they got quality or quantity of rides.
Weather is also an issue without an indoor.  Why should the trainer pay to feed your horse when they can't ride it due to mud?  Thats our take anyway. 

Frenchie - 2016-01-05 9:38 PM Last year it was $20 a ride and $5 a day to be on the place.  We feed a quality ration both in forage and grain, bathe them, fly spray, etc.  That stuff adds up.  We don't train for a living so aren't really looking for customers to pay the bills and that means less horses so the ones we took got more time.  We will reevaluate the fee structure this spring.  It just makes sense to us that we charge board separately.  Then there is no guilt, worry or issue if we feel they need a few days off.  We believe in consistant riding but also believe in the power of letting it all "soak" and letting them recover.  We don't take a lot of outside horses but this seems to work for us.

Lots of people say "$750 to ride one for thrity days, your making a bunch" and don't get me wrong, riding horses in enjoyable but outside horses take away time from riding mine, they take up room, they eat grass which is limited, fence wear and tear, feeding, watering, working arena, stuff gets broke, saddle pads take wear/tear, fly spray, it all adds up and it can be tough because clients aren't always understanding or don't have feasible expectations.  All of that and you stil get people who bring you horses needing feet done and dental.  Either you haul them to those appts or sometimes it doesnt' get done and the horse can't advance due to physical ailments.  Then good, bad or ugly your name is attached to that horse.  It might ride like a champ  when it leaves or not so good but still much better than when it got there, once its on that trailer its out of your hands.



Again, not trying to whine this is just my pitch to young people wanting to train for a living or those who think you should ride one for $450 a month.  Its a tough deal for sure and probably why there is a real shortage of quality, honest trainers in this area.   

wyoming barrel racer - 2016-01-05 8:12 AM


That is how the good one works that I have used this summer. She puts 30 days on them and it took her nearly 2 1/2 months. I was only charged what she charges for 30 days, plus extra for farrier. I truly think she works more on where she thinks a horse should be in 30 rides vs just riding them 30 days, because she kept them longer when she thought they needed more fine tuning and what I got back were excellent horses. 

scwebster - 2016-01-06 1:32 PM

People call all the time and say "How much for 30 days". I think we should throw out that terminology. It would be better to ask "How much for 30 rides?" or "How much per ride".  

dk66 - 2016-01-07 10:10 AM


Excellent terminology. It goes along with what SC Webster has commented on and gives value to a good trainers time.

Frenchie - 2016-01-05 9:38 PM

Last year it was $20 a ride and $5 a day to be on the place.  We feed a quality ration both in forage and grain, bathe them, fly spray, etc.  That stuff adds up.  We don't train for a living so aren't really looking for customers to pay the bills and that means less horses so the ones we took got more time.  We will reevaluate the fee structure this spring.  It just makes sense to us that we charge board separately.  Then there is no guilt, worry or issue if we feel they need a few days off.  We believe in consistant riding but also believe in the power of letting it all "soak" and letting them recover.  We don't take a lot of outside horses but this seems to work for us.
Lots of people say "$750 to ride one for thrity days, your making a bunch" and don't get me wrong, riding horses in enjoyable but outside horses take away time from riding mine, they take up room, they eat grass which is limited, fence wear and tear, feeding, watering, working arena, stuff gets broke, saddle pads take wear/tear, fly spray, it all adds up and it can be tough because clients aren't always understanding or don't have feasible expectations.  All of that and you stil get people who bring you horses needing feet done and dental.  Either you haul them to those appts or sometimes it doesnt' get done and the horse can't advance due to physical ailments.  Then good, bad or ugly your name is attached to that horse.  It might ride like a champ  when it leaves or not so good but still much better than when it got there, once its on that trailer its out of your hands.

Again, not trying to whine this is just my pitch to young people wanting to train for a living or those who think you should ride one for $450 a month.  Its a tough deal for sure and probably why there is a real shortage of quality, honest trainers in this area.   

BARRELHORSE USA - 2016-01-06 10:02 PM After my experiences with "trainers" the past 5 years I am going to share what my granddad said years ago ... The only honest trainer is one you can sit on your front porch and watch him as he goes about his daily routine .... Arena horses >>>>> Too many these days need money to go rodeo, shows, barrel races and if you are lucky you might get 4-5 slam dunk rides right before you pick up your skinny scared to death horses and if they are big timers ... a bunch of druggie drunk interns will play rodeo with your horses after the bars all close ... and I am talking $800-$1000 per month training bills .. Race horses >>> It seems like everyone is on drugs these days .. either doctor or street drugs doesn't matter .. our exercise riders needed on M-W-F .. $15 per 20 minute 2 1/2 mile gallop .. can't be found after they make enough for another high they go missing for a week or more ... we do the saddling, unsaddling, bathe, walker and all they do is ride ........... no ambition whatsoever ... do the math ... this is an easy $300 x 3 day job with a 20 horse barn cranking out $900 per week at $50-60 per hour ... needless to say ... all of us have practically threw up our hands and have sold most of our horses ... If you take to a race trainer barn ... horses are put on the bottom of list of a 80 horse barn and might take 2 years to get to the track for their first race .... race trainers make a good living with day money while they BS anyone that will listen ... out of their 80+ horse barns you might see 15 horses by Corona Cartel, Tres Seis or Mr Jess Perry etc running on the track ... the rest are ignored and treated as boarding horses ... and their boarding rates continue to go up .. $30-$50 per day ... with no training guarantee .... lol ... It is HE77 to be too old and not to be able to ride and train your own horses anymore!!... My hat is off to the honest ones that posted on this thread ... Tx/Ok is in dire need of good colt starters and solid basic trainers ... that take pride in what they do!!