Do you have a horse trainer or coach? Hug them. Right now.
Being a horse trainer and coach is a hard job. As a high school student I had a trainer. I never realized how much work it is until now. Late nights, early mornings, trailering, traveling, coaching, making sure the clients are happy, making sure the horses are happy, etc. are only a FEW of the all-encompassing things a horse trainer has to do. Here is why you need to hug your trainer.
The last three shows (two in late 2018 and now one in 2019 so far) I have done by myself. This entailed:
- Me driving back and forth about 40 minutes one way to feed my horse (if I was not already there for my classes.) If I caught the morning or afternoon rush-hour traffic it took me over an hour (grrrrrr and lesson learned)
- Arriving, unloading all my supplies, tack, outfits, and getting my horses stall ready before I could unload him. Getting water buckets ready and unloading hay.
- Figuring out my class schedule, what time I needed to be there to lunge beforehand, tack up, get ME ready, and get him fed. ( I also had to work a few days in-between some of my classes.)
- Making sure everything was locked and secure, and that he couldn’t catch his blanket on anything. I banked the sides of his stall with shavings so there was less of an opportunity to cast himself.
- Tried to keep nerves at bay and remember that all this was indeed fun 😊
The one thing I realized during all of this? I had no idea how much my trainer did for me. I took lessons but otherwise just showed up to a sparkling horse that was ready to go. The behind-the-scenes work to get there and get set up is exhausting, not to mention the care and riding of the horse.
Go hug your trainer.
Horse training and coaching IS a career. However, it is very physically demanding. The care and exercise of equines provides a sense of happiness but horse training does have its difficulties.
- Risk of injury
- Low Salary (According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- Difficult Work Schedule
Stability with a Stable?
Many trainers also have financial instability. Clients come and go, and many rent and not own a horse facility. Occasionally they have to move because the facility was sold or leased to another person, or because rent is too expensive.
Horse trainers can provide an income from both board AND training. If they have an excellent reputation, they can charge a higher amount for their services, as well as fees to go to shows.
The care and training of equines is the crux of a horse trainers’ career. But that is just the horse piece of the picture. Trainers also have to deal with PEOPLE.
At the last show I was at, I was placed as a filler at the end of a barn that was observed by a single trainer and his clients. Not only did I see him exercise all the horses, but he gave many of the clients lessons before their classes.
He had assistants to help with the feeding and mucking and the general horse care. With that many horses ( I would guess about 10), no one person could handle it. They had carpeted dressing rooms created out of some of the barn stalls, complete with curtains, shelves, and labels for each of the clients. (All this was hauled in and assembled.)
They had three folding tables laid out, complete with sandwiches, snacks, and waters for the clients who lingered in the barn chatting about their horses and classes.
I love dealing with horses. Horse trainers get to deal with horses AND people.
Go hug your trainer.
Clients can be stressed, scared, snooty, stubborn, and late. Trainers want to retain clients and keep them happy because there is no better advertising than word of mouth, BUT handling clients can possibly be more difficult than training horses in some cases.
Time and Place
There is a time and place in everyone’s life when they need a trainer and coach. Yes, you can save money by doing things yourself. Will it be harder? Absolutely. This is not an article to “knock” trainers or those that don’t have one. I had a trainer for many years and I learned as TON. They helped me and my horse progress to a level I could not have done on my own.
Today, I know more and am comfortable striking out on my own. This is what I need right here and now. If you need to take lessons, PLEASE do so. There are many talented, reliable horse trainers that can address any issues you and your horse have and can help you as a team move onward and upward.
In reality, horse trainers are not only horse trainers. They are horse AND people trainers. They teach humans how to properly ride and interact with their horses to get the best performance from both.
Horse trainers make a match between rider and horse into something beautiful. Click To TweetThey do it with long hours, sunburnt days, and cold winter nights. They do it with a smile on their faces even with the most difficult of clients and horses because it all comes down to one thing: the health and happiness of both a horse and rider.
Hug your trainer.
Do you have a trainer or coach you would like acknowledge? Send them this post and dedicate it to them and all their hard work🐴💖
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