sending your horse to a pro for training- worth it?

charlie76

charlie76

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I am considering maybe sending my horse to a pro for intensive dressage training to get him up to the next level, is this something you think is worth while and if so any reccomendations in the south( I am in Berkshire).
Thanks
 
Yes, absolutely worth it, provided you pick the right person for your horse and are very clear about your aims and goals for the training. If it is for a limited period of time, it is probably best to aim to work on something very specific. So, if you are wanting to move up towards Medium level, you might ask the trainer to concentrate on half pass and walk pirouettes. It is probably also beneficial for you to have a few lessons on the horse after the training, so that the trainer can show you what they've done and how to continue working in that way.

Who to use depends on they size of the horse (i.e. do you want a man or a woman) and, really, the best thing you can do is watch people ride at shows or videos and choose the person whose style and approach you like the best!
 
Sadly I sent my horse away to a professional dressage yard for schooling and he came back scared, sore on his mouth, dead to the leg where they'd ridden him in spurs and had created a new problem for me to deal with. As you can imagine, I was most upset. Especially after paying them so much money!!

I imagine I was just extremely unlucky. (Although it was a very reputable place!?)
 
Be very careful who you use and do your research, don't just assume that because the persons well known or the yard looks ok that your horse will be. I've learnt the hard way.

If you chose the right person it can be invaluable.
 
This is not something i would ever do now unless i wanted a youngster backed, however i tend to do that myself. I did once send a horse years ago to my then trainer the horse can back worse than it went.

Im now a firm believer in doing things yourself. You do need a very good trainer though on the ground & confidence in yourself if it goes wrong so what try & try again until you both get it right.
 
I wouldn't send my horse away to a trainer.

I've seen so many 'professionals' ruin horses, and make them less responsive, and charge alot of money for doing alot of nothing.
 
Eep. :eek: ;)

I've seen it go both ways. Yes, to some extent it's luck but, as above, do your homework. I do find it works best if you're sending the horse to your regular trainer or someone else you know well. (And who will be around to help you during and after.)

It isn't all about the riding, either. It can be a bit hard on a horse to come from being someone's private horse to being one on a big competition yard! Again, it's individual and some cope fine, some need time to settle (which they might not get if it's a limited period) and others require a major reset, which can backfire. If your horse is quite experienced and has stayed away at shows etc, it's probably more likely to go well. (Backing horses away is a bit different, if only because the horse has nothing to compare the situation to, although you might see the same problem crop up when the horse returns "home" to a place he/she no longer considers home . . .)

If you're well set up at home can someone come to you? I know lots of "big pros" don't travel but it's always worth an ask. I don't do the sort of work you're talking about, generally, but I do ride a lot of horses "at home" (my preference, for various reasons) with the owner taking lessons alongside the training and riding the horse in between if we agree that's the way forward. I find this can take slightly longer and be a bit less impressive but tends to stick a bit better and avoids some of the pitfalls - and cost - of sending away. Some horses only need a few sessions to "jump up", especially if you're raising your game at the same time.
 
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This was something I was thinking of very recently, have just had a ligament reconstruction on my knee so I'm out of the saddle for a while. There were several factors involved in my decision.

My boy is a good doer and I didn't want him having time off while the grass is so good.
He is also teetering on moving up to compete elementary, heading towards AM at home.
Money is obviously a factor, also it is going to be harder/slower for me to get him up to a decent standard for elementary as this is the first horse I've trained for dressage.

In the end I decided not to send him away, because I didn't think I'd be able to cope not seeing him all the time...he is my excuse to get out of the house at the mo! BUT I am very luckily that my trainer is also my best friend, he is driving from Oxford to Bristol 4 times a week to school him for me and it was the best decision given my situation. He is working wonders with The Welsh Cob and its very helpful for me to watch him riding.

If I could bare to not see him everyday and had the money I would happily send mine away to the right person.
 
I think you have to choose the yard very, very carefully.

I have done it a few times and had only once been unhappy with the service I (and the horse!) received.

I now think it is really beneficial for young horses to 'leave home' for a bit during their education, even if just for a few weeks as they seem to grow up so much away from home.
 
^ Despite my earlier warning, and with caution, I would agree with this completely, especially if the horse is going to compete at any level. It's invaluable experience. It can also be really useful to see the horse in another situation and to get other people's views on it. And it can give you fresh perspective both when riding/seeing the horse there and when it comes home.

It seems much harder to do in the UK because so few lower level shows involve stabling, so a trip to a trainer's or similar is a great early step before it "matters".
 
Mine has been at my trainers for just over a year now and apart form the cost I haven't looked back once! He was originally just going for a month while I had minor knee surgery but that turned into more major knee surgery and I havent been able to ride for over a year and didnt want him wasted in a field! I cant believe the difference in him- was the best thing I've done. His dressage has come on amazingly and the care he gets is next to none! I'd have been worried sending him to someone i didnt know but I trust Alex and Daniel and wouldnt hesitate about sending horses there again. I think as long as you find someone you like and trust it can only help :)
 
My boy is away at the moment, will be collecting him on Sunday after 3 weeks.

We were having serious canter issues and I was the first to admit I needed help! Lessons twice a week with my instructor were great but he needed some serious consistent training.

He has gone to an eventer who I have used before in the past, its expensive but I can justify the money as it would have taken for ever to get him right.

I have been to see him every Sunday, and the last Sunday, after only 2 weeks, was like looking at a different horse. I know she is a professional but she has really shown him the way, he had been a bit of a bolshy sod at times, but my god has he grown up! He was amazing to ride.

I think with the right rider its worth it, depending on the circumstances of course. Well, its working for me!!
 
Be very careful where you go to. We have just had a brief spell With a so called pro event rider. The horses weren't ridden by him between events so never jumped or schooled. Ours which had a good BE record last year came back unfit and a nervous wreck in 3 months.
 
When I took the painful decision to sell my horse, I decided to re-train her to dressage to a good level to give her the best chance to find a good home. I decided to send her to my trainers yard as she could take her to a higher level than me and also it would be the `break` for me as I could gradually let her go rather than just sell her and that would be it.
The yard is just 4 stables with 4 horses and chickens and alpacas for the view of the neighbours. So a nice relaxed place. My horse has come on very well and won her first 2 Elementary tests last week and my trainer has decided to enter her into an adv med this weekend just to test the waters as she is schooling at this level at home. She has also qualified her for the Summer Regionals in the Novice.
I did go and visit her a couple times a week for a while but now I only really see her once a week/2 weeks at a competition. For me, it has been the best decision for my horse and I think you have to decide for yourself. Good Luck.
 
whatawizard said:
I would highly recommend Amanda Brewer, she is very professional and consciencious and trained by Conrad Schumakker
Click to expand...

I would agree with this, I haver just sent my mare to Amanda to sell and they have a lovely set up of just 10 boxes, rubber matting and are looked after like kings! She has a very kind approach, here's her website - http://www.totaltrainingequine.co.uk/

Good luck x
 
We take horses in for short-term schooling as well as having long-term training liveries.

There are a couple of things to consider to ensure you get the best possible outcome.

If you are sending your horse to someone then I would suggest you have lessons or have a couple of lessons prior to sending your horse to them. This will ensure that their style of training suits you and your horse and also so that you as a rider understand and can apply the aiding in the way in which your horse will be trained.

There is nothing worse than having a horse back which you can't find the buttons for!

Short-term will never be a quick fix but it can be of great benefit, don't send your horse away for a week with it working at prelim and think it will come back doing tempi changes. We always ask owners what they hope to acheive and if there are any problems they are experiencing, we will then do our best to begin to iron out issues and put into place good work ethics so that owners can progress and work through together.

Be honest as Mr Worried has twice come a cropper from people not being truthful about their horse's behaviour which is now why we are a little more selective about the horses we take. If someone contacts out of the blue we usually suggest that he goes and visits them on homeground and teaches them first to see if we can help.

Do I think it is beneficial? Most definitely! If it wasn't we wouldn't be able to earn a living from it, and the fact that people come back to us is proof that is worth it.

Good luck.
 
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