Tips to get a Working Pupil up to speed for the job?

Fools Motto

Fools Motto

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Right, got a WP starting with me soon. He (yep - a chap!) has VERY high ambitions, so high in fact somewhere along the line horses = smelly, long hours, lots of poo, mud, odd hours ect.. don't appear to feature! He has visions of wealth/royalty and travelling the world and mixing with the uber rich (talking racehorses here btw).
However, he seems keen to pursue it, so I sure ain't gonna dampen it for him! Yesterday he had his first ''trial day'', and spent most of it fixing post and rail fences - hardly anything fancy is it?

It is my job to get the 'horsey hands on' bit done. He, however hasn't really touched a horse - ever! I've got 6 weeks to get him understanding youngsters, their needs and to prep him enough to be a handler at the Tattersalls sale. If all goes well, then great, but if it isn't working then boss will be questioning his aims. I would like it to work out, so are there any tips for me to get him upto standard, or is it really just up to him and his willingness to learn?
 
Cant really help you regarding the horsey bit as I dont work in the equine industry. However, if he has the right 'can do' attitude, along with his lofty ambitions, then it wont be a problem. However, if you are looking at him to be an entirely competent handler of yuongstock after just six week,s even with my limited knowledge of the racing industry I would say that would be a big ask of him. If we are talking WP, we are talking of somebody who is not that old I guess? When we take apprentices on in my business, we start them right at the bottom, they do not progress until they show competence at the very basics.

Is handling youngstock a basic skill in your profession, I dont know, but from my own knowledge of horses, the guidance you seem to receive regarding babies is that its best left to experienced and sympathetic hands. With regards to his first day, our spend that making tea and being shown how to log into the computer, so no different really, is it?

Does your boss have a training manual, has your boss given you any help with the training? This is where I would be looking for assistance to be honest. I dont know the lad, but I would say look a bit closer to home before giving him a hard time. Also, if he isnt right, fire him. Harsh but true and will save you a hell of a lot of time..

Good luck, staff can be a right pain in the ****.
 
He's never touched a horse, and he is supposed to be doing sales in 6 weeks? Dear god, they barely get them going properly in 9 at the racing school. You will have to get him doing plenty of hands on work with the horses, but tbh it will be tough in your time frame.
He really does have his head in the clouds by the sounds of it, but it might be worth getting him to look at the Darley flying start programme.
 
expose him to as many different horses as possible, not the easy ones either, explaine the use of headcollar/bridle pluses and disadvantages, hours of work on the ground teaching him to lead and how to react if a horse has a jump around.
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books!!! get him a copy of the pony club manual so he can learn in his own time about brushes etc, set him home work each day and night and test him the next day.

give him a ton of praise and of course the normal lobbing in a much heap welcoming.
 
Always explain why all the time please do x explain why , after a few days on the things you know you have told him please do x then why are we doing this you can quickly tell the ones with potential , because they remember the why then they start asking unbidden why and how that then you know you when you have a really good one.
Young men often find talking more difficult than young women so allow for that.
Always praise good work and point out the sloppy you have to lead from the front to be really effective.
Good luck it's fun I love it.
 
Good tips guys. I've got lots of books, am happy to share those out.

6 weeks (or there abouts) is no time. I'm sure it will be tough. Luckily boss is very nice and we both know that if it isn't working then we can call time. I just don't want anything to go wrong - for the horses sakes in the meantime. I've also got the advantage of 'using' the polo ponies as my guinea pigs... I see alot of bridling, bitting and walking up and down the yard for a while!
 
I've just spent the last 3 months this summer working at a polo and racing yard and absolutely loved it so I'm sure he will too :)
I spent most of my time with the polo ponies rather than the racehorses who weren't in proper work yet though.
I think its very much up to the individual to make the most of the opportunity. I'd never ridden 'polo style' before or had any experience handling racehorses but picked it up pretty quickly and always asked questions and took on board what the head girl said to the point she said she wished everyone was as enthusiastic as me!
I've always ridden though, and had more of a horsey background than your wp. You sound like a great mentor though, not all are as keen to ensure their student learns everything so I'm sure he'll be fine as long as he follows your advice and is keen to learn.
 
I'd start very basic, getting him mucking out in the morning then show him how to put a head collar on a lead a horse around.
He may decide its all too much for him and give up after a day or two anyway if he has some odd glam thing in mind.
I've worked on a yard run by a head boy and with another lad, they were both great. The lad that started after me used to work in a prison and was a novice rider but he worked hard and we all helped him learn what he needed to. Give him a good chance and he may be very good.
 
Get him sent to the BRS or NRS and see if they can do a few days tailored to handling and care of racehorses? Not sure what age he is but I did a course there for free.

If he is keen to get his hands dirty and doesn't have the attitude of 'you can't teach me anything, I am a riding/handling (insert here) GOD' then he will be fine. Nice to see an employer willing to take on someone who has less experience but a 'can do' attitude.

It took me ages to learn that getting stressy and looking a horse in the eye when it is doing it's best to stand on me is not good and generally results in more of a tantrum whereas looking calm and trying not the hold the horses head too tight works! Simple things like body language, especially with highly strung horses, can make a difference.

Do you have any video's of the sales so he can see what to expect and how to present the horse? It's not really my forte but I suppose a good handler can mean the difference between a sale or not if he can keep a horse calm and show it off properly.

Good luck to you both x
 
It took me ages to learn that getting stressy and looking a horse in the eye when it is doing it's best to stand on me is not good and generally results in more of a tantrum whereas looking calm and trying not the hold the horses head too tight works! Simple things like body language, especially with highly strung horses, can make a difference.


This is the basis of everything, espectially not panicing and grabbing the leadrope TIGHT!!! Actually learning the first few Parelli games is an easy way to teach the human.....approach and retreat.....reward every try (of the horse!)....etc etc
 
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