Trainer schools horse for owner to compete ?

[Muddywellies]

I see many riders have their horse schooled for them professionally, for them to then compete. ie the rider doesn't school their own horse. What are peoples thoughts on this ?

 

[blitznbobs]

Each to their own… it happens all the time

 

[Daiquiri]

Not unusual for people that live and work in London to have someone school the horse during the week for them so they can ride at the weekend, can't see anything wrong with that.

 

[Caol Ila]

Uh, it's reality?

I'd love for a pro to ride my horses four-five days per week, lol. Living the dream.

 

[limestonelil]

Doesn't cause me a problem, it's just a fact of equine world. Just thought, it's a bit like getting a decorator or plumber or other professional in when you need help really.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Depends on how you measure success for yourself. A 5th place ribbon is worth more to me knowing I have trained the horse 100% myself than the first place ribbon the person on the schoolmaster or the second place ribbon held by the person who has had their trainer school their horse for them. But I certainly don’t begrudge them their placing because they had to step out in the ring/arena on the day and execute to get that result.

I know I don’t have the skills to train a horse to high levels, so if I wanted to ride at a higher level I would need to outsource the schooling to an external party.

The winner is the winner regardless of the resources they have engaged to get there.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

An extremely good idea depending on your capacity to "bring on a horse". For example, at my riding school, we have an adult rider with a lot of natural talent but started riding later in life. He bought a 18month old horse (now four years old) that was broken and is being schooled by the riding school owner. He rides his horse a couple of times a week and keeps perfecting his riding on more established riding school horses the rest of the time. I think it's a great solution. For all his natural talent, he doesn't yet have the experience to bring on a youngster on his own so he is setting both his horse and himself up for success.

Competition wise, I'm not sure having a pro school your horse for you to compete with it is much different to buying a "ready made" horse (at least at first, because someone will have to keep the schooling in tune). In the end, as long as the horse and owner are happy and the pro paid, who cares?

 

[scats]

It depends on what people want.
I’ve always liked to produce my own horses and then I feel like any competitive success is down to my own work (rarely compete now, but did a lot when I was in my teens and twenties). I wouldn’t get anything out of just taking the ride at competitions.

That said, some people either don’t have the time or knowledge to do it themselves, or they prefer to just do the riding at shows and win the rosettes. They might just look at the whole thing differently.

Life is short. Do what makes you happy.

 

[94lunagem]

Each to their own

 

[Goldenstar]

It’s what people do for all sorts of reasons because it suits them .
What do you think about it OP?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

The rider still has to ride the horse on the day of competition. It can sometimes be harder to ride a well-schooled horse that reacts to your every movement than a less well schooled horse with fewer buttons

 

[rabatsa]

It has always happened.

The show pony who is produced and the child gets to ride at shows, or the hunter on full livery turned out and the rider gets on at the meet.

Those who can afford this, can do this, without it being any bother to anyone else.

 

[catkin]

Why is this different to getting a schoolmaster?

What's the problem if it benefits horse and rider?

 

[Jenko109]

I don't see the problem.

I can't ride. I suck.

My horse is a schoolmaster. I didn't break him in. I didn't school him up to the standard he is at. It wasn't me who introduced him to his first cross pole or his first ditch.

So when we get a ribbon because I have successfully got him round a 2ft3 course, without falling off, without riding the wrong course, without setting him up altogether too incorrectly to a fence etc, am I any less deserving?

 

[eahotson]

I don't see the problem.

I can't ride. I suck.

My horse is a schoolmaster. I didn't break him in. I didn't school him up to the standard he is at. It wasn't me who introduced him to his first cross pole or his first ditch.

So when we get a ribbon because I have successfully got him round a 2ft3 course, without falling off, without riding the wrong course, without setting him up altogether too incorrectly to a fence etc, am I any less deserving?

No and in fact it is better to ride a schoolmaster in those situations that can help you out comfortably rather than scaring the life out of a very green horse.

 

[maisie06]

No problem with that. If people have the money and maybe a demanding job and competing is their relese at weekends, good luck to them I say, they still have to get out there and ride the horse which isn't as easy as you think!

 

[KEK]

I’ve done this since I bought my pony as a just started 3.5yo (which I never should have bought). The pro rode him exclusively for the 1st 2 years, now she rides him twice/week and gives me a lesson on him once. It is the sole reason he has turned out, would have been a disaster otherwise. Haven’t started competing him yet as I’m not good enough.

 

[ihatework]

It’s very rare that a horse is 100% schooled by a pro for the owner to only compete. Usually it’s a bit of a hybrid whereby the owner rides or has lessons a couple of days a week too.

And actually it’s a very good model for an amateur that wants to compete, and imo, arguably better for the horse.

Guess what - even the pros bring in other pros to school their horses!!

 

[Lizzyclarkeventing]

Each to their own I guess
I have always loved producing my own young horses right from the start by myself, makes me a better rider and when they turn out well, I make a little profit and it feels great.
On the other hand some people love making sure their horse is the best it can be for them and that makes sense to me too

 

[humblepie]

Had my horse professionally produced for a time. I’d got him up to top county level but wanted that extra above my own knowledge. I’d generally warm him up and compete him myself. Learned a lot I’ve taken forward. Do like producing myself but nice to be part of a team with huge knowledge.

 

[millitiger]

Would love to do it if I could afford it!

 

[Wishfilly]

I think it's pretty common isn't it? Especially with young horses or horses that may be new to the owner?

I imagine the owner has lessons with the trainer or similar too?

Most people buy in help to a greater or lesser degree- I don't really see it as any different to having lessons with an instructor, or bringing along an experienced friend to help you at competition.

Very, very few people produce horses completely independently of the input of others, and I'm not totally sure that's desirable anyway?

 

[humblepie]

No problem with that. If people have the money and maybe a demanding job and competing is their relese at weekends, good luck to them I say, they still have to get out there and ride the horse which isn't as easy as you think!

That’s very true. The horse still has to be ridden in the class or competition. I had been unable to ride for a while on medical grounds and the professional rider had been producing and winning on my horse, my first comp back they prepped the horse for me and I got on just for the class …. thinking mustn’t undo all their work

 

[SO1]

I don't think there are many amateurs competing who have not had help from professionals even those who have bought a schoolmaster might have occasionally have lessons to work on their riding.

There are not that many amateurs out there now who can back and school a horse and take it out competing without ever having some professional help.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I have no problem at all with this. But I do wonder if you get quite the same buzz when you win or are placed on a horse you haven't trained up yourself. Having said that I did once have a prance around on a rellies successful top level competition horse, which they had brought up the levels completely on their own. It ran rings around me and made me look like a Saturday morning riding school rider! So I guess even if the horse is trained up for you, you still need a modicum of talent to get a good tune out of it on the day, which clearly I did not have.

 

[SEL]

I've ridden both hunters and polo ponies owned by people who just wanted to turn up and go out / play a match. I was just doing the fitness work but they were tuned up by pros so the owners could get on and ride.

I did think with one of the GB junior dressage riders with unlimited funds - do you get the same buzz if you're being given a "made" horse? But then I'd probably fall off the side of a GP horse so there must be talent there!

 

[blitznbobs]

I can and have produced horses up the levels and now I have someone else backing my youngster (I don’t bounce anymore) and am shopping for a horse that already has all the buttons installed already … I want to get on a horse and just ride occasionally and miss being able to do so.

 

[irishdraft]

This has always happened nothing new, my friend was an extremely successful junior eventer when young, think European gold medalist, her horses were always schooled and tuned up before a competition for her, this was early 80s.

 

[nikkimariet]

Lots of people do this, it’s very common.

 

[Cortez]

From your tone, OP, I take it you do not approve?

Which is odd, since that is the actual job of a trainer - to train horses for people to ride, no?