What would you expect from a horse trainer?

GrassChop

GrassChop

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It has transpired to actually be really hard work finding someone to come out to help train my rising 5yo. I have already backed him and started to walk and trot out on small hacks. We have touched on schooling but purely only walking, doing figures of 8 etc, and only recently started attempting to lunge. It has been impossible to find anyone that actually communicates and no one available to send him to.

Anyway, I finally got a reply from someone who has done 4 sessions already. The first session was just a little bit of teaching to lunge and discussing the plans. The last 3 have been hacking which is fine because I want him to be exposed to things under saddle (previously only long reined or in hand) and to start grasping each gait. They then went off the radar again for a week so I've tried muddling through myself, asking to stand is not great and he really needs more than just hacking I feel but I haven't done this before so I'm not sure what I should be expecting.

The trainer has come back to say she can come back out tomorrow and wants to take him for a hack again. Moving forwards isn't a problem for him, he can be stubborn but that's becoming less and less the more he is doing. His steering and standing needs work. There is also each transition that needs to be practiced and getting his balance. I've walked out with the trainer and it generally is just a hack round one route with a few trots, no canter work at this stage which I'm not expecting anyway. This does include forest and being in open space but no real steering or asking to stop during.

Should I be expecting more or is this standard?

Eta: Regularity is hit and miss too. I would really like someone to just book him in for fixed dates for 2 weeks for example just so I know what's happening but not sure if I'm asking for too much? The first 3 sessions were on the first week. Second week was only 1 session.
 
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I'd be wanting more. He probably needs more consistancy and I appriciate how difficult it is. I tried to get some help with one of mine a while ago and it was much the same. She'd appear, we'd book another session, it would be cancelled. I'd not be able to get hold of her and so just gave up.

I wonder if you have any bigger yards by you? When I worked on a bigger yard quite often the other staff would go off in their lunch break or between am and pm stables to do bits like that locally for a bit of extra money. Might something like that be worth an ask?
 
Would you send him away just to get the basics established? I think most trainers work on the basis they have X numbers of horses in on their yard and have a routine to work them accordingly. I think you'll struggle to find the same consistency with someone who is freelance coming out as and when they can fit you in.
 
Are you happy and confident with this instructor or was she the only one that replied? Could you tell your instructor what you want to do, say no to the hack but practice ground work, standing etc. or could she walk alongside you riding, teaching you the skills so you can practice in between her visits. Also book her in for the next few sessions while she is there.
 
I think they tend to do well going to a professional yard for 6 weeks. It gets them out to a different environment, regular work (daily and sometimes twice daily, just little bits). In a bigger yard they will see other horses coming and going, hopefully work alongside others, leave others, ride out with others - as well as alone. They learn to be one of a number and just get on with it.

It is easier to do a small amount more regularly when they are on a yard.

When I have helped people with their young horses, I would never trust that the work I did 3 or 4 days ago is still pure, as I won't have seen the horse in that time. That would lead me to repeat a lot. It is also far too tempting to fill an hour, rather than do what the horse actually needs that day. When you have travelled, it is far more tricky to pack up after just half an hour.
 
It’s rare to do it successfully the way you are trying to do. The good people are busy and need the horse on site with their facilities/support systems so they can plan accordingly.

There must be pro yards around with availability. If you say where abouts you are and what sort of radius I’m sure you’ll get some suggestions
 
I think they need short and frequent sessions at that age. I try and aim for 5 times per week of up to 30 mins per session as they tend to get tired quickly both physically and mentallyz I’d mostly be hacking tbh whilst they are getting their balance etc as that’s my personal preference but short sessions if up to 20 mins in the arena practising in walk and trot, halting and steering would be fine too.
 
ihatework said:
It’s rare to do it successfully the way you are trying to do. The good people are busy and need the horse on site with their facilities/support systems so they can plan accordingly.

There must be pro yards around with availability. If you say where abouts you are and what sort of radius I’m sure you’ll get some suggestions
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this.

virtually impossible to do it this way the horse needs to be on site and doing a little session daily
 
I also have a (just) 5 year old, he was backed a year ago, and had two decent sessions of work (about 8 weeks each) with a break in between and another for winter. I brought him back in 7 weeks ago. He still gets tired after about 20 mins in the school (and not asking a great deal in that time), and lasts longer on a hack - he seems ok after a gentle 40 mins but I wouldn't do anything faster or longer. I work him probably 5 times per week, mostly hacking, some schooling/ small jumps / poles and sometimes something different like a play in the xc field, not jumping anything more than little logs at the moment. I don't think you can make progress as well as you'd like with inconsistent work, and it's hardly worth paying someone to come over for such short sessions. Could you do it yourself, perhaps with an instructor say once per week instead of the rider?

On that rider, I think I would expect some schooling as well as hacking - I mean schooling in a very basic way, even if it is during a hack, it doesn't sound as if he is learning anything special that you couldn't do.

If it's not possible to do it yourself, I agree with others that he might be better with a few weeks at a pro yard where they can be consistent. Obvs not cheap (I did this last year, and it really was worth it).
 
I wouldn't be put off if someone wanted to do all the training 'hacking' rather than in the school at all. All the things you mention about stopping, changing speed within and between gaits, flexion, leg yeilding in and out of parked cars can all be very effectively schooled on a hack, without the difficulty of turns or risk of boredum.

I would welcome a trainer who wanted to do all the schooling out of the school for a youngster.

I agree with the others it's little and often at this stage so they might worry you'd be disappointed with only 15 minutes in the school, mostly in walk. But that may well be all he's up to for a good while. Someone travelling in to do 15-20 minutes 3-4 times a week might start to look expensive but if you're OK with that then perhaps have a frank conversation with them and see what is holding them back.

They might think he's too weak / young/ saddle fit issues to want to do much more with him and have his best interests at heart. They might just not feel the £££ is worth it, in which case you might need to offer to pay more.
 
I tried the doing it from 'home' thing with my 4 year old last year. It was more to do with not upsetting the herd dynamics rather than a worry about him going away, but I only did it for 2 weeks before I gave up and sent him on schooling livery. My trainer was coming out twice a week, but my biggest issues were around behaviour on the ground and it actually made him worse as it wasnt consistant between us.

Trainer wanted him to be more respectful and understanding before she got on (fine), but he got confrontational. Backing yard tried lunging (was horrible and would rear and come in), tried long lining (would reverse and kick), so just got on with riding him. He had been ok with the little bits of groundwork I did as a 3 year old before I turned him away for winter and came back in spring a monster!

He now does all these things nicely and those 8 weeks were the best money ive ever spent. He had a 4 month break (injury) and a quiet winter and is 95% lovely still.
 
GrassChop said:
It has transpired to actually be really hard work finding someone to come out to help train my rising 5yo. I have already backed him and started to walk and trot out on small hacks. We have touched on schooling but purely only walking, doing figures of 8 etc, and only recently started attempting to lunge. It has been impossible to find anyone that actually communicates and no one available to send him to.

Anyway, I finally got a reply from someone who has done 4 sessions already. The first session was just a little bit of teaching to lunge and discussing the plans. The last 3 have been hacking which is fine because I want him to be exposed to things under saddle (previously only long reined or in hand) and to start grasping each gait. They then went off the radar again for a week so I've tried muddling through myself, asking to stand is not great and he really needs more than just hacking I feel but I haven't done this before so I'm not sure what I should be expecting.

The trainer has come back to say she can come back out tomorrow and wants to take him for a hack again. Moving forwards isn't a problem for him, he can be stubborn but that's becoming less and less the more he is doing. His steering and standing needs work. There is also each transition that needs to be practiced and getting his balance. I've walked out with the trainer and it generally is just a hack round one route with a few trots, no canter work at this stage which I'm not expecting anyway. This does include forest and being in open space but no real steering or asking to stop during.

Should I be expecting more or is this standard?

Eta: Regularity is hit and miss too. I would really like someone to just book him in for fixed dates for 2 weeks for example just so I know what's happening but not sure if I'm asking for too much? The first 3 sessions were on the first week. Second week was only 1 session.
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When I used to do my own at the start it was about 20-30mins ridden, perhaps five days a week. I was lucky I lived at the edge of the village, so a walk to watch the traffic, the children coming out of school or a walk down the fen could be done in that amount of time. I didn't have a school so all their balance, training for the aids was done on roads and bridleways, and they ended up with brakes a steering. A lot can be done in walk, trot and stand, getting them used to the weight aids.
The last one I sent away to be broken was on an established dealers yard and they did 30 mins twice a day, and worked up to longer hacks in company.
 
I did it from home with both my youngsters. Reg I had the help of a fantastic freelancer. It worked for us and most of it was done out hacking. We had an honest and open conversation about what I wanted to achieve and what she could offer. I was given strict homework between sessions (2 a week) and we made slow but steady progress.

Balance comes with miles under the belt and that comes from hacking IMHO. I wouldn't be pushing a pony into canter while you are still working on halt. Neither of mine cantered with a rider until we had balance in walk and trot and understood aids properly.

I think you need to have a chat with your freelancer to make sure you are both on the same page. Always book your next session while she is still on site and ensure you have a plan of action in the days between her visits.
 
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