Clay Jackson ???

[Frequent_Flyer]

Hello out there I am new to this site and not sure how it all works… I am wondering if there is any info about a trainer named Clay Jackson??? I have a horse I want to send out (albeit nervously) to this trainer who I heard through an acquaintance.

I did see some old stuff on the forum, but noticed there were some pm’s? I guess I am wondering if there was more to the story that wasn’t said out in public! I have never had a horse sent for training and just thought I would ask. Please pm me if there is anything I should know about. Thank you

[sheltona01]

If this is Clay Jackson in Ca. I have a saddle fitter friends who loves him and has trained with him.

[OTTB2]

A word of warning everyone can be anyone in the internet so although COTH is great and we all learn something, taking things like testimonials with a grain of salt is recommend.

[Scribbler]

I don’t know anything about this trainer, though he has an impressive website and resume. However, I would never send a horse anywhere without being familiar with the trainer, how they ride, how their horses turn out, and their facilities. Think of it as sending your child away to boarding school or summer camp :).

I would suggest visiting the trainer for a few days, watching him ride, talking to clients, etc.

Here are some points that people have brought up about training in general.

• Does the trainer do all the rides, or do they get handed off to working students or assistant trainers, and if so, how do you feel about that? An older, busy, BNT in particular might not be able to personally ride every single horse in his program, yet still have good results. But check, so that you don’t feel ripped off at the end if you find most of the work has been done by a younger assistant, when you thought you were getting a BNT to personally train your horse.

• Is the trainer as kind, patient, etc., as advertised? Is the trainer taking shortcuts that will leave holes in the horses training that show up later on at higher levels? Ditto the assistants, if they are doing the real work.

*is the basic care up to your standards for feed, turnout, cleaning, etc?

• Does the trainer drug horses in training? If so, how do you feel about this?

*What happens if the horse gets hurt in training?

• Are your expectations for the result realistic? How much can the horse improve in the amount of time you are paying for? How much talent does the horse have?

• Can you ride well enough for the training to “stick” once the horse comes home, or will you end up undoing it all? Can you take riding lessons on your horse while it is at the trainer’s, so you can learn to ride the horse in the same way it is being trained?

These are all basic questions to ask yourself, or the trainer, when you are visiting and shopping for a facility. You need to look at what is going on right now at the place you are visiting, not what the web page or resume says. The “right now” might be much better (or much worse) than advertised.

If you are planning to ride this horse later, in many ways, you might be better off training the horse at home, with training rides plus lessons, so that you improve as your horse improves, and you learn how to train as you go along.

[findeight]

Never heard of him but that means absolutely nothing as I have been showing in the northeast and Midwest for the last 23 years or so. Was in Cali showing Western on the old AHSA circuit abd QHs back in the early 70s but I don’t remember anybody from way back then. I do know some of the clinicians mentioned but that also means nothing as many, many others also know and/or have worked with them.

You have to personally research it including face to face meetings and visits plus speaking with other clients and, ideally, any other names mentioned as teachers or mentors, check those references And you should not be an absentee owner with a young horse. Ever.

As mentioned, anybody could be whoever they want on the Internet and any threads on here with specific names jump right to the top of page 1 on a Goggle search. Select trainers the old fashioned way, in person.

[Calvincrowe]

He was here in the Portland, OR area a few years back. Never heard much about him, good or bad, but he moved around a fair bit. Has been in CA for a few years now though. Definitely go and watch a training rides/lessons/barn stuff. Show up early or unannounced after your first visit, which will give you an unscripted look at what’s going on.

[Belmont]

Here is his Youtube, so you can see him riding and such.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_p2f7y4ui4FNYxOq9QcaVg

He doesn’t seem like a bad rider, pretty soft with his hands. Has some nice horses. As a consumer, I don’t love his website. It’s all over the place with some bad quality pictures. That is just a personal taste of mine. I would email to find out more info about him and visit the barn.

Can I just say one pet peeve as someone who searched for a long time for the right trainer? The listing of people you’ve cliniced with! I would much rather know who you learned and assisted under than who you’ve taken a weekend clinic with.

I’ve done a lot of clinics with GREAT riders, trainers, and Olympians! I’m not ready to go out and start a barn. I want to know who influenced your riding most, who taught you stable management, and those kinds of things. I love a trainer that continues his/her education, like Mr. Jackson does. However, I want to know more about the background of the trainer, like the barn in the Netherlands he was a trainer for and things like that!