I’ve been trying to find a trainer for what feels like forever. I think I might be a typical adult re-rider, I keep my horses at home, would like to haul in for lessons but I also work full time and have kids, the farm, etc. so can only realistically get the time to load up and go a few times a month. Side note: Hauling to lessons takes SO MUCH TIME. There’s the packing, the horse wrapping, the driving, the warm up/ cool down, the chit chatting, the re wrapping, and the driving back. There’s no way I can get it done without killing an entire afternoon and part of the evening as well. Most of the trainers I’ve spoken to only do packages with weekly lessons, or only do lessons on weekdays before 3 PM because they teach kiddos after school, or they don’t take haul ins, the list goes on. I guess I just wonder if that’s normal? The only instructor that was ok with doing every other week at 5 pm is unfortunately across town, meaning I’d have to haul my pony through the downtown metro in rush hour traffic. I don’t think I have enough Xanax for that. How did you find your trainer? How do you make it all work?
I didn’t and moved my horse to partial training board. He needed the consistency and I needed the lessons and I couldn’t get anyone to consistently come out.
Now virtual lessons are a bigger thing, I’m tempted to bring him home.
Just get help to hold a phone and do virtual lessons with facetime, google meet, or whats app.
I did a virtual lesson with Lauren Spreiser with my pivo. It was actually pretty easy to set up (using her specific instructions) and it really did feel like she was in the arena with me. Truly didn’t notice that she wasn’t there after awhile.
I board and have a trainer available at all times but in the past I know in my area there’s a few trainers that would be willing to travel. They were mostly people that were training part-time. Some that had been big in the show scene in the past but kind of took a step back in their careers. So most of them had other careers besides training and did just a little training on the side.
I’d love to know more about the virtual lesson. Did you FaceTime and have Bluetooth headphones?
Hmmm, I have a Pivo but no wi-fi and pretty poor cell service where I ride. I might be able to haul to the public arena and lesson from there though. Do you use headphones of some sort?
Yes I used headphones off of like Amazon. The brand is Veatool. My husband got them for me but I was under the impression they weren’t expensive.
I was lucky in that an instructor who I had used in the past and would allow me to come clinic with a judge she brought in about once a month told me of another clinician she was hosting at her place. I had stopped hauling over to her place weekly (did that for a couple of years) mostly because it was at least one hour away but continued to haul in monthly for lessons. She had been trying out a very well ‘decorated’ trainer who had moved to the area the year before and I had been out of the normal circles of dressage gossip so wasn’t even aware of her. I came and rode with her once and my instructor/friend suggested I start taking weekly lessons from the clinician because as it turned out we were living only 4 miles apart.
Despite the close proximity, getting lessons isn’t easy. She is super busy and prefers to spend time on her rehab clients over teaching dressage lessons; so, what started out as weekly lessons is now down to monthly or every other month lessons which works for me. My point is that I found out my current instructor through word of mouth. She advertises through social media but doesn’t come up easily in searches. She does show pretty regularly but again isn’t always the easiest one to spot because of her desire to whittle back her dressage business and build her rehab business. Luckily she was willing to take me on despite her change in focus of her revenue stream and fits me in when she can. I guess she like a challenge and really like my pony.
BTW do you really need to wrap? When I was hauling the hour distance to my friend’s place I was taking at least 2 and sometimes 3 in my 4-horse trailer. One was a stallion. I never had to wrap. No one ever got injured and whomever I wasn’t riding was standing, waiting politely in the trailer until I was all done and ready to head back home. While I agree that hauling out is time consuming, I’m not one for chit chat. I pay and go. My tack up time is down to an efficient science and my trailer is already on the read, set, go for the reasons you state - I work full-time, have family obligations and want to improve my riding.
I agree with the whole wrapping thing…I have never wrapped my horses shipping in for lessons and have done it for many years with 4 different horses. Never an issue.
I found my trainer on COTH. Seriously 
I made a post looking for recommendations before relocating to an area where I didn’t know a soul. There were helpful posts and PM’s in reply, and I ended up going with one of the recommendations after interviewing several. I had listed some of my criteria, including finding someone who would work around the schedule of an AA with a full time job. That alone was an easy way to cross a lot of candidates off of the list, and I was able to narrow it down to trainers that were willing to do very early mornings and weekends. I was able to visit barns and watch lessons to get a feel for things before making my choice.
I’m lucky enough to be in a location where there are a lot of choices. Many of the more established trainers require you to be in a program, but often those that are younger/new to the area will travel to teach. That might be worth looking into if that’s an option.
I did this for years & it’s never easy, but you make it work. I kept my rig packed & only had to throw in the last minute essentials (bridle, saddle, girth). I packed the trailer when I had free time with extra stuff, older helmet, gloves, pad, etc…There was no chit chatting. I’d haul over in my boots & helmet with my horse already wrapped. Had it down to a science. There’s always crap that goes wrong, but be efficient with your time in regards to having your horse clean, gas in the truck, pay venmo day of, getting your clothes out the night before, etc.
I found my trainer by going to competitions & watching the warm up. Look at results & longevity (if that’s what’s important to you). I might not be drawn to the highest training level rider, but interested in the one who works with off breeds & riders of a varying skill set, horses that are progressing in the program over years, look happy in their work, etc.
Also, analyze what teaching style works for you. Are you into theory, are you a visual learner? Do you need a cheerleader or someone who cracks the whip (so to speak) and inspires you.
Just get some earbuds and connect them and then have a friend hold your phone and face time. Way better than taking the chance on a pivo cutting out.
I happened to find my trainer via a FB post several years ago. She lives out of state, but comes to town about once a month spring-fall, and comes to my barn. I’ve also shamelessly promoted her to friends to help ensure that she has enough students to continue coming to town regularly. This lesson frequency works for me, and I use a SoloShot to video myself and try to just work on myself in between. I’ve never been in a program with weekly or more lessons; perhaps we would progress more quickly that way, but this setup is working for me.
When we travel, I don’t wrap. I put on the boots he works in plus velcro-on bell boots. Much faster and, IMO, more protection than wrapping. If your horse doesn’t work in boots, invest in some and it will pay off well in the time you save.
They were hosting a clinic with my favorite trainer and were very kind. Ended up going for a few years and when it was time to change barns I went to them. Been with them now about ten years. They are wonderful, kind people.
I’d always thought my horses and I weren’t “good enough” for my current trainer, but she started coming to teach occasionally at the barn that I was boarding at and I wangled some lessons with her.
She was patient, kind and encouraging, and liked my horse. When that barn situation fell apart 3 years ago, I took a leap of faith and moved to her barn and joined her full training program. My riding and my horse have improved immensely under her tutelage. I drive 45 minutes each way 4 days a week to ride with her, and I can’t retire and still afford to do it, but it’s so worth it while I can do it.
I poked around 2 semi-local dressage Facebook groups, and posted in one asking for recommendations. I also joined a local dressage club and networked a bit.
I do have to drive about 90 min one way to my lessons though. So it adds up time and fuel wise. My trainer is ok with me just doing 2 lessons a month. We’ve considered virtual (I have a Pivo) between the in person stuff.
I found mine on FB but then stalked her at a show to see if I liked how her horses went. She comes to me, but I have to get a certain number of lessons lined up to make it worth it for her to drive.
When I was 11, I had been taking basic HJ-type lessons for a few years but was a weird kid who really wanted to learn dressage. My mom asked the ladies at the local tack shop for recommendations, and I ended up learning from a one-in-a-million GP trainer who helped me get to GP on my second horse. In a few years we will celebrate our 30th student-teacher anniversary and I’ll buy her a pearl browband or something! She doesn’t really advertise so her students are all word-of-mouth, and a handful have been with her even longer than I have. I couldn’t have gotten luckier and I don’t know what I’ll do when she finally retires.
The horse I’m usually hauling is very ungraceful when unloading and he sometimes knocks his hind legs on the back of the trailer when stepping down (it’s a no ramp type). So I don’t always wrap as a rule, but for this guy yes, I have to wrap. I’ve thought about strapping on medicine type boots instead because it would be so much faster but I haven’t actually tried it.
