All these people were recommended! In several cases, the trainers were going through a life crisis that impacted their profession. Bad, it trickles down and highlights their weaknesses.
In all these situations I pulled my horse in 3 months or less.
It’s amazing how unsupportive the forum is.
I didn’t, he was pulled. As fast as I could after the issue was identify.
@js- welll… I think at the show Barns most trainers do not want their clients to be heard. Trainers want to run their program, the way they see fit. And if the horse-or client!- does not fit in, they have to go. It is a sad State of the industry in many places. That said, though, I am not at big show barn and I did pull my horse from training! I do some cross rails and little jumps on my own during the week, and then I take a “lesson” once a week so I can push it a little bit. Maybe a gymnastics course, maybe a more difficult handy course with higher jumps? Stuff I wouldn’t be comfortable doing on my own. I did not involve the vet yet, but will in the next month or two. I got a lot of other stuff fixed on my horse’s attitude with some bodywork, I found some very sore places. I made a change to shoeing, with the farrier’s help, but luckily is a good friend and had to give me a hard time about the fact the suggestion was made quite a while ago! LOL. Of course I asked the world’s greatest diagnostic engine a few questions-“hey Google”! So I changed supplements, added a little extra magnesium seems to help. Anyway, we are having fun again. I try and ride in different Arenas or areas everyday, and something I haven’t seen in a few years, trotted by somebody standing in the arena today, and she has to shake her head at the person (‘out of my space’!) and claim her space in the ring. It’s quite sassy and cute, and probably not completely appropriate but the fact she wants to own the arena, was okay with me! Thx for your feedback.
Sorry to be unsupportive. But we don’t know anything you don’t specifically include in your post. We do get lots of posters describing bad situations they’ve stayed in for years
Well, what would you consider supportive in this situation? We can listen to your vent and commiserate since we have all had experiences with bad trainers. If thats all you want and you don’t mind writing the checks for services you are not receiving, fine.
Or we can tell you the truth and offer some options to get out of this. Starting with stop paying for it.
There is much unsaid here and more to the reasons you keep repeating poor trainer choices. Perhaps some reflection on that? Maybe driving farther or paying more? More research, observation and communication before moving the horse in? Do you HAVE to jump? Theres many other ways to ride and compete, almost all are less expensive then jumping.
I only had your post to go on, that stated it was a current situation. Not trying to be unsupportive but that is all we have to go on, what you write. I am glad you pulled him…
I think you are looking at it the wrong way. Being a client doesn’t give you the right to dictate how someone runs their business, in any industry. There is no way a barn could operate efficiently (or train/manage staff) if they were having to accommodate different preferences or requests from every single client. The trainer/barn offers a package of services, it is not an a la carte menu, and it is up to potential clients to assess if that is the right package of services/approach for them and their horse. It is unreasonable to expect them to retool everything to suit individual preferences, it would be next to impossible to train staff if every horse had a different program. And sure, some horses have individual needs that barns can and will accommodate, but in general it makes sense that they are free to, and need to, come up with a standardized approach to things that they think works best. If you don’t like the way they do it, you find another business with a model that better fits your needs.
But there’s a different between not finding the right fit with a training package — that’s fair — and then agreeing with the training package and price but not actually getting to see if the trainer is fulfilling the job they agreed to. Asking for updates and lessons on your own horse isn’t unreasonable. Asking for a daily update and daily lesson might be unreasonable. But to pay a sum of money and the trainer just ghosts you? Unacceptable. I can’t show up to work everyday and then just completely ghost my clients or my manager. They would have no idea if I’m actually doing what they are paying me to do. Some updates, viewing, and incorporating owner lessons on a training horse is a completely reasonable request.
I had a trainer recently who was a long time pony club DC. She taught me like I was a 10 year old riding for the first time when it came to tacking up and general horsemanship, and you know what? I so appreciated it. After being out of horses for over a decade, I surely needed all those little lessons and I think you are never too old to be reminded of/coached through good horsemanship.
Yes and even if you have your own horse you develop shortcuts that don’t work universally. I’m no longer sure how to bridle a horse that doesn’t reach for the bit and basically stick its head in the noose 
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