Is My Trainer Blowing Me Off?

[Scribbler]

Oh this makes so much sense! Go find your people!

I was a freerange teen with a feral horse in a time and place before lessons, when we just went out riding all over the place. When I returned to riding abiut 15 years ago, I went to a h/j barn near my new job. It was great instruction for getting my seat back, but the place was landlocked, no trails, so I never saw myself owning there.

I ended up finding a lease and then a horse at a barn I never knew existed, in a suburban park with trails, and a coach/mentor who introduced me to dressage, barefoot trimming, groundwork, and obstacles. I learned to trailer with her and bought my own truck and trailer eventually and discovered horse camping.

I couldn’t have predicted any of this.

My tip for finding your people would be to locate any parks or green belts etc that have horse trails. The people you want will likely have their horses within hacking distance of a trail system.

Last winter I visited a barn that would be perfect for you if you lived here! Just down a quiet street from the big horse park that has trails and a cross country field. Barn all women over 40, returning riders or adult beginners. Big outdoor arena, round pen, smaller covered arena, stalls or sheds in paddocks, good care. Onsite low key trainer that specialized in green horses and beginner riders. Mostly solid horses. Everyone went riding in the park all the time.

I think you only find these places by looking around, going to see half lease horses at different barns can be really interesting too.

[BrendaJane]

LOL, yeah, not all imports are created equal, so that was a little of a…broad statement.

[Altag]

Check out GAIT. They’re a well-run group that evaluates and trains horses before making them available. You can’t find better temperament than a Walker too! (They have other breeds as well.) Very people-oriented, sensible, and calm. BEST trail horses ever!

Maybe Bandit or Goose might be a good match for what you’re looking for?

Home

And of course, they regularly have new horses coming in, which are available after evaluation and possibly training.

If not, I’d suggest checking into someone who sells gaited trail horses. I know there was a place in VA/WV/NC area that used to sell very well-trained gaited trail horses and a fellow boarder got their horse there, but I don’t recall the name. I just did a search to try and find them, and it *MIGHT^ have been Adams Horse & Mule Co, but I really am not sure. But worth checking into a place that trains and markets their horses as trail horses if that’s what you want to be able to do.

I’d definitely suggest looking outside your area though. And even $10K sounds insanely high for a trail horse to me, but I understand that prices have gone way up, especially lately. But I’m sure you can find a good option without going anywhere near the upper range of your budget.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[DawgLady]

Who are your trainer’s primary clientele? Are they people like you, who ride mostly for pleasure? Or people who show regularly?

Also, do you plan on putting the horse in training with her? How often do you lesson?

All these things influence a trainer’s motivation.

Edited to add: I just read the whole thread. Sounds like you already know what to do :).

[173north]

I’d definitely check in with her, but this may be a blessing in disguise. It might just be that you aren’t a good fit for her program, but she doesn’t have the communication skills to express that. You have MORE than enough budget for a nice “WTC in the ring and go out on trails” horse, even in this crazy market.

I’d also ask this: if you aren’t a priority to her while horse shopping - a very important moment in your riding life and one which offers her a commission - when will you be? Why do you like this trainer and her barn culture? What do you value in a barn & riding community? Can you find that elsewhere in your area? You will probably be a lot happier in the long run at a barn with a trainer & clientele who have the same interests as you, rather than being the lone pleasure/trail rider at a barn where everyone is in full training and focused on showing.

[candyappy]

@EndorRider

Yes, this is EXACTLY what I want! I grew up riding this kind of horse. Rode all through my childhood, teen years and college. Just honest horses who knew their job and didn’t get worked up when the wind made the barn door jiggle. Heck, my uncle used to take those same horses hunting - you could shoot off them, then throw a deer over their back and it was all the same to them.

A ranch horse might be just the ticket. I think they have ranch horse sales out west?

[TwiSedai]

I would definitely look for either an older eventer ready to retire to a life of trails, or a ranch horse. Maybe an old fox hunter.

I’m just reeling at the thought of spending 40k on a pleasure horse, that’s like what I would budget for a decent Novice/Training eventing packer, including a buffer for PPEs. @EndorRider was that what your trainer told you that you need, or what you ended up deciding you can afford? The fact that your trainer was willing to let you fork over that much makes me feel really iffy about her, honestly.

[BrendaJane]

she is in the NE

[Altag]

@TwiSedai

I’m just reeling at the thought of spending 40k on a pleasure horse, that’s like what I would budget for a decent Novice/Training eventing packer, including a buffer for PPEs. @EndorRider was that what your trainer told you that you need, or what you ended up deciding you can afford? The fact that your trainer was willing to let you fork over that much makes me feel really iffy about her, honestly.

I have to agree with this, it seems so way over the point of reasonable cost to expect to pay anywhere near that much for a well-trained trail horse. Anywhere in the US, including the northeast. Even figuring in a healthy commission for the trainer finding a horse for you shouldn’t come anywhere near 30k, IMHO.

I wonder if the trainer suggested that amount to pad what she could get for the commission? (If the trainer did indeed give any guidance on what to expect to pay.) In other words, tell the buyer the horse cost 35k but pay the seller 8k. It’s been known to happen, according to COTH.

[mvp]

@EndorRider

@beowulf

For 30-40k I am really surprised that the trainer hasn’t found you something already…

You are not that person that has the mile-long criterion-list on FB, are you? I’ll post it here for posterity:

Haha no I am not that person. I do have some requirements but not as extensive as that.

• Age: 5 years to 18 years
• Size: 14.3 to 16.2h
• Sex: Doesn’t matter
• Color: Doesn’t matter
• Breed: Doesn’t matter
• Purpose: w/t/c and some light trail riding. No jumping, dressage, eventing, reining, sorting, roping etc.
• Bombproof? Personally I don’t think that exists. I’m looking for something that wont bolt or buck, but a little jig when a loud car comes by is fine. Not barn or buddy sour.
• Personality? Has to like people and enjoy being doted on.
• Maintenance: Fine within reason, just not something with navicular or major soundness issues.

I feel like that is a pretty reasonable list? But maybe I am wrong. And that is probably what everyone wants which makes horses like these hard to find. I had thought it would be easier with my budget but maybe the market is so nuts right now that isn’t the case. It’s like people paying double or triple the sale price for real estate right now in cash.

Where are you?

I’ll find you a horse to do the job you want for the very generous budget you have.

OP, you shouldn’t have to pay nearly as much as you have in your pocket for this kind of horse. I’m in Aiken, SC-- so a rich market-- but I see all kinds of horses floating around on FB that could suit you.

For the money you have, however, I think you can afford to buy the horse that’s a particularly good fit for you. That takes some looking. If your pro doesn’t want to do the leg work, can you/are you willing to? After all, the is ultimately your project. If you go about finding your own horse, as she has invited you to do, I suggest you talk to her about that and about how the process is going to go. You should not be paying her a commission for the horse you find, rather you guys should negotiate an hourly wage that you’ll pay her to review video and go with you to see the horse. You’ll probably need to go see the horses first and bring her back for the second visit, if you feel safe doing that.

But does she have room in her barn and program for training and lessons after you buy? Lots of trainers don’t like clients to buy on their own, lest the client buy an unsuitable (or worse) horse and make the pro responsible for training it. Have this discussion with your pro. If she’s just making you do the buying because she doesn’t have time, that’s one thing. If not helping you in your search is her edging you out the door because you aren’t her ideal client, that’s another and you’d do well to discover that now so that you can buy a horse that needs less pro help and/or go find a different trainer.

Good luck! And, honest-to-God, if it’s feasible, I’ll help you find one.

[candyappy]

@BrendaJane

she is in the NE

So? People buy and have horses shipped all over the US.

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

A lot of trainers need to learn tactful ways to send clients off in more productive directions.

[BrendaJane]

read the whole thread, friend

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I find this so frustrating, at so many barns (not just show barns). Trainers are ridiculously evasive and opaque about the most basic information. Basic emails and communication shouldn’t be like interpreting communications from the State Department or the Pope.

OP, I’m from a ridiculously expensive state, and I’ll also chime in that your budget for what you want sounds high, especially if you’re willing to go to the small size of your size range. The fact you’re not interested in showing might be a factor, as others have said, but it also might be (somewhat irrationally, on the trainer’s part), that there are some trainers that simply aren’t interested in finding non-show horses, regardless of potential commission. It might be the trainer thinks the horse you buy will be at the very low end of your budget, or simply that the trainer’s connections and interests lie in the realm of more pricey show horses.

[Djones]

Your trainer doesn’t have trail horse connections or interests. Once purchased, you don’t want to show or likely do much in terms of lessons. I feel ya, at this point in my life neither do I! But said trainer counts on recurring revenue. You’re not her ideal client.

Yeah, maybe just have a frank conversation about wants and expectations. Good Luck!!

[candyappy]

@BrendaJane

read the whole thread, friend

Why not just clue me in on what I must have missed instead of being rude?

[trubandloki]

@candyappy

Why not just clue me in on what I must have missed instead of being rude?

@candyappy

So? People buy and have horses shipped all over the US.

From the original post - I think this is what applies to the comment from BrendaJane about reading the whole thread.

@EndorRider

I’m not willing to import or travel the country looking

The OP is very reasonable, just not willing to travel all over the country for a horse and willing to pay what the market requires for that unwillingness.

[candyappy]

@trubandloki

The OP is very reasonable, just not willing to travel all over the country for a horse and willing to pay what the market requires for that unwillingness.

Thank you. I guess I read that as multiple trips to look at a vast number of horses. Might be worth the risk to buy sight unseen( in person anyways) from a reputable ranch horse sale?

[trubandloki]

@candyappy

Thank you. I guess I read that as multiple trips to look at a vast number of horses. Might be worth the risk to buy sight unseen( in person anyways) from a reputable ranch horse sale?

I think if you had actually read the whole thread it would be very clear to you that the OP does not want to buy sight unseen.

[candyappy]

@trubandloki

I think if you had actually read the whole thread it would be very clear to you that the OP does not want to buy sight unseen.

Well my quote was off the first post and that was what I had read. Since the forum no longer signifies who the OP is as the thread progresses it is almost impossible remember who said what.