Lameness

[kate-and-lingho]

I don’t know this trainer from Adam, but given that you are posting her awards, I’m concerned that’s the main criteria that you’re going off of, and something that is easy to do as relatively inexperienced people in the horse world.

I would look very carefully at the overall program. Is a trainer bringing horses up the levels? Are they able to coach students (and their horses) up the levels? Do the horses seem happy doing their jobs? Are horses healthy? (I’ve seen barns where it felt like horses were dealing with chronic lamenesses because of incorrect riding, even though the barn seemed very nice and had all the right trappings.) Is the care at the barn good? Do they have good relationships with the staff or do they struggle to find help?

I also carefully evaluate the riding (from any video I can find and in person) to understand a trainer’s strengths and weaknesses and see how they might work with the strengths/weaknesses of my horse and me as a rider. There are trainers who are successful who I would never send my horse to, because it would be a bad fit, or they just doesn’t fit the approach I want to take. This last consideration is a lot harder as someone newer to the sport and takes an experienced eye, so I would consider it in the context of other things.

[Scribbler]

Edited to add: OP posted a CV from a potential trainer who seems to have gone pro in 2018 or 2019, rode in one CDI in 2017, and before and after that has been mostly in the USEF levels. Later OP deleted the CV post, so these comments will.now confuse future readers

It’s also important to understand the levels of dressage.

Levels Training to Fourth are created and moderated by the USEF. You can also have USEF shows that use the PSG, intermediare and GP tests. These tests are created by the FEI and are the same around the world.

If the FEI is running the show, it’s called a CDI and it’s a big deal. You qualify for international points at a CDI.

When I read this resume I see that basically the trainer had one year 2017 where she rode in a CDI at Devon. That suggests to me that she had access to an exceptional horse for one season, but that this is not her usual playground.

It’s really common for trainers to get access to high leve made horses for a short period of time so they can finish their Gold Medals or have a GP.on their resume. It doesn’t mean necessarily that they are capable of bringing a horse along to that level themselves.

I suppose this trainer went pro after 2017, was an amateur up to them.

She might be wonderful but this is not the resume of an Olympic hopeful. Which is fine.

[Manni01]

This might be a long post …
In general I agree with scribbler about his evaluation of the trainer. But as I tried to say before there are so many things which need to be right to make it to the top and this evaluation only looks at one aspect.
I have no experience in bringing up kids to the top in riding but two of my kids were ranked internationally in tennis and I do believe a lot of things I learned during this trip might be useful for riding too….

I personally believe that in order to make it to the top you need to keep horse and rider healthy until they are ready to perform at the top. I have seen a lot of very talented tennis players who were worn out (health wise and mentally) when they were 16 or 17.
In order to achieve that the parent needs to protect the child (and the horse) in my experience kids with protecting parents lasted longer.

The really most important thing!!! The child (and the horse) need a very very solid foundation. It doesn’t make sense to put a child on a schoolmaster if the foundations and the knowledge of the foundation are not solid, because it’s easy to cheat and it will catch you at one point in your career. But still she will need a schoolmaster to learn to feel how it’s done right!

You need to know what you are doing and why you are doing it in order to avoid huge problems in the future… My children were extremly lucky because the owner of the tennis facility had big dreams for his daughter and had found a Russian coach who had moved to Hamburg and who was a Davis cup coach for Russia at one point.
And to keep the cost down he offered clinics with him for other kids as well. This coach was really into the right technique and I still believe without him my kids would not have gone anywhere….

so my advice even if you train with this trainer who is pretty unknown try to organize clinics with big names in your barn. And I mean real big names…. Think about Joh Hinneman ( I adore him) maybe Sabine Shut Kerry (She seems to be really nice) Maybe Kelly Layne. ( she is really really nice ) Of course I would prefer the German trainers because both of them know the right foundation.

And please if you read books stick with the Richtlinien für Reiten und Fahren. It tells you everything you need and if you simply do what it says you will be fine…
Then try to connect and develope a relationship with these famous trainers but be a bit careful though because their main business will be to sell you a horse…keep this in mind…
But they can help you in many many ways if they like you…. They know everybody and they can maybe recommend your daughter to somebody who might help her to develope her riding skills. Like an internship in her school vacations…
Not sure from which country you are (maybe Great Britain) but there are always amazing possibilities in Europe so you could spend some time there…

Regarding this trainer…. If the location is convenient for you and if your daughter likes her and if she is experienced with young horses (at this point the most important factor) go for it. you could train with her for a while and see how it goes….
But you need to be prepared to watch any progress and evaluate all the time whether you are on your way towards your goal….
With a goal as high as yours you have to be extra careful…

And just saying my kids were the reason why I moved to the US. At one point we decided to move them to Nick Bollitieri in Bradenton. So you need to keep a potential move in mind.
During the journey you will learn a lot and it will be fun to do things with your daughter !! But you need to learn first that you are the only person who acts in the interest of your daughter and your horse. everybody else is only interested in the money. so you do need to protect them like crazy!!!

Oh and some information for you, I have no idea whether it’s useful for you but remember I told you collect as much information as possible because at one point you might need the info or the connection.
Not sure whether you know but Joh Hinneman has family in the US and I believe his granddaughter is only a couple of years older than your daughter and she is riding very successful. I believe they just moved from California to somewhere like the Carolina’s (not sure about it but you can find out) his daughter in Law runs a dressage barn.
So maybe you could inquire about clinics or something like an extended stay at their facility. Maybe I am horrible but I would take this as a opportunity to learn how they manage their daughter, to see different high level horses and maybe even create a relationship with the Hinneman family…
Riding is a hands on sport online classes are only second best way to learn… nothing beats to be in the middle of a professional setting…
Oh and something else stay organized about everything you learn, maybe keep a diary where you write down good and bad experiences and connections. Also write down your goals and stations you need to reach in order to reach your final goal and check regularly whether you are on the right path.

I assume some people would take money for this advice . but I wish you the best of luck for your daughter and your family. Remember don’t ruin yourself financially because sport is not worth it, but otherwise have fun on the journey

[pluvinel]

@FD

Thank you.

These are awards…and have nothing to do with the person’s horsemanship.

[Bogey2]

Did you get your trainers permission to open this can of worms?

[enjoytheride]

Permission for what?

While I agree that it is unfortunate that this BB can tear apart and be against anything this information is posted publicly on the trainers page.

[Mersidoats]

I think all of us have posted things here without asking our trainers permission.

Isn’t Dressage4Kids based in that area of New York? That would be a great resource for you, @FD. They have some excellent educational opportunities and might be able to point you towards a trainer who has a proven track record working with youth riders. And you could meet other parents of youth dressage riders.

[good_booie]

Good morning hackney! A friend who is a big fan told me about the live clinic so we watched. It was a few years ago so forgive my memory. There was a lady who clearly was overfaced on her big friesian. Over the two days not much really happend. I suspect the rider was petrified. The real thing that stayed with me was his work with a horse who was really buddy sour. He prided himself on being successful with the horse accept… the other horse was still in the arena. Far away but in complete eyesight. Maybe better than it started, but still not gone from sight. Even my friend agreed the clinic was disappointing. Just an opinion. Please don’t put me on the stake. lol.

[lazaret]

I don’t know anything about how she is as a teacher of youth, but I believe Molly Maloney is about 45 minutes from where the OP is located and she is riding and producing at the grand prix level.

I think this horse needs a summer of good turnout and then a revisit, but if you are serious about dressage, finding a serious trainer with experience with this quality of horse would be a good start.

[FjordBCRF]

@FD You mentioned somewhere upthread that you tend to like to be more trusting of people and assume they are good. If your daughters dreams are Olympic big and you as parents are willing to fund that endeavor, you likely need to develop a more self-protective approach. OR find someone you absolutely 100% can trust that wholly understands the goals and how to get there to help guide you along the way to avoid pitfalls. Or quite frankly both. You’ve already gotten some excellent advice here that a list of prizes doesn’t necessarily make a good horse-person, or make them the right person for your daughter or the right person for the young horse. There is SO much to navigate and these early decisions can make or break a goal.

You were already too transparent up front and likely got taken advantage of already buying the horse on your own with the price tag and the medical records/issues. And this horse is already showing signs of being pushed too hard too young. HOPEFULLY some good time off will reset that because FD seems like a nice horse brain/personality wise.

You can never forget, the horse world is FULL of people who smell the thought of cash and they will tell you everything you want to hear with no intention of ever truly being on “your team”. Those people exist at ALL levels of riding and price points.

[Bogey2]

Because she is not a BNT and you know what can happen here, it can get ugly for no good reason and I don’t wish that on a person who is just going about her business. The OP is not exactly horse savvy as you can tell from her posts…why drag the trainer in to this mess.

[Bogey2]

I meant the trainers information…not the whole post.

[MsM]

When choosing a “right now” trainer, I find it is very important to find out who they train with. I would choose an instructor who has worked with someone whose methods I admired (at your stage you may need to ask here and elsewhere) My instructor is not an Olympian and is one ride short of her Gold riders medal, but she rides with Olympic-level trainers I admire.

She is also good at explaining. I have ridden with an S judge who could not seem to adequately explain to many of the riders at the clinic.

[2tempe]

OP - I am decades older than your daughter and took up dressage later in life. For several years I worked with an accomplished trainer who brought numerous horses up to GP. I got some things accomplished thanks to getting my hands on a schoolmaster. But near the end of the relationship, while said trainer was up north for the summer I found someone else who made me realize how much work I needed to get my seat correct and my aids well timed and my core engaged.
Moral of this story: some people are very good at training horses (Trainer 1) Others are very good at teaching people AND training horses. Find someone who likes to teach, who knows when to push you and has lots of patience when things take a while to get right. (trainer 2)

[FD]

Fully agree.

[FD]

Thank you.

[FD]

Which trainer? Alexandra Tomson is not our trainer.

[FD]

Thank you kindly.

[kate-and-lingho]

Just trying to offer some advice based on my experience in the horse world. You’ve already bought a horse with some concerns a more experienced eye could have seen and may not be the best mount to advance your daughter as a rider. I’m offering some suggestions on how to be more savvy in the future.

[Bogey2]

well ok then…I am totally confused LOL.