Looking for a top hunter jumper trainer

[redwingsrach]

Hello,

I am an intermediate skilled rider looking to advance myself to be a top A Circuit and USEF rider with the right trainer. I am 25 years old.

I have been riding since I was 3 years old. I have owned two horses and shown competitively and successfully in the pony circuit, A and B shows in the MHJA. I have ridden with many trainers in Michigan, but most are no longer in the area as they have moved out of state or are at barns that are outside of the area I am able to travel to. I enjoy Equitation classes and warmbloods most!

I am looking for a hunter jumper trainer in my area. I am looking to be within 40 minutes in any direction of my home in Wolverine Lake. To give you an idea of the bubble of which I am willing to travel, this would include areas as far South as Belleville, as far West as Howell, as far North as Holly and as far East as Royal Oak.

I am looking for a trainer that offers lessons on nicer horses, or half to full leases on nicer horses depending on price. :winkgrin:

Any and all recommendations are truly appreciated. If you have any ideas that are just a little outside the area of which I have listed, please let me know. Thank you so much!

Also, if you have negative or rude comments about why I am asking or what I know about the sport or whatever else - please keep it to yourself. It is not helpful in regards to why I started this post, which was to get other riders opinions of barns that carry nice lesson or lease horses that have quality trainers in my area. I would really appreciate it as I am just looking to hear from the fellow riders in the community of which I live in as of February 2016.

Rachel

[Kalele]

You may want to edit your post title to put the location. Youll get more replies.

[silver_charm]

Huntington Ridge might be your best bet in that radius. http://www.huntingtonridgefarm.com/

Fox Meadows is one of the top in the state but is much further south. I don’t know much about barns on the more east side of your zone.

If you’re open to not the ‘top’, Allison Howson at Forte Farms is in White Lake and I’d highly recommend her and her program.

[APirateLooksAtForty]

I would also like to know your age and if you are prepared to foot the costs such a program entails

[redwingsrach]

Edit my post location to what?

[OTTB2]

[QUOTE=APirateLooksAtForty;8822385]
I would also like to know your age and if you are prepared to foot the costs such a program entails[/QUOTE]

She asked for names… not for opinions on the matter.

[redwingsrach]

I edited the post to include my age. As I stated, I have been riding since I was 3 and I have owned two horses and shown competitively and successfully in the pony circuit, A and B shows in the MHJA. I am aware of how expensive the sport I love so much costs. Thank you for your concern though!

[redwingsrach]

[QUOTE=Kalele;8822333]
You may want to edit your post title to put the location. Youll get more replies.[/QUOTE]

Edit the location to what? How do I edit the location?

[redwingsrach]

[QUOTE=APirateLooksAtForty;8822385]
I would also like to know your age and if you are prepared to foot the costs such a program entails[/QUOTE]

I edited the post to include my age. As I stated, I have been riding since I was 3 and I have owned two horses and shown competitively and successfully in the pony circuit, A and B shows in the MHJA. I am aware of how expensive the sport I love so much costs. Thank you for your concern though!

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

I am wondering why someone who is 25 years old and has been involved in the sport in the geographic area of interest would need to ask this question on the internet.

[Midge]

If you want to win at the biggest shows on the A circuit, you may have to expand your geographical area. Heather Irvine and Polly Howard are two trainers that spring to mind from Michigan.

[redwingsrach]

[QUOTE=Groom&Taxi;8822661]
I am wondering why someone who is 25 years old and has been involved in the sport in the geographic area of interest would need to ask this question on the internet.[/QUOTE]

I am just looking for some guidance. I have ridden with many trainers but it is nice to hear from other riders what they feel and have experienced. The trainers that took me to shows are no longer in the area or are located outside of the area I am looking to ride in. I’m not sure why you are giving me a hard time for wanting others opinions.

[ElementFarm]

Asking one of your former trainers who you enjoyed riding with, who they would recommend might be a good idea – they’d know your level and ambitions, budget, and ideal learning environment, and might have a perfect match for you.

Also, putting a little more detail in your goals might help. I’m not familiar with your area, but in mine, some top barns are fantastic at turning out Eq riders, or maybe they specialize in AA hunters, but don’t have much jumper experience. If you know what ring you want to advance in, that might be a good detail to add.
Especially if you are looking to lease or half lease a barn horse, you might want to specify what you need e.g. a seasoned Low Ch/Adult jumper, or you are looking to move up to the 3’ and need a packer to show you the ropes. Some programs have high quality boarders, but few or no lease/lesson horses.

Finally, you didn’t specify why you need to stay in that bubble, or what you’re doing when you’re not riding. But if “Top A Circuit Rider” is truly your goal, you might want to consider moving to/working in other parts of the state or country, or even diving into a working student position somewhere to get to ride a lot of horses and get experience doing a lot of show/training/grooming.

Good Luck

[mvp]

@redwingsrach;8822320

I would really appreciate it as I am just looking to hear from the fellow riders in the community of which I live in as of February 2016.

OP has only lived in MI for a few months.

[APirateLooksAtForty]

You are right OTTB, but before I made the effort to craft a carefully-edited list of appropriate trainers, I preferred to gauge her seriousness. Especially since in her original post (and subsequent posts to be honest) she sounded like a teen.

[MIKES_MCS]

Well if your talking A circuit and not AAA circuit … then I would suggest going on the HJAM website and see which trainers are leading in points , These are usually going to be your bigger barns based on numbers and not necessarily talent but they would probably have a larger pool of horses for lease at the 3ft and above level. No barn is going to have 3ft school horses … it’s just not logical to do so . If your are talking about AAA then your options are limited to a very few competitive barns in the State of Michigan Maybe a 1/2 dozen and you would have to increase your driving distance , which is not uncommon. It would not be unusual to cost a $25,000 lease fee per year on a solid competitive 3 ft horse and it goes up from there , plus all expenses and show fees . Some Barns may have some partial working student options , but at your age it would mean sacrificing your Amateur status , which may not be a bad thing because it could give you the opportunity to ride and even show in warm up classes on some nice horses if you get with the right barn , ( and are willing to work your butt off). A others have said on that side of the State it’s really Polly Howard and Heather Irvine if you really mean the AAA circuit. Also Greg Crolick… and I think Brian Shook is in that area too but not sure if he is a public barn .

[StormyDay]

[QUOTE=APirateLooksAtForty;8823513]
You are right OTTB, but before I made the effort to craft a carefully-edited list of appropriate trainers, I preferred to gauge her seriousness. Especially since in her original post (and subsequent posts to be honest) she sounded like a teen.[/QUOTE]

There are quite a few teens who ride with top level trainers. Just because someone is young doesn’t mean they are pulling your leg.

[EmilyM]

Greg Crolick is great. He’s in Clarkston, MI. I have no idea how far away that is for you.

[Blinky]

I don’t live in MI but if I was moving this is how I would start:
I would have attended the summer shows in Traverse City to check out the trainers from MI and to see how they trained their students
and
I would have had a list already in mind based on show results of either the year before or some other shows earlier in the season
Then
after narrowing it down I would ask people I know or this BB opinions about a few specific names.

[redwingsrach]

[QUOTE=APirateLooksAtForty;8823513]
You are right OTTB, but before I made the effort to craft a carefully-edited list of appropriate trainers, I preferred to gauge her seriousness. Especially since in her original post (and subsequent posts to be honest) she sounded like a teen.[/QUOTE]

I am just trying to be kind. I don’t see how even if I was a teen that would warrant your response. It is really no one’s business what my age is or how much money I plan to spend. I just asked for recommendations of trainers in the area. If you would like to give a carefully-edited list of appropriate trainers, great. If you don’t because I sound like a teen, then go to another discussion form where you can give your opinion or be helpful if you would like. Thanks.