Looking for dressage trainer in NJ/PA for difficult young horse

[web23]

I’m on the hunt for a dressage trainer in NJ/PA to help me with my difficult young horse. I’ve had him all his life and he’s always been a bit quirky, but by no means dangerous. The best way I can describe my current situation is that I’m not sure he’s decided working for a living is in his best interest. He’s very sensitive, intelligent, and infinitely patient if he thinks waiting will get him out of the task at hand. Recently I’ve been looking for a barn with an indoor to board him at for the winter with more of a structured environment, as he seems to do well with more stimulation to keep him occupied. I took the advice of the assistant trainer at the barn I was planning to move him to, to send him to someone she said was extremely reputable, but a “cowboy” type to make things easier on me (the last two years have definitely been an uphill battle). I’m exceptionally sorry I did so.

The trainer is by no means cruel, but his approach to training is that a horse should do what it’s told, when it’s told, with no argument. I understand completely that horses are far too large to allow dangerous behavior, but this trainer’s approach of squashing any resistance is, I don’t think, going to come out in his favor. My horse’s outline is riddled with tension, he’s started grinding his teeth, and he just looks generally angry. The trainer also asked if he had ever reared, and when I told him absolutely not he’s never even threatened to lift a front hoof, he said that was odd because he feels exactly like a horse who rears. This was exceptionally distressing to me, and even though my horse has only been there three weeks I’m bringing him home, getting any potential ulcers under control, starting from square one and looking for a trainer that suits both of us.

So, after that very lengthy summary, I’ll get to the point. Does anyone know of a dressage trainer within a two hour radius of the Ringoes, NJ area that’s a patient, confident rider that has experience dealing with somewhat difficult young horses?

[joiedevie99]

You could try Lauren Chumley, although she goes to Florida for a few months I believe.

[pluvinel]

Francisco Garcia Ibañez, rider from the Spanish School at Jerez, is in the US until January 2016, based at Happily Ever After farm in West Chester, PA. I don’t know if they have space.

[Manahmanah]

[QUOTE=web23;8277704]
The trainer is by no means cruel, but his approach to training is that a horse should do what it’s told, when it’s told, with no argument. [/QUOTE]

I know a bunch of good trainers but none who are going to put up with a pooky who is just so very special he gets to misbehave and is allowed to call the shots.

After a life of doing whatever it wants, of course the horse is going to be a little stressed / tense when someone FINALLY says “hey, you’re not the boss”. I think 3 weeks is really early to pull him out of a program especially if you say the trainer isn’t cruel.

[dressurpferd01]

[QUOTE=Manahmanah;8277742]
I know a bunch of good trainers but none who are going to put up with a pooky who is just so very special he gets to misbehave and is allowed to call the shots.

After a life of doing whatever it wants, of course the horse is going to be a little stressed / tense when someone FINALLY says “hey, you’re not the boss”. I think 3 weeks is really early to pull him out of a program especially if you say the trainer isn’t cruel.[/QUOTE]

As a trainer, and particularly as a trainer of primarily young horses, I can’t help but agree with this post. I truly mean no offense to the OP, but this sounds like a horse who has been spoiled and is used to getting his way.

[SnicklefritzG]

Send me a PM and I can give you some suggestions

[web23]

Perhaps I should have been more explicit in my post. Yes, I do agree that my horse was spoiled for the first half of his life, which is why I was looking for help in the first place. When I put my foot down he and I were making progress, but it was slow going and I didn’t have adequate support, so I made the decision that I’d rather enjoy riding my horse than have every few days be a new argument. He needed a program and more structure in his life, which is why I was looking for a new trainer and place to board.

I firmly believe he does need a boot in the pants, so that’s not my issue with this trainer. My concern with this trainer is his methodology. I say he’s not cruel in that I’ve never seen him beat a horse around the ring, but I was exceptionally concerned to see the skin rubbed raw to the point of skin breaking on his face from in hand work with a rope halter, and cuts at the corner of his mouth from a bit that was certainly not dressage legal. I’m not sure I know any dressage riders that would tolerate the seesawing on his mouth I saw done either.

In addition to that, this horse has a history of bleeding ulcers and is on special supplements following expensive treatment that I know for a fact weren’t administered every day he’s been there. There are just too many strikes against this trainer, and being two and a half hours away I’m concerned with my horse’s well-being as I can only get there once a week to see him. I am looking for help and a new direction here, so I would appreciate it if comments were directed towards a positive step for us rather than telling me I’m the problem for spoiling my horse.

[NJRider]

Roddy Strang, near Lancaster PA is where I would send him.

[Snowdenfarm]

Until you have one of these ultra sensitive horses, it is easy to think others are just spoiling them – and it would be spoiling a normal horse. However, treating these horses like a normal horse will ruin them. Permanently. Google Kim Walnes in Quakertown, PA. Look at her Facebook page and website. She is a dressage trainer, not a cowboy. She is a bit on the touchy-feely side, but she completely gets a horse like yours.

[sascha]

[QUOTE=web23;8277807]
skin rubbed raw to the point of skin breaking on his face from in hand work with a rope halter, and cuts at the corner of his mouth from a bit that was certainly not dressage legal. I’m not sure I know any dressage riders that would tolerate the seesawing on his mouth I saw done either.

…history of bleeding ulcers and is on special supplements … know for a fact weren’t administered every day he’s been there[/QUOTE]

You may tell yourself this trainer is not cruel. Your post tells a different story I hope you get him out of there asap and find a trainer who “gets” the sensitive ones AND won’t take any BS from him.

When you do find the right person, PLEASE, if at all financially possible, don’t put a time restriction on the trainer. This kind of horse takes time and patience and more time and more patience and sometimes it seems like it’s taking forever, but it’s worth it in the long run.

[camohn]

[QUOTE=NJRider;8277831]
Roddy Strang, near Lancaster PA is where I would send him.[/QUOTE]
Or Roddy will point you to Sam his former assistant now out on his own. A couple years back Roddy started referring problem children to Sam because he is not as young as he was ( like the rest of us!) / Sam is younger…and Roddy had problem Horses put him in the hospital twice that year, even being an excellent rider. So… He is a little choosier now.

[bathsheba8542]

David Beard at the Sevens outside of Frederick is absolutely great … very patient and works with many top riders’ horses to bring them to a happy place in work.

[rb5007]

Wendy Garfinkel in Califon. She likes the quirky ones (ask me how I know!) Great barn with terrific care too.

[Drive_NJ]

Sara Schmitt on the top of route 517 outside of Oldwick NJ
at her newish farm
On the center line

I don’t have her current phone number but she is an I dressage judge and also does Driving

does some pretty spectacular horses
and some horses with issues

[RunningwaterWBs]

I live in Frenchtown, NJ, and have had lots of help with my young mare from Lauren Chumley (who is really close now at Freedom Farm) and Bob Murphy at Celtic Run Farm. Both trainers are in Frenchtown. Both are unfazed by young horse antics and talented at getting them thinking about work in a positive way.

[The_Anonymous_Foxhun]

Check out “Olivia Steidle Dressage” on facebook, Hellertown, PA.

[californianinkansas]

You also may wish to consider looking into Arabian or Saddlebred sport horse/dressage trainers. His temperament sounds very Arabian-like to me.

[exploding_pony]

OP I appreciate your second post which clarifies things.

Some western trainers actually use a bosal to rub off the hair and make the skin raw so that the horse pays more attention to the contact. Same with the bit - there is a belief that having the mouth raw will fix the training issues because the horse is more sensitive.

Not training theories that I could ever agree with but I’ve seen it done and it’s a rather frequent approach (unfortunately).

I would also pull the horse immediately and find another trainer. Then I’d make sure I was present when the horse was being worked.