This is an amazing thread.
I come to it with a little different perspective. I am a lNT. That’s ‘little name trainer’ with a small “L”. My handful of clients show in classes from walk/trot to 2’6, and while we are starting to go to more A shows I’m a small fish in the shark tank.
Some of my clients have come to me with the shiny flashy horse that was too much and made them cry. My standard speech is riding should be fun. This is your hobby and your break from day to day life. Let’s find you a horse that makes you happy.
And I have done that. When we try horses I don’t go for the one I would love to ride and show. But the one that is appropriate for their level at that time.
I have also lost clients who wanted the shiny 3’6 hunter for their child coming off a pony because I refused to buy into buying the horse that should be the next horse, not the now horse. In trying to keep them realistic about their path to their upper level dreams I lost them to another trainer who let them buy the fancy horse. I can see this dilemma that is imdimic in the horse industry. From the amateurs and parents who come to trainers with big dreams and aspirations above their skill set, to the trainers who talk clients into buying the green, fancy, inappropriate horse or who just want the nice ride or the commission. And have their clients over mounted. It makes me sad because we loose people who love the sport and the horses through this.
And then I sit here with my own horse story as well. And I am wondering whether it is time for me to hang up my spurs and move on.
I bought a “quirky” mare from a horse trader friend. She was a mental mess and I truly believed I could help her. The plan was to get her better broke so I could sell her.
Fast forward 6 years. She has moved to multiple different barns, has been through multiple life changes with me, has been put on the back burner when I was too busy and brought back to work. She has had every injection imaginable, most recently her neck. Gets regular chiropractic and PEMF. And yet continues to be difficult and exhausting to ride. I am tired of pushing this rock up the hill. I am tired of that thin line of hope that she will one day be a performance horse. I went from upper level dreams to “if she could just do a meter, or.80, or… I would be happy”.
I like having my own horse to ride. But I want it to be fun, not a trial every time I swing my leg over. I love the relationship I have with my horse vs those of my clients. But this horse has become something I dread getting on at the end of the day. I don’t want a horse I have to fix everyday.
I am sad. I am questioning who I am if I don’t personally own a horse. For me just riding clients horses doesn’t give me the same good feeling relationship. I miss that the most.
), we want to be able to look back and know we made choices that eventually led us to happiness and that helped us enjoy horses and our sport. Most of us are not going to the olympics, but if we have a couple really lovely trail rides in a quiet wood with a peaceful horse where we get to enjoy the wildlife, or some really fun local shows with our equally crazy friends, we can relive those memories and remember how much FUN we had. When I think back to all of the horses I’ve owned and loved, my memories vary from fabulous horse show experiences to trail riding with friends, to learning a new skill, and so many more things. All of it has value, and the only thing I need to create those good memories is a horse I loved and enjoyed at that moment.
