I remember watching him teach a local trainer with her horse moving to GP. He kept blaming the horse but not the rider. I asked him quietly if the origin of the issue was the way the trainer was riding the horse (I gave specific examples) and he said to me “of course, the horse is just responding to her unclear and late aids”. I came to the conclusion that he was pumping up the riders by blaming their horses, which I found to be extremely counter-productive.
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This thread is kind of depressing - a few named trainers but more about revelations about others doing nasty things:(. I am not knocking on the door of GP, so I guess the good news is I feel better about that. The trainers that haven’t reached the highest levels of sport at the biggest competitions perhaps offer the best hope of correct training.
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I’ve ridden with Janet Foy many times and audited many of the other rides. Every lesson was positive and helpful. I never heard her say anything abusive to the rider and I never witnessed anything remotely questionable toward the horse.
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Both gone, but Karl Mikolka and Jill Hassler-Scoop. Oh – and —1000 years ago when I worked as the part-time receptionist/secretary/whathaveyou in the double-wide that constituted an office in Del Mar for three trainers – I had the good fortune to watch Guenter Seidel work client horses. It was always a treat.
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Same with me!
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Sad that people are focusing on bad trainers in this thread.
I will put in Betsy and Jessie Steiner. Very kind people all around.
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JJ Tate. kind to horse and rider - and easy to understand
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Gina Smith hands down.
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Jane Savoie was also very kind.
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Agree. JJ Tate is the most beautiful rider I have had the pleasure of watching.
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I just subscribed to JJ Tates videos about a month ago and she seems to be such a thoughtful rider. Horse seen very relaxed and happy.
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Morten is awesome especially when he works together with Tristan Tucker
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Tristan Tucker is another wonderful trainer! and kind to horse and rider.
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I use a lot of the Morton/Tristan approach to relaxation and focus!
Love them both!
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I was also going to say JJ Tate. Her podcast is great and really highlights the empathy she has for horses and their people.
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If not previously mentioned, Sabine Schut-Kery is kind and takes her time bringing the horses along.
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Horse and me are now at the age where we have done the show thing, reasonable ammy success through I-1, with a lovely horse who occasionally wants to “drive the bus”. We, in our last maybe 7 years were blessed to find a trainer who believes in the horse coming first. My job is to ride him well enough to keep him happy, carrying himself and responsive to my aids. Though we are not showing, said trainer still gives us the same amount of attention, pushing me to gain (or keep) core strength, make my aids quieter, etc. We play with piaffe/passage - trainer comes into the ring with a hand towel. As we work on a circle around him, an occasional towel twirl is sufficient for my Lusi who is rock solid brave but sensitive. He worries about the horse when its hot - not me because I have a voice. He worries if the 22 yr old horse looks a bit stiff and so we warm up longer. He worries if the equine brain gets too fired up. We mostly work in the snaffle because "if he cant do it there, the double isn’t the answer. He is a big fan of rewards, either a pat, or a sugar, or in the case of my horse “you are so sexy”. This man is a saint.
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I would say JJ Tate as well.
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I have been enjoying riding in clinics with Peter Borst. He is extremely correct, knows when to push and knows when to stop. My horse is young and big and talented, but slow maturing. Many people would be tempted to crunch him together for the 6 y/o test. Peter has been a great source of wisdom in developing him carefully and correctly, preserving his mind and body.
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Three trainer/teachers I have worked with who were NEVER cruel or unfair to horses:
Miklos de Vargha – deceased
Arnold von Benenstamm – deceased
Siegfried Winkler – retired
Most of the great teachers are of a past generation. There are only a few left who honor our partner the horse. Too many “trainers” today treat horses like bicycles or ATV’s. Items to use and discard if they don’t live up to “expectations”.
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