Trainer in San Antonio area to do a schooling ride/evaluation?

[Belmont]

While I’m putting feelers out to lease my horse, I would like to find a trainer for an evaluation/training session. I would love to hear some feedback from a professional and see a pro on him. My trainer doesn’t travel and can’t think of anyone (she is newer to the area). She is also an hour + away. I also don’t know a ton of people around. Any good recommendations for a trusted, knowledgeable professional that can put a schooling ride/evaluate a horse? Willing to look at an Eventer as well. I don’t mind a young pro. I would be able to haul him to Retama Equestrian Center to meet.

Any ideas? DM’s welcome!

[HunterMolly]

I really like both Whitney and Frankie Owens from Oakwell Farms. In my opinion they are the best for Hunter / Jumpers in that market. They are in Tyler for the next few weeks though, but I think they have an at home assistant trainer that might work.

[Nickelodian]

I concur on Whitney and Frankie, but you’ll likely need an introduction, and take to their place.

FWIW, I don’t know many really good pros that would just do this cold.

[ToTheNines]

Agree with Nick. Another idea is to go to the schooling show at the Rose Palace in Boerne next week, May 23 - 24. These are well attended, not necessarily by the trainers that only do A shows, but by a large variety of trainers whom you could watch, meet and talk to.

Those shows get the San Antonio folks as well as the folks from SW Austin. I am not sure if you do hunters or jumpers, but there is an arena for each.

You could even get a stall so they could see the horse.

[Belmont]

[QUOTE=Nickelodian;8145670]
I concur on Whitney and Frankie, but you’ll likely need an introduction, and take to their place.

FWIW, I don’t know many really good pros that would just do this cold.[/QUOTE]

It doesn’t have to been an extremely well known pro. I’m not looking to send him to a sale barn to be sold for top dollar. Last time I asked for a traveling trainer on FB for the area to come give me lessons, I had 16yro kids saying they would come “train me”. Then I had trainers messaging me saying “don’t trust " " is crazy”. Then I had trainers message me and start a conversation, only to ignore my reply.

I just want someone knowledgeable. I don’t necessarily mean going to A/AA’s for months at at time and spending winters at WEF. He is a free lease. I would like an evaluation “of yes, I think your horse is a good candidate for a free lease” or “no, just put him to pasture for a year or two until you have time to ride again” and a nice little training ride, because not many people have been on him other than me. I would like to see him go for someone else. I would love for him to get a nice ride from someone, for once. So a respectable asst. trainer would do just fine or respectable (decent rider, known by the community) young pro starting their own business/looking for a little extra $$$ would work. Just not some yahoo from backyard-ville that rides my horse worse than I do…

I’m also not saying there aren’t 16yro kids that can put a great training ride on my horse. I know of some back on the west coast that are way better than I could ever imagine being, but I would like someone who claims some sort of professional status and is respected by their peers… Weather they are an eventer, AQHA Jumper Pro, USEF, etc.

I figure there might be someone over at Retama or somewhere close-ish that would be willing to come. If not, I guess I will just continue doing what I’m doing!

[QUOTE=ToTheNines;8145731]Agree with Nick. Another idea is to go to the schooling show at the Rose Palace in Boerne next week, May 23 - 24. These are well attended, not necessarily by the trainers that only do A shows, but by a large variety of trainers whom you could watch, meet and talk to.

Those shows get the San Antonio folks as well as the folks from SW Austin. I am not sure if you do hunters or jumpers, but there is an arena for each.

You could even get a stall so they could see the horse.[/QUOTE]

ETA, I would love to. Unfortunately, I work that weekend and BO probably won’t haul me that far. I may go watch for fun, though!

[Nickelodian]

I feel like there have been a lot of suggestions on approaches to take with a lot of walls thrown up by you on various threads.

Given that you can’t have anyone come ride the animal on the current property (even though Texas is a non liability state for riding, and a simple release would solve that problem), can only haul a very limited distance that includes retama but not the rose palace (??), would have to set up a cold trial of your horse by someone who doesn’t know you or your horse, at a facility that is a training facility that unless they have a current barn at, I can’t imagine would be exactly open to random haul-ins, and you seem to be completely opposed to any out of the box ideas…I honestly just don’t know how to help you.

Between Nines and myself we are decently connected in the Central Texas horse world, but there has to be some sort of flexibility.

If your options are limited to retama, I’d start with trainers that are at retama.

http://www.retamaequestriancenter.net/training.html

[Belmont]

[QUOTE=Nickelodian;8145784]
I feel like there have been a lot of suggestions on approaches to take with a lot of walls thrown up by you on various threads.

Given that you can’t have anyone come ride the animal on the current property (even though Texas is a non liability state for riding, and a simple release would solve that problem), can only haul a very limited distance that includes retama but not the rose palace (??), would have to set up a cold trial of your horse by someone who doesn’t know you or your horse, at a facility that is a training facility that unless they have a current barn at, I can’t imagine would be exactly open to random haul-ins, and you seem to be completely opposed to any out of the box ideas…I honestly just don’t know how to help you.

Between Nines and myself we are decently connected in the Central Texas horse world, but there has to be some sort of flexibility.

If your options are limited to retama, I’d start with trainers that are at retama.

http://www.retamaequestriancenter.net/training.html[/QUOTE]

Actually, my BO finally said I could have a professional come to the barn. I just don’t have the facilities, really. They are kind of do-able, but very limited on any kind of course work. I feel like somewhere else would be better. I don’t mind traveling TO them, but it would have to be within a certain area.

What kind of walls am I throwing up? Please, let me know. I’m being totally honest and open. I’m actually doing what you guys have told me to do, ie. try and find a pro to do a video/ride.

I don’t have a trailer. My BO has the trailer. She just won’t go certain areas. We are actually only 15ish minutes from Retama. We are about an hour from Boerne. If I could get him to Boerne, I would just haul him up to Sisterdale where my trainer is. If you know a local transport company that won’t cost me an arm and a leg, please let me know.

Do you know Emmie Plaxico-Chandler? She is the only HJ trainer on there that I have not heard of. Yes, I have heard of Vermas and his GF, but he is in the hospital, and his girlfriend is taking over all the training. Plus, last time I asked about him on here, the reviews were not good.

I also have talked to the people at Retama EC and they have said they allow haul-in’s and outside trainers/lessons/etc for a fee. I also know Retama allows a lot of trainers that do work remotely to come and give lessons, so maybe there is someone that I have not heard of.

I’m sorry if you can’t help me. Maybe there is no one. I just figured it was worth a try.

I guess when I worked for a barn back on the West Coast, riding random horses for random people wasn’t totally off the wall for my trainer…

[akhunterrider]

I think it would be easier to find a trainer and haul to them. I also wouldn’t except just anybody to jump on my horse, as I would not be willing to do the same for them. I don’t know the San Antonio area, but I feel like the posters who do have given you some good ideas.

Upon re reading your thread, if you have a trainer who knows your horse, I’d just figure out a way to make that work.

[Nickelodian]

[QUOTE=Belmont;8145818]
Actually, my BO finally said I could have a professional come to the barn. I just don’t have the facilities, really. They are kind of do-able, but very limited on any kind of course work. I feel like somewhere else would be better. I don’t mind traveling TO them, but it would have to be within a certain area.

What kind of walls am I throwing up? Please, let me know. I’m being totally honest and open. I’m actually doing what you guys have told me to do, ie. try and find a pro to do a video/ride.

I don’t have a trailer. My BO has the trailer. She just won’t go certain areas. We are actually only 15ish minutes from Retama. We are about an hour from Boerne. If I could get him to Boerne, I would just haul him up to Sisterdale where my trainer is. If you know a local transport company that won’t cost me an arm and a leg, please let me know.

Do you know Emmie Plaxico-Chandler? She is the only HJ trainer on there that I have not heard of. Yes, I have heard of Vermas and his GF, but he is in the hospital, and his girlfriend is taking over all the training. Plus, last time I asked about him on here, the reviews were not good.

I also have talked to the people at Retama EC and they have said they allow haul-in’s and outside trainers/lessons/etc for a fee. I also know Retama allows a lot of trainers that do work remotely to come and give lessons, so maybe there is someone that I have not heard of.

I’m sorry if you can’t help me. Maybe there is no one. I just figured it was worth a try.

I guess when I worked for a barn back on the West Coast, riding random horses for random people wasn’t totally off the wall for my trainer…[/QUOTE]

I concur that it is easier to haul to a trainer than to meet up with one. You might want to consider making a week of it to make it more worth everyone’s while. Haul to new barn, board for a week to get real assessment of horse, haul home. Johnny and Claudia would probably support something like this, but also out in Boerne area.

I know pros that will ride random horses for random people if given the right introductions, but none that will drive somewhere like retama (at least 30 min from any pro in the SA area), meet up with random horse in random place, and hop on. There are a few up and coming trainers in the Dripping area that I’d consider, but I still think you’d have to get the horse to them.

[Belmont]

[QUOTE=Nickelodian;8146186]
I concur that it is easier to haul to a trainer than to meet up with one. You might want to consider making a week of it to make it more worth everyone’s while. Haul to new barn, board for a week to get real assessment of horse, haul home. Johnny and Claudia would probably support something like this, but also out in Boerne area.

I know pros that will ride random horses for random people if given the right introductions, but none that will drive somewhere like retama (at least 30 min from any pro in the SA area), meet up with random horse in random place, and hop on. There are a few up and coming trainers in the Dripping area that I’d consider, but I still think you’d have to get the horse to them.[/QUOTE]

I think I have found someone to do it.

Thanks!