Hi all, trying to keep this vague but would like some input. I have a temporary health situation so I sent my horse out almost 5 weeks ago to an offsite trainer.
So far, I have gotten 1 video of the horse loading into a trailer and nothing under saddle. A couple vague texts when I pester. Horse is supposedly getting 4+ rides a week.
I was really excited that horse would be getting to attend offsites in a discipline i don’t have facilities for at home, but so far no offsites. Trainer says they won’t take horse offsite until “no drama”. Hasn’t answered what “drama” means.
At home with me, horse does WTC and various lateral work, over fences up to 3’ in ring and out i fields, hacks out on trails, and trailers to nearby nature preserve for trail rides. Horse has been under saddle about a year, can be spicy and prancy but very sane, not explosive, and gets over it quickly, with me anyways.
This is NOT a cheap trainer. How much feedback should I be expecting and in what format? I am debating taking the horse back and saying F it until I can take over again in spring.
Want to work on setting clear expectations should I send out again. I understand not every horse/trainer combo works out.
I’d be out there this weekend for a visit to watch horse go under saddle. Minimal communication five weeks in and alluding to a behavior/demeanor that isn’t aligned with what you have dealt with would make me concerned it isn’t a match. I’d rather pull a horse early than get one back with problems. Better for them to sit than gain baggage. I once pulled one from an out of state trainer after 2.5 weeks off of a 10 second video. Trust your gut.
Thank you, this is what I needed to hear. I keep feeling like I am “demanding” to see horse go under saddle but this is a pretty baseline ask at this point, yes?
Five weeks?! It’s 2022. Unless this trainer works in a vacuum they can flag down a barn worker, assistant trainer, spouse, etc and toss them a phone and say “keep the moving animal in the frame for the next three minutes”. Heck, a five year old can take a pretty decent video with an iPhone.
Prior to you sending your horse to this trainer did you discuss how much feedback you would regularly get? If you signed a contract, does that say anything about updates? Anything about timelines or what to expect? Different trainers have different timelines. I’ve seen some who believe a horse should be able to walk off the trailer and be ready to start riding vs others who think the horse will need a week+ to settle in enough to ride. I’ve seen trainers who believe in some combination of both, where how far you swing in either direction depends on various things (horse’s age, previous training/experience, chosen occupation, how long the trainer will have them, the weather, etc.).
My mare is currently away at the trainers for several months. The trainer knew I was very nervous about sending my horse far (from me), so I received lots of picture updates in the beginning. I’ve gotten fewer pictures over the last few weeks, though I still get both photos and videos. I have a phone conversation at least once a week about what the upcoming schedule is, how mare is doing (both in training and in general), whether that progress is normal/concerning, and anything else I should be aware of.
Trainers being hard to pin down is a big nope from me. I’ve worked with trainers who didn’t respond or give me proper updates; decided I didn’t like that and it is now a deal breaker for me. My previous trainer before a move was very nice, but I was more high-maintenance than some of her other clients (or at least I assume so) because I wanted to have an actual conversation about what my green horse did on her work days, was there any progress towards less-green behavior, what would be done to address issues, where did that put us in progress, what was the game plan for the upcoming week, and how was my mare doing in general. I absolutely understood that the type of feedback I wanted was a lot/not always doable, but was important to me. ~Ten minutes of my trainer’s time per week was not a big ask. Before the move, I conferred with my soon-to-be trainer about communication and timelines. They said they’d be able to accommodate me and they have!
Given that it has been 5 weeks (20+ rides), I would not be satisfied with one short video of trailer loading. I’d have concerns that my horse is not getting worked the amount agreed upon. On it’s own, no trail riding without “drama” wouldn’t be a huge red flag for me based on your description of “under saddle about a year, can be spicy and prancy… gets over it quickly, with me anyways”. It could be possible they’re being spicy/prancy in general and the trainer isn’t comfortable taking them out until that is addressed. However, combined with the lack of updates, I might also be inclined to think its just an excuse.
Definitly write down the type of communication you expect in the contract.
Every client is different - some like lots of communication and others just trust me and the journey.
I ride best when I leave my phone in the car and ride through my morning rides without distraction.
I tell my clients that I will answer phone calls and texts after I finish morning rides.
Sometimes it is hard to get someone to video.
Also, it takes 2 hands to ride a horse and if youre focused and doing your job its hard to do that and text on the phone. Thats why i have a designated respond to text at lunch time.
I like it best when clients make appointments to come see their horse go and watch the training ride. Then we can talk and I still have 2 hands on the reins!
I would have a conversation about what you would like for communication and videos and be clear so the trsiner knows and can meet your expectstions.
I tend to do a couple of updates per week for absentee owners but minimum of once a week. If once a week it’s usually a phone call… and a short clip or pic of horse so owner is comfortable their horse is “still upright”
When I’ve sent mine out to sale barn (with top trainer as I do not sell well🤣) I’ve usually gotten a once a week text or phone call.
My mom sent her group of young horses to a well respected but newer trainer on the scene about 3 hours from her farm to get broke under saddle before they get the winter off. She gets SO MANY VIDEOS. Horses trotting around, horses jumping, horses getting a tarp pulled over them, horses standing at the mounting block, horses loading, etc. In todays tech friendly environment this is would not be ok with me.
Format of communication (email, text, call, etc.) is personal preference, but I would expect at least a once weekly update, unprompted, with a fair amount of detail on progress or happenings.
No video in five weeks is annoying but not the end of the world. Yeah, it’s 2022, and it’s really not hard to get a 30 second clip; one can just set their phone on a fence post or chair, no helper needed. BUT, if I picked a trainer who appeared to be older or unfamiliar with technology, I would try not to let that get to me. However, I would absolutely expect a several minute video by week eight.
Five weeks with no communication unless pestered by me? I wouldn’t even bother going to watch a ride this weekend, I’d just pull my horse out of the program.
I apologize in advance to those trainers who do what they say they will. Years ago, I rode w a well respected trainer in my area who would have clients send horses to horse shows so she could keep them in work-not necessarily to show. They’d stand in the stall. People would send horses to her to train or sell and she’d use them in lessons. I didn’t ride w her very long. OP, in your situation I would be very unhappy and suspicious. I own a barn…I send pictures to my boarders when they can’t come out just because.
I honestly would 100 percent expect this these days, barring a barn with a gazillion horses that was very busy. But most owner/operator barns? It has been said a million times that it takes no time at all to snap and text a picture. Hell I snap and upload IG pictures nearly daily and I work FT away from the barn and have six horses and chores at home. I have some COTHer IG followers who are probably sick of me in their feed When I was a boarder, I’d snap and send pics to the BM of her horses being cute or funny, other boarders’ horses doing the same. In OP’s case, even a pic of the horse groomed in crossties would probably make her feel better at this point. Assuming the trainer isn’t 70, there is no reason for only one video in five weeks.
What generation is your trainer? I remember sending horses out of state for training (1990’s) and just paying the bill when it came in the mail. You are paying for horse training, not media updates. Not every trainer has a barn full of staff to make videos. A good trainer will ride outside a lot too.
In todays world if you want regular videos and media updates I would charge for it - just like cattle fees, blanketing, extra feed etc. Its a pain to manage and just adds more time to the day.
Unless you discussed it as a service to be provided beforehand, its not something I would worry about. But it its an essential service to you and your peace of mind, it may not be a good fit.
If I’m paying what amounts to over $100 a ride I would like status updates. I’m not even getting weekly calls. If I wanted a black hole bronc buster I could’ve saves myself 2/3 of the price.
Thank you. I would normally be more proactive but I have literal temporary mobility issues, hence the training send out, which trainer knew about. So on top of being sidelined, feeling taken advantage of is not wonderful.
I visited once, hopped on even with health issues, WTC/jumped and took horse for trail ride. This was about week 3. Was then told trainer hadn’t yet jumped the horse(?). Horse seemed same old same old. No hijinks.
I stupidly did not get anything in the contract, it did lay out the # of rides per week as well as expected additional handling, with additional fees for trailering offsite. She did not want an encyclopedia of background info on the horse, “I’ll know within a week what we have”.
But it was verbally expected that I would get videos and calls at least weekly, and as soon as something popped up.
Considering I am sending a horse that trailered fine, and can be safely ridden offsite by me, I did not expect weeks of remedial education for the horse and would’ve considered a specialized trainer to be wasting her time working on trailering.
So you are paying $1600/month above what just board is?
Your problem is where we horse people fail ourselves at times. What one person thinks is the right amount of communication another thinks is crazy too much communication and the third person thinks is not near enough, so we need to make sure we get a contract that includes what we want to happen, including the amount of communication.
With your further updates it sounds like your horse is not getting the amount of trainer you asked for or are paying for.
Have you asked directly what the trainer is waiting to happen before the off site rides happen? Have you asked the trainer directly for more updates?
When I was a boarder, I’d snap and send pics to the BM of her horses being cute or funny, other boarders’ horses doing the same. In OP’s case, even a pic of the horse groomed in crossties would probably make her feel better at this point. Assuming the trainer isn’t 70, there is no reason for only one video in five weeks.
thank you for the giggles