As much as I appreciate this (and really wish I was in that position), it’s just not the reality for those of us who work full time and board. Sometimes we need someone else to ride…
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OK, if that’s how you get happiness out of owning your horse, that’s what you should do. But if you want to advance in your OWN skills as a rider and trainer in your OWN right, this is the way it’s done. Eventually. At some point.
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It is great that this is how YOUR world works.
I can say, this is not how MY world works. I know where MY skill level ends. Honest. It is not suddenly going to leap forward and make me something far better than I am.
It is best for my horse to have a pro putting the first show rides on it. It gives the horse a good experience in a strange environment.
You LEARN your way and I will LEARN my way. My horse does not need to suffer from me doing the learning at shows.
Again, if this is not how it works for YOU, then go you. But judging others who do it differently and proclaiming them to be the downfall of the equine industry is rude and incorrect.
I will add, like someone said so well above, I have never owned a horse fancy enough to win in the pro divisions, so the pro riding my horse was not to win things.
It is always weird to me that there are people who do not understand that some people are different than they are.
Edit to add random all caps words because that is clearly a thing that is needed.
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I tend to ride and train through everything. Grundy is going to give me a run for my money and I know it. I’ll train her to the extent I can, but I can’t ride a squirrely buck like I used to so she might go to someone who is better at it than I am for awhile until it is no longer her go-to.
Time will tell, but I have no shame in saying “nope, outside my skill level and risk limit, take my money.”
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I didn’t take @NancyM ‘s comment like this at all. As. DIY ammy who’s husband is a groom/hauler, I insist on doing my own grooming almost everywhere (home & shows) when possible and my horse lives at home when not at shows…does this mean my horse is incapable of being handled by anyone else? Absolutely not. I’ve had her for 7 years and anyone can handle her, even though I do 99% of the riding and handling.
I credit my mare’s breeder to her clearly remarkable upbringing. You can clip her entire body with 0 drugs, no twitch. A vet can do almost anything to her without drugs (unless the needle is going into a place where that would just be silly). Etc. nature/nurture is a big question too. But I don’t think that being the only one to handle your horse makes them dependent on you. If they have disciple and manners with one person, that should translate to all people.
I sometimes need grooms at shows and can leave her with anyone knowing she will be perfect.
Mini rant over 
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Oh, boy- why do we always have to have these dividing lines? Isn’t it so clear by now that different things work for different horses and different people?
As I mentioned above I currently do the showing and almost 100% of the at-home riding on both of my horses. I’m not going to clutch my pearls about someone else going a different route. I don’t know their situation, and even if I do, it’s not my business! Maybe they don’t have the time to ride every day, but that is what their horse needs. Maybe their skillset is not where it needs to be. Maybe they are actually in a program that is designed to keep them dependent. Maybe they bought a horse that isn’t the right fit and they are trying to figure that out. Maybe they need the mental comfort of having more pro rides. All of these and many, many, many other things can be true, but from my vantage point all I can really understand is MY situation.
I’m very DIY, I have always had green horses, and I’m a pretty good rider. But if I had the resources and my eventer trainer had the time to ride my horses in the jumper ring at shows more I would ABSOLUTELY take advantage of this opportunity. When she rides them at home for me there is always a big benefit for all three of us- me and my two jumpers. Does that make me less capable as a rider? No, it makes me a normal ammy who appreciates the talent and skill my trainer brings to the table.
Instead of standing on your little hill and judging people negatively who are on a different hill maybe just…you know, don’t do that. Supporting each other is a much more useful and kind way to approach differences, isn’t it?
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Yes, totally.
Which is what I am saying. You (general) do it your way, which is great. I will do it my way, which is great for me.
My way is for sure not causing the “going down the tubes badly” of the equine industry, which is what was said above (by someone else).
I doubt anyone finds it a bad thing that some people do all their own riding and their own care.
When I was showing, I did all my own care at shows. I do all my own care at home too.
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Thank you!
I think the Holier Than Thou attitude is remarkably stupid. And unproductive. And full of assumptions. And plain rude.
“The downfall of the industry” is much more likely to be people priced out of hobbies as costs skyrocket and wages stagnate. I’m talking hay, grain, vet, farrier - things you have to pay for whether you keep the horses at home or in a program.
It is none of our business why someone chooses the program they do. If the horses are well treated, who cares? And on that note - what about the amateur that CAN diy everything, but now has to work overtime or a second job to fund the habit? They’re short on time so they put the horse in a program and may not feel 100% comfortable riding it in its first shows. Oh, are we to judge them and assume they’re stupid and helpless and lazy just because they chose a path that works for them? They are indistinguishable from that theoretical co-dependent ammy who isn’t developing their skills, from the outside…
As to OP - if you like the trainer ride better, you should be able to ask for it. If they say they don’t have the time, skip the show for one they do. Super simple!
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Or how many times has it been said here:
The person who can’t afford the initial price of a nicely broke/trained horse buys the young/green one and “makes payments” on the rest of it with training costs.
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I disagree. With a young horse without much show experience, I can absolutely understand wanting the rider on him who is going to give him the best quality ride and instill as much confidence as possible. I don’t think OP needs to start out of the gate worrying about a few shows with a good pro making the horse not able to take a joke down the line.
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It depends.
I will say, I was fired as a client this year. 
The actual reason was just personal drama in the trainer’s life, but the given reasons ranged - and one of them was that I didn’t allow the assistant to ride my horse and it made the scheduling and management too difficult for the head trainer.
I have a horse who came back from a DDFT tear. I treat him like his foot is made of glass. I specified at the beginning of the year that only myself and the head trainer were to ride him. At the time, she was fine with that arrangement.
I think it’s important for horses to have different riders. Most of the time, I think allowing the assistant on the horses is a good thing. However, there are some circumstances where it isn’t - medical issues, very green assistants, etc.
Communication is key. If you aren’t comfortable with an assistant showing, ask yourself why. Your feelings are valid - whether it’s that you prefer the ride the head trainer does, you feel like you’re paying a premium for a specific service, etc. Communicate that and understand that it will be resolved - either by the head trainer riding, or by finding yourself a new program.
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I was an assistant for a long time. It was normal for both me and the trainer to do training rides, but the trainer always showed and did a bit of their own training before the owner hopped on to show.
With that said, it was normal for some clients to not want assistants to ride their horses. Most of the time this caused no issues. However, assistants tend to really put their heart and soul into their riding times because they are doing it for exposure. If there is something that they need to get better at then usually they are interested in learning what the critiques are.
If you would prefer the trainer to ride you can have that conversation OR you can bring up your concerns. If the trainer is level headed and not toxic, they will have an honest conversation with their assistant to help fill in that gap. So keeping it to yourself really is a detriment to everyone. Just do it kindly and have the time to have a real conversation and not when the trainer is dashing in between rings.
To address some others who are determined to do it all on their own…that’s fine. You don’t have to blast the horn about it. There’s nothing wrong with doing it all yourself, although I guarantee there are holes in your horse’s training. There is a reason trainers and assistants exist. Because no one can do it all. If a trainer is telling you they have all the answers, and do not communicate with anyone else, then move on. This trainer will eventually have you hitting a ceiling. And that includes yourself. If you feel some type of way about someone doing it better, this is your own ego that’s getting in the way.
The downfall of the industry isn’t coming from people who don’t do it all. It is from inflated egos and a refusal to be open minded. (Along with a burden on finances.) Maybe the call is coming from inside the house?
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While I hear what you’re saying, if the horse show has that much potential to ruin the existing training on the horse, the horse wasn’t really ready to go anyways. The atmosphere is the only thing that changes. The skill level should already be established, plus some, at home.
Would the pro need to be the one to do a first trail ride? A first clinic? I think we fluff up shows too much. It’s just a hot atmosphere, so you’re asking the horse to do what they’re already doing, but with distractions.
My 0.02.
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I have my horses at home and the extent to which owners hand over control of their horses to trainers bewilders me.
IMO, the owner says who rides the horse. It is permission-based.
However, I do also think owners are guilty of playing into this whole trainer-centric show world.
There are alternatives. Through the years, my trainers have tended to be A show trainers that don’t go to local shows. There are a number of local show series here. When I get a new horse, I take it to the local shows. By myself. Maybe I beg a nice trainer to keep an eye on me. I do whatever I am comfortable doing with that horse’s level of excitement. I spent five shows with one horse, going from just flat classes, to schooling jumps on schooling days, to trying to warm-up for classes (too fresh to go through the in gate that day). These shows have open xrails divisions that use the whole ring. I think it took five shows with one horse, maybe four with another, but we eventually graduated to actually going through the in gate for a tiny course. It was joyous! I felt so much love for my horse and so proud of myself. Show bills maybe $200 each time. No lunging, no drugs, no drama. Priceless. Maybe I’ll go do 2’ at an A show now. (That’s the highest I do anymore).
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I think the part we’re missing too is the gap in riding between head trainer and asst and also what the horse is like. In a lot of situations, I would agree with you.
But OP mentioned noticing a difference in the quality of the ride and consistency at shows between asst trainer and head trainer. If I had a young greenie going to their first few shows, and had an option between “most consistent quality pro ride” and “less consistent quality pro ride,” I would absolutely pick the former.
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I guess “quality” should be defined. Are we talking perfect distances and making everything appear smooth, or are we talking about the horse staying relaxed and not being micromanaged?
For a horse’s first show, I’d want the latter, personally. Who cares if you get in a little close or miss a lead? The experience for the horse is far more about being able to absorb the environment change than about perfect distances and “showing” well. Someone who will let the horse make a mistake and help them recover well is WAY more important than having someone up there who can hide the mistake entirely.
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Why not? Many many horses are started by pros and their first big experiences are with pros. Many more are brought along by amateurs who leverage pros for big firsts like a trail ride or off property outing. What’s the harm in setting them up for a win?
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This topic is a huge grey area of “it depends”. Individual circumstances very much affect the wisdom of a Pro warm up and assuming the reasons why one would make that choice and making sweeping generalizations about ruining the sport is out there. And it is not what OP asked about or for.
I did use Pro warm ups at AA rateds after I turned 55 and could finally afford a nice horse capable of at least pastels in good company that somebody else would want… But had to work extra time to afford it so less saddle time. I can assure everybody I know how to do everything, paid my dues riding questionable horses selling them better then they were and ride pretty well BUT no longer bounce and the reflexes are not what they were 30+years ago.
Don’t pronounce judgement or think anybody is a lesser horseman because they think using a pro is best for them and their horse. On the contrary, takes a good horseman to admit they need a little help for the sake of a good experience for that horse.
You want to blame somebody or something for the decline of the sport, why not start with the overabundance of underqualified JAWs and glorified Juniors supported by Bank of mom and dad masquerading as “trainers” in a a sea of instant gratification with a dash of BSS.
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I guess my follow up question is - are everyone’s horses really that much worse off property? I have had some seriously nutty ones, and they were nutty everywhere, not just at home. A show is stressful, but some handwalking and dealing with looky things for a couple hours and everyone seems to settle in to a state that’s “just a little bit more horse than at home.”
I wouldn’t think that a trail ride needs a pro seat with pro balance etc. It needs someone who can stay relaxed and knows how to properly get a horse to cross a scary obstacle. I guess I’d hold the pro to more pro-type things. First substantial jump(s). First-through-tenth rides. Lead changes.
Actually tricky things. Not things that just involve a sense of humor and letting the horse self-manage a bit.
If people really do have that much trouble with their horses off property, I wonder what I’m doing that makes it a nothing burger for me.
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I think it depends on the venue and the horse - some venues can be more overwhelming than others for inexperienced horses. Have you been to Tryon? Some horses freak out about the walkways being elevated by the rings and people being above them. WEC is another place that overwhelms some horses, while others take to it just fine.
I am baffled as to why so many people on this thread want to foist their preferred approach on others. You do you, and if you are happy, great. But there is no one size fits all solution, and (generally) no reason to judge what works best for someone else and their horse even if it wouldn’t be your preferred way.
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