Finding A Trainer

Through The In-Gate

By Ange Dickson Finn, Horse Show Mom

Finding A Trainer

Most parents start out in the sport of horseback riding “green as grass.” Their child expresses an interest in riding, and they start looking for the nearest stables with horses. If the trainer who teaches their child also shows, chances are the young rider will want to try that too. It seems to be a natural progression, and the child gets interested because his or her friends are doing it. But, if your child is at the beginning of his or her infatuation with horses, and you haven’t selected a trainer/instructor, it’s wise to do a little research. Check your phone book for riding centers, also called barns, farms, or equestrian or training centers, in your area. Call to find out if the barn offers lessons for beginners, and if they train horses and riders to show. Visit the ones that say yes.

You can also visit tack shops and riding supply centers in your area and ask for their suggestions. If your child is enamored of a certain breed (my daughter fell in love with Arabians, and refused to look at any other horses!) you can check for the breed associations in your area. You can get good information from US Equestrian Federation, www.equestrian.org, which has information on several breeds, their associations and competitions, and various disciplines of riding. Some breeds, including some of the most popular, aren’t associated with US Equestrian Federation; you can generally find their associations on the Internet, or by asking at a tack store or show, or looking through horse magazines. Some of the larger breed associations are listed below. There are also associations for certain disciplines, such as Dressage, Hunter/Jumper, Reining, etc. Several resources are listed below, and more are available here on HorsesInTheSouth, under the Equine Directory Links.

It’s a good idea to visit horse shows in your area. Walk around the stall areas and ask for information on riding and training. You’ll also get a first-hand look at what happens at shows. Once you have some candidates, don’t hesitate to interview them. Each trainer has his or her own style, area of expertise and philosophy. Ask questions not only about the ribbons and championships that the trainer’s horses and riders have won, but also about the policies at the barn and the trainer’s philosophy. Some parents want their children to be on the most competitive mount possible. Others want riding to be a hands-on experience, where children learn to care for horses and develop special relationships both equine and human.
Some barns focus more on training the horse, turning out what is known as a pushbutton horse (although really, there is no such thing!) Other barns concentrate on the child’s riding skills as much as the horse’s performance skills. Some barns encourage maximum involvement between your child and her horse, while others do not. Some trainers are better with young children, some with older teens. The style of riding matters, too; trainers have areas in which they are strongest, for example in English vs. Western riding, or in Dressage, Hunter/Jumper, or Sporthorses.

Although you may not know all the questions to ask at first, the basic areas to focus on are the trainer’s philosophy about training and showing, the policies for lessons and shows, and the financial arrangements. You may want to ask what shows the barn has gone to in the past few seasons and how many children of what ages show in what disciplines. If your child is interested in competition beyond the local level, find out if the barn’s riders compete at the regional and national level. You can ask to watch a lesson to get an idea of the trainer’s style, and ask for references. Don’t automatically rule out a trainer who doesn’t let parents watch lessons, as some do have that policy.

Once you have found a barn and a trainer, your child can start lessons. While your daughter or son learns to ride, you can start learning the fine points of being a horse show parent.
Questions, or a specific topic you’d like to see addressed in this column? Send an email to theingate@yahoo.com.

(c) 2005 Ange Dickson Finn All Rights Reserved

A quick list of associations:

http://www.aqha.com
American Quarter Horse Association

http://www.aqha.com
American Paint Horse Association

http://www. appaloosa.com
Appaloosa Horse Club

http://www.arabianhorses.org
Arabian Horse Association

http://www.equestrian.org
USA Equestrian

http://www.nhja.com
National Hunter & Jumper Association

http://www.usdf.org
United States Dressage Federation

http://www.nrha.com
National Reining Horse Association

Other resources:

http://www.theingate.com
The In-Gate for Horse Show Parents

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