12/21/2023
I had a person call me today. Asked me about training.
It went something like this...
I'm a beginner I need help.
Ok
Well how long do you think you'll need for my horse ?
Ma'am I don't know I haven't met your horse.
I need her started. She's gentle. I'm thinking I can probably take her home and do it myself after 30 days.
Me... no.
So hear me out. 30 days, depending on the horse. Gentling. Saddling. Learning how to accept a rider. Learning how to carry the weight of a rider. Learning how to stop, guide around, have confidence while movement freely under saddle. Depending on the horse, getting out of the arena and confidence on the trail. Confidence without another horse on the trail. And the list goes on from there ....
At this point the horse may have a handful of rides outside the arena. A handful of rides. A handful of lopes under saddle.
This is such a small page in the book of the horses life. This isn't even a chapter y'all. It's a page.
Almost everything you and your horse do from this point out, your horse will be doing for the very first time... a new place, a new sight, a new experience...
And if you are a beginner... and you lack the confidence ... and you get into a sticky situation , you can create a lasting memory/behavior for your horse.
I'm not saying you need to leave your horse with me longer than 30 days to start because I'm greedy...I'm saying that because I want to see you succeed. I'm saying that because I want to help you and your horse get on the same page and be long term happy and successful partners.
While your horse is in training, Once a week you get a lesson with me. Do the math with the time I'm spending there with you including the full training. The feed, me paying my staff and everything else it takes to run things around here. I'm not making much on this...
I mean sure you can try... but it's my job to try to help you be as successful as possible. Mentally and physically long term, you and your horse.
