01/12/2026
We’re Losing ‘Em!
I have a number of horsemanship training friends and acquaintances that have shifted or are in the process of shifting out of training horses for the public.
So many have gotten burnt out and are switching gears because training horses for the public can be tough to say the least. The stress, expectations, high overhead expenses, customer disappointment, etc. It’not rare for a trainer to make minimum wage after they pay everything else. Why go through the struggle if theres a better option???
It’s a balancing act when dealing with the public. The public will usually hire someone to help them with their horse because they lack the experience and expertise to do it themselves. Maybe they tried to do it themselves and created a mess. Maybe, the horse needs an education so they’re trail safe. Yet, the hard part, they expect a result in a certain time frame and it’s usually a fraction of what it takes to do right. To go a step further, a lot of people fall into the belief that the trainer is just like an auto mechanic… replace the part, tune it up and out it goes, good as new. The horse is expected to be good as new…
And … when the horse goes home and nothing has changed, the owner goes back into the same routines, the horse reverts. Now the trainer is blamed for not doing their job right. 🤦♀️
The reality, if an owner doesn’t actively participate and elevate their skills along with their horse who is in professional hands, the chances of the training “not working” or falling apart, are very high. Skills and cues stick but the relationship between human and horse doesn’t transfer. New skills only stick if the new methods are continued. New relationships only form with time and effort.
Training for the public usually has a large clump of horses with “bad habits”. If you assume it’s like a car, replace the part and it’s good as new, you’ll soon feel like your horse is unfixable. It’s not the truth, the truth is, your habits and energy aren’t fixed and your horse is responding to old cues and old triggers. Old habits don’t open new doors, they just take you back in time.
A lot of my friends and acquaintances are evolving and realizing their time and talent is better rewarded when they put time into a quality project horse, they typically own them, get them pretty, get them broke and sell them. It’s amazing how quick you can double your money on a horse that just needs some attention and education. This means fewer horses, less over head, no “bosses” and higher wages. The risk is rewarded.
If this sector of the industry isn’t careful with how they treat their trainers, there’s not going to be that handy horseman down the road willing to teach you and your horse to load in the trailer anymore.
It’s already trickled into the c**t starting sector where it’s hard to find good c**t starters anymore. They do their own thing and don’t waste their time or talent on the 30 day miracles people demand from them. The days are numbered where someone handy will just ride the bucks out for you. Good c**t starters are being scooped up by trainers that know how valuble a good c**t starter is.
Thank you for reading my TED talk 😆
Let 2026 be the year of evolving for the better ❤️
