12/22/2023
Giving credit where credit is due…
I’ve personally been on both ends of this, training horses that I sold winning with no mention, or buying a project I got fixed and someone else taking the credit.
It seems everyone wants their piece of the credit, and it’s been quite the fb spectacle lately. At the end of day, there is a person who starts the horse, and a person who finishes the horse. However, there can also be quite a few in between, and ALL made the horse.
As a person who has largely made my living buying “culls,” because that’s all I could afford, sometimes those people I bought them from who once wanted as much distance as possible, changed their minds on getting some credit once the horses went to winning. Let them share it.
How many trainers sell bad horses to these unsuspecting clients, selling horses they KNOW have issues, wash their hands and walk away? They don’t want credit for those. I have seen high dollar horses that buck, duck, need surgeries, major lameness, alley issues, only work at two arenas, all without the previous owners saying a word and I KNOW it happens. I get those calls ALL THE TIME.
Do you want to take the credit when someone gets bucked off and breaks their arm? No? Just the winning run? Because I’ve seen a lot of horses that had they not luckily ended up with another trainer could have seriously hurt someone.
I have also seen those projects sell cheap, and then whoever couldn’t get them to work, wants all the credit for them “magically” appearing good.
I have bought some PROJECTS, horses that were lame, horses that were “dangerous,” horses that bucked… you name it, I’ve owned it over the years. Horses that weren’t hardly what I would call broke, couldn’t give to the bit or even break at the poll, couldn’t lope a circle, horses that took a lot of work, horses that the sellers HATED, and when we got them turned around and doing well… well here comes the messages… I’m ungrateful. I’m taking from their training business. (With my whole three clients.😅) I’ve heard it all.
So what’s the rule? Because, apparently there is some unspoken rule we were supposed to be following. 🤷🏻♀️
In my opinion… thanks was given to me when the check cleared, and when you buy from me again, that’s thanks again. You thought enough of my program… to support it. If you want to tag me on fb… thanks! That’s just icing on the cake.
But here is the deal… no one posts their crap runs… so as a person wanting credit… were you there for those to? I was. When I sell a horse I truly try to offer support when I can. I answered texts at midnight after the round. I watched hours of videos to help critique. I offered up an arena and lessons to follow through after the sale. I took “credit” for the bad runs too. My phone was on and I was available. Even after all that, I still don’t expect a fb tag.
What people don’t see is the hours upon hours it took to get that horse turned around. Where were you there when I drove them to the vet every other week and spent thousands on bills? Hauled them to 52 jackpots to trot through, drove and spent hours doing lessons, answering questions, coaching, etc…
People are also sure quick to blame the new owners when the horse isn’t working right… but don’t take the blame that they trained something no one else could ride behind.
I have also seen that the key to making the horse win is getting the trainer off the horse. Trainers often pick on them and expect perfection. Sometimes someone just getting up and going that doesn’t know their history gives the horse confidence to shine.
You can buy a winner and it not win. You can buy a project and get it to the winners circle. As a general rule, I tell people, you’re either going to spend time, or money.
It’s not always who trained the horse that SHOULD get the credit, but who is behind the scenes putting in thankless hours helping them win NOW. Keeping a horse together is not easy.
Sometimes a win comes in the form of a 4D check for making progress or a rider simply conquering their fears.
Really, I think there are horses that make people look good, how lucky are we that some choose us to be their human. 💜
There are enough horses out there for everyone. If you did a good job, somebody somewhere knows you did. It’s not mandatory for a rider doing good to name a trainer every time they share their pet. If you get a fb shoutout… then that should be just that, icing on the cake. 🍰🎂