A Plea to Would-Be Horse Trainers

Posted by Laura Thompson Sep 16, 2009

Normally I use this blog to answer questions from readers and to provide links to articles I've written as well as to other sources online. However, I occasionally feel the need to rant about something and this seems like the perfect spot.

Lately I've received a number of questions from Suite 101 readers about training their own horses. Some of these questions address the very basic fundamentals of horse training and give me pause because, if a would-be horse trainer does not understand the basics, how can he or she expect to communicate the appropriate behavior to his or her horse?

Horse training is a sensitive, time-consuming project that can be both frustrating and disheartening for the most experienced of trainers. A beginner, on the other hand, might find himself a candidate for the loony bin after a couple of weeks. That is, unless he solicits the assistance of an experienced horse trainer.

If you are relatively new to the equestrian sport, or if you have never trained a horse before, I urge you to do one of the following:

1. Hire a horse trainer to assist you with the process. This is a great learning experience and will still allow you hands-on bonding time with your horse. It just ensures the training process is done right the first time.

2. Buy an experienced horse. It is much easier to purchase a veteran horse (a "schoolmaster") than to train a baby yourself. Although an experienced older horse might cost more, you will save thousands on training and headaches in the future.

I do not say this to discourage horse lovers from pursuing their passion. I say it as both a warning and a plea because I hate to see depressed or injured horse owners licking their wounds in a corner. And believe it, if you don't know what you're doing you will be either depressed or injured – and probably both.