During two years of writing this article I have had a number of emails from readers, and the largest portion of the letters I receive ask a variation of “How do I find a trainer?” I felt as though I had already covered the issue, but a few weeks ago a reader came to my ranch who was struggling with what to do with her 3-year-old gelding. We got to talking about the different factors in the decision.

The most important thing to do is assess your situation. Finding a trainer isn’t difficult, but finding one that fits your situation can be challenging. Most of the emails I get are from people who already have a horse and are looking for a trainer. Often, the horse is home-raised and there is a lot of emotional attachment to it. This is not a bad thing, but it can make the process complicated. The following are a few of the things you need to take into consideration:

Age of Your Horse

Typically, cow horses are started as 2-year-olds, shown at the end of their 3-year-old year in the snaffle, and then progressed through the hackamore and finally are shown one handed in the bridle as 6-year-olds. If you are starting out with an unbroken 5-year-old, this will be challenging. Horses need a solid two years of training before they are competitive, and you would lose the ability to ever show that horse two handed. Some trainers may be hesitant to take on a horse in this situation.

Bloodlines

There are certain bloodlines that are more likely to perform in cow horse events than others. Assess your horse's lineage and see how many performance horses are in its past. It is always preferable to have a horse that is by a performer and out of a performer or producer. The better bred your horse is, the more likely that someone will want to take it into training. Here is where I will stress the importance of looking at your finances: often it is much less expensive to find another prospect for the show pen, and maybe just enjoy the horse you have at home. I am not saying that a horse lacking the pedigree won’t perform, it is just a risky bet to make.

Level of Competition

Is this horse destined to be a horse for you to show, or for the trainer? Are you hoping to win in the pen, or just to see what your horse is capable of?  With most trainers, the goal is to have a horse that is competitive in the show pen. This is not always an easy task. Decide up front what is most important to you--success in the show pen or your horse’s well-being. These are not always mutually exclusive, but they often are. This is a very demanding sport and only a small portion of horses have the ability to perform at a competitive level. High speeds, quick moves, and cattle are often a recipe for destruction in a horse that is not equipped to handle the stress. Not to defend those who may be too strong-handed, but many trainers find themselves in a serious bind. They have a client who wants their horse to perform, but the horse doesn’t have the natural ability. Often, good horses are ruined by people with the best intentions. There are so many horses today that are naturally gifted, many trainers are not excited to train a horse that isn't. You don’t want your horse in that situation.

Define a Training Plan

If your horse’s treatment is important to you, have a discussion in the beginning with your trainer. There are a few different ways to approach this situation. One way is to tell your trainer that you want periodic assessments of your horse’s abilities and potential. Make it clear that you do not want him to push your horse to do things that it is not capable of. If your horse’s well-being is paramount to you, you have to be willing to hear that this may not be the best job for it.

You can also say you want your horse to get in the show pen, but that you want it to come along at its own speed. Winning is not more important to you than having a solid horse. In this instance, you have to realize that it may take a lot longer to finish your horse than another horse. If you do not say this, your trainer will most likely do everything in his power to get your horse in the show pen in short order, and he may cut corners to get that done. You also have to expect that there will be a lot of going to shows, schooling, and not bringing in a paycheck. The more pressure put on your trainer to perform, the more likely your horse will be pushed unnecessarily. This can be a very costly route to take.

Finding a Trainer

Once you have a clear picture of how you would like your horse’s training to go, it is time to find the right trainer. The easiest scenario is if you are a person whose main goal is to win--you can always go to association websites and look through the show results and standings. This will tell you who the most successful showmen are. You just put your horse in training, pay the bills, and trust in the trainer’s ability to get it done.

If you are looking for a trainer who can get a horse the most ready for you to show, look on the association pages in the non pro categories and find who the trainers for those successful non pros are. Talk to the non pros and find out how their training experiences have been.

If you are looking to get a horse started, go to the shows and talk to people. Find out who started their horses and ask about their experiences. Most people are willing to tell you if they have reservations about certain trainers or if they strongly recommend someone. Know what you want out of the project and what you do not want. Be honest about it, but be open to understanding the process and do your homework. Know what is going to be expected of your pony in a cow horse training program. There are a lot of really great trainers out there, but what matters is finding the one that fits you and your horse best.

Please, please, please email me with topics you would like more information on! I want to know your needs and be able to go find the answers to any questions you may have. ~Allison, coastalequine@aol.com