…THE BEST
ADVICE YOU’LL EVER GET
Selecting a trainer is an important part of your Tennessee Walking Horse experience, and can be vital link between you and a successful tour. You have got to have a trainer. Unless its flatshod/liteshod division, and unless you have an older horse that’s completely “pushbutton”…amateur owned and trained is basically a myth, but there is an amateur owned and trained class at many shows and the Celebration.
Below
are a few guidelines you must
use in selecting, handling, and policing your trainer.
Factual
Advice #1 Pick a
trainer who wins! If he doesn’t know how to win…you don’t need him. If he has
been in the business for 20 years and has never won a blue at the
Celebration…he will continue to lose for 20 more.
Factual Advice #2 Visit as
many barns as your car can stand. If they put you on a horse in the first
hour…you have found a home. If they don’t…be extremely rude, holler “
What's that
smell Margaret?”, or scream “I’m from U.S. Dept of Immigration”, grab all their
old “VOICE” magazines from the restroom, …or just do something that will show
them how much you appreciate the hospitality.
Factual Advice #3 Always pick
a trainer that is very married. Partially married and single trainers are
looking for wives …and it may be yours! ( I know that I will receive a lot of
flack because of that statement…but remember we are discussing facts!)
Factual Advice #5 Always
remind your trainer that you own the horse. You tell him what shows you want to
go to …remember you are paying the training bill.
Factual Advice #6 Never choose
a trainer that tells you he has 40 horses in his barn, and 20 “paying
customers.” He won’t tell you this, but he is half owner of the other 20.
Somewhere in your training bill you will be shoeing and feeding that other 20.
Factual Advice #7 If you are
buying a horse…make sure your never agree that both trainers will receive a
commission …especially your trainer. If you pay both of them, all you are doing
is paying one to lie and the other one to swear by it.
Factual Advice # 8 If you are
a youth or amateur rider and your trainer doesn’t encourage you to ride at
least twice a week during show season … get a new trainer.
Factual Advice #10 Always tell
your trainer that your horse is for sale even if he isn’t. A potential
commission is icing to the cake. Some trainers just feel that training bill
each month isn’t enough.
Factual Advice #11 Remember…the
nicer your trainer’s truck and trailer…the less your horse gets ridden. Remind
him that you need a trainer and not a trucker.
Factual Advice #12 If your trainer encourages
you to advertise…tell him you will pay half. If he doesn’t want to pay
half…leave him off the ad. If he doesn’t like it … move the horse.
And finally…THE BEST ADVICE THAT I
COULD GIVE ANYONE WITH A TRAINER…..Never...ever call a trainer
and tell him that you might drop in to see your horse work…if you do…he will be
wet and on the walker before you can hang up the phone. When you arrive at the
barn...you will hear things like ... ”You should have seen him this morning”… or
“Yesterday he was the best horse I’ve ever ridden.”…always show up at the
barn…unannounced.