Re: Moral Dilemma / Trainers

[Tara Wheeler <harpy@io.com>]

Title: Re: Moral Dilemma / Trainers

Kitty Longino wrote:

> When I first take the horse on, I offer they can come once a week or more 
> often if they wish, ride under my supervision, watch me train, etc.  I seldom 
> see the owners after they drop the horse until they pick it up.  They seldom 
> call to check on the horse's progress, and when I call to keep them informed, 
> they sometimes take days to return the calls.  
> I hate to send a green horse home to someone who has never ridden it, don't 
> know what the outcome will be.  Any advice?
> Kitty Longino

Wow.  

I had to be restrained in not calling the guy I sent my horse to on more than a daily basis; my husband and my regular trainer were worried I'd seem like a pest.  I got to call once a week.  :(

And they restricted me to one email a day.

(It was like waiting for Santa Claus, I'd be at the other end of the house and hear the chime telling me I had new mail and would do the happy dance all the way to the computer)

I swear, I would have camped out and watched with binoculars if my husband and my trainer hadn't thought it was tacky and that I'd annoy the neighbors.

Try to make it seem like a perk; 'and included in the price of training is one free lesson for you once your horse's training is at the appropriate stage.'

I'd worry about the insurance again, but then, I always do.  

I wonder if you'd lose business if you made lessons with the horse and the prospective rider mandatory?  Personally, I'd love it.

I'm always amazed at the number of people who treat their horses like vegetarian motorcycles.

I'd bring mine in and let them eat at the table, sleep in my bedroom and watch TV, but I think all the reality based TV I watch would really upset them.