Starting Over

Many of my horse related friends have given me a hard time lately for quitting the horse business so I have decided to let everyone know exactly why and what I am up to know. I originally became a horse trainer because of the love that I have for horses. Not training, not showing and certainly not for the customers. I did it because I loved working with the horse itself. In case you've wondered it's not an easy way to make a living. You do it 24 hours a day. The work and the responsibility never ends. No vacations, no time off for holidays, and no such thing as taking a "snow day" when the weather is too bad. I have been very fortunate to have some really good horses to train. Most of them I hand picked, raised or bought right after they were started and they went on to have very successful show careers. Other times I had to ride some real shit just to pay the bills. Some customers are really great and worth the time, and some aren't worth the oxygen that they are breathing. They characteristically have little talent, little patience, and more often than not too little money. I have quit the horse business before and came back to it because It was all that I have ever done except for my time as a salesman. This time I won't be coming back. The last few years in the business I had become very unhappy with the direction that the AQHA was taking the industry. Yes I think they are directly responsible for the state the horse show industry is in today. I have always enjoyed showing. I've had two AQHA high point winning stallions. Both extremely talented and attractive individuals. I've thought for a long time that too many trainers were too abusive to their stock. They ride them too long, too hard, and beat them up too much. Partially because of unreasonable expectations and partially because the AQHA is unwilling to address the issue, and partly because their owners insist on winning at all costs. I believe we don't have to ride and show such difficult stock. If the pleasure horse industry can breed for traits that promote a level top line and flat kneed deep hocked movement, then they can also breed for traits that include a great mind. Anybody can beat a horse into submission. Very few can train one to perform because it wants too. There are very few true horsemen left, and even fewer training horses for the show arena. Two years ago while attending the AQHA world show my stallion was injured during the first finals event that he showed in. He made the finals in three other classes and I took him to the vet trailer for some help. One of the first questions I was asked by the vet was who are you? Will you get in trouble if we get him sound or are you one of the ones? I always believed that the AQHA would look the other way if you were a somebody. Now I was sure. I had a horse in the barn early in my training career that was an incredible individual. His only flaw was that he was really bad with his tail. I don't mean he used it a little bit, he used it like an Apache helicopter during evasive maneuvers. After winning several world championships and the superhorse award one year. He passed the tail test. I am here to tell you his tail was dead as a hammer. I knew then who you are was more important that what you did. After my experience with the vet trailer and the fact that when I tried to scratch one of my finals classes I had to saddle my horse up again and have the show veterinarian call him lame. Everyone in the warm up pen could tell he was three legged lame. But that wasn't good enough for the show superintendent. Even when the AQHA officials staging the class called up and said the horse is lame lets not saddle him again. I was told do saddle him anyway and have the Vet call him lame. Frankly I paid for the entry and if I choose not to show in the finals it should be allowed. As an industry professional I should be qualified to call a horse lame. I think I decided then and there that even when my horse was healed up I was done. The horse business should be about the horse. Not the rider, or the outfit, or the trainer.

I have taken every penny that I have left and started a new business. I studied, am still studying, purchased software, studied some more and jumped in way over my head to change my life. I've moved out of the way overpriced horse property that I was living in, cut my expenses, stopped racing my car, and moved into a little house in town with a great back yard and a pool that will cost me at least $900/month less that where I was. I am starting from scratch. I had a good friend who was one of the best customers that I ever had tell me one time that life was simple. If you're unhappy make a change. I used to reply "thats easy for you to say your rich" She replied if your really serious you'll find a way to make it happen and the money will come. Well Jane I hope you're right because I am making a change.