Know of any trainers

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Feather1414

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I am not sure what to correct word would be, if intership is not it, but I have been thinking about this for a while, and I think it would be really good for me to go to a REAL training center and see how they handle things. Kind of like an apprenticeship or so.

Not sure if you guys know what I am talking about, so here is the backround story to my question.

I want to be a mini trainer more then anything in the world. I love to train, and work and learn how to handle a horse. The people I am with right now aren't exactly what I would like to be training under, since they have a "unique" way of handling business.

Please don't think I sound like some spoiled brat who doesnt appreaciate what they have done, but you would honestly have to know the situation I am in.
 
Feather1414 said:
I am not sure what to correct word would be, if intership is not it, but I have been thinking about this for a while, and I think it would be really good for me to go to a REAL training center and see how they handle things. Kind of like an apprenticeship or so.
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A lot of trainers have youth helping them out. All you have to do is look at the youth classes at the World show to see the quality of horses that the youth are showing and you will see where they are working.

Although apprenticeship is probably the correct term slave labor comes to my mind. :)

If you are serious consider making up a resume and send it out to trainers in areas where you can work and see what the response is. I am not sure who all is in your area but start spreading the word for next season.

I am sure there are several youth on here that have or do work for trainers that can offer you some suggestions. Chandler from Royal Palm comes to mind. He worked for a well known trainer in Florida for several years.

Good luck.
 
Go to the shows and watch the trainers. Do your homework. Are you willing to go out of your area? If not, that may limit you.

If possible, go to the nationals/world show to meet the trainers there.

Write some letters to trainers that you were impressed with. You never know who is looking for a young person to be a groomer/assistant.

If you don't get an immediate response, you may want to check out some local stables in your area to get some parttime work at. This will give you some work experience that you can show to the trainer.

Good luck,

MA
 
Thanks you guys. I am willing to travel out of area.

The problem with my looking in this area is that my own trainers would want to know why I am deserting them or whatever.

I will try the resume thing! Thank you!

And yes, the place I am at, slave labor is going through my mind as well. My trainer has decided next year she is going to "let" us foal out her mares. That simply means that she wants us to do the work!
 
foaling out a mare is the biggest responsibility you will ever take on. If she is willling to let you learn and gain experience with her mares you better jump on it ---if you think you will ever want to breed miniatures. This is a rare opportunity but if you arent willing to stay awake nights and then turn around and work all day then its probably not for you.

This years foaling season has tested every ability i have. To maintain my composure, to work blindly, my patientce, my physical ablities etc etc etc. But the experience i have gained is invaluable and hopefully i get better with every mare i foal out.

Dont fool yourself. No matter what trainer agrees to take you on -- it will be slave labor. You may find that the trainer you have now is a piece of cake compared to what you might get elsewhere. I have seen some kids under trainers and they work constantly. They get very little glory or actual showtime. They instead get all the grunt work and the opportunity to learn. Most trainers i know are such perfectionists that rarely does someone working for them do anything "good enough"

But if your thick skinned and this is what you really want to do then go for it!!!
 
Jamie PM'ed me, and in my opinion she needs to get AWAY from her current trainer! Good lord, the things going on there....
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Won't say more. In any case, help her find a way out guys! Honest slave labor would be better than the abuse she's taking now. This kid works hard, she just needs somewhere that sets a good example (unlike the place she's at now.)

Leia
 
kaykay said:
foaling out a mare is the biggest responsibility you will ever take on.  If she is willling to let you learn and gain experience with her mares you better jump on it ---if you think you will ever want to breed miniatures.  This is a rare opportunity but if you arent willing to stay awake nights and then turn around and work all day then its probably not for you. 
This years foaling season has tested every ability i have.  To maintain my composure, to work blindly, my patientce, my physical ablities etc etc etc.  But the experience i have gained is invaluable and hopefully i get better with every mare i foal out. 
Kaykay, trust me. I would have jumped on the opportunity, however let me give you some backround.

I am 16 years old, and these mares are due to foal in FEBRUARY. She actually expects me to miss school to do mare stare, and I CAN'T DO THAT. I think my current education is MUCH more important then foaling out a mare NOW. I am only 16, I have MANY years left before I need to know how to foal out a mare. Please don't say that breeding a mare or whatever is not for me, considering I can't do it. Maybe if it were my OWN mare, but I am not going to do it for a person who sits on the couch all day anyways, has no job, and no real reason to not do marestare in the first place!
 
This is a rare opportunity but if you arent willing to stay awake nights and then turn around and work all day then its probably not for you. 
Well that must be why many tell me I shouldnt breed then.

HOnestly I think just about any trainer is looking for help. I would love to do this. HOwever it just isnt possible with my job, and I could never make enough working for a trainer and keep up with my bills. HOwever it would be awsome. Good luck on your search!
 
Jamie,

Talk to some trainers around the country who have "made it"....at the national level.

They will tell you stories about THEIR slave labor that they had to endure.

Every "high end" career that someone has worked their way up to means they've had to start somewhere doing a job no one else really wants to do.

It's called the "School of Hard Knocks".

MA
 
Miniv said:
Jamie,
Talk to some trainers around the country who have "made it"....at the national level.

They will tell you stories about THEIR slave labor that they had to endure. 

Every "high end" career that someone has worked their way up to means they've had to start somewhere doing a job no one else really wants to do. 

It's called the "School of Hard Knocks".

MA

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I have NO problems with work. PM and I will tell you the reasons. I know that it takes work to get places. It's not that I don't work at the trainer I am with now, its the way I am treated-and most of the time its NOT about horses!
 
WEll, we don't offer internships-- but our grandkids come & work & play & practice with the horses. Now, they are getting older, two of them have come to spend the summer vacation & they work very hard, long hours & then on the week-ends they go & show so never seem to have much time to do whatever most teen-agers do. But they love it & so do we. WE are so lucky to have these kids all so interested & they ALL 14 of them take turns showing at different hsows. We are a FAMILY AFFAIR>!!
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I worked for six years at a local training center for full sized horses. I stayed there pretty much all day on saturday and sundays during the school year and worked five days a week during the summer. I did work in exchange for riding lessons and let me tell you I learned SO much from that experience. I learned about handling stallions, learning heat cycles, signs of foaling, breeding techniques, working with foals, training young horses to saddle and even drive. It was an amazing experience and I won't soon forget. I learned so much about riding from the lessons and I learned even more watching others get lessons and working through their problems. I am proud to say I was the only one of the students allowed to help train the new schooling ponies from scratch and was one of the few allowed to handle the stallions on a regular basis. It was awesome. The only reason I have stopped now is because of college plans.

If you get an oppurtunity to work out some sort of similar deal with a reputable training center in your area, I wouldn't hesitate in taking it. Even if you cannot find a reputable miniature horse trainer centre, working for a place that does full size horses will also help you out big time because the training principles are identical.
 

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