By Brita Barlow-Johnson
The phrase “Can be kept at home” is one I have pondered for many years. With the Fall Tattersall’s sale coming up, that is probably a phrase many AOT will be looking for while they shop for a new horse. But, what does it really mean?
I have always had a passion for Saddlebred show horses, and training. I am a pretty decent rider, and I can “maintain” a wide range of horses. There’s another word to ponder. Maintain. It rhymes with “train”, but I have found out the hard way that the meanings are totally different. A lot of time, money and expertise go into both training and maintaining a show horse. That is something a lot of people don’t bargain for when they take a show horse home. There are very accomplished AOT who have been training and showing horses for years with great results. There are people who are new to the Saddlebred who want a beautiful show horse to keep at home who may not realize what they are getting into. Here is a realistic look at the challenges that face every Amateur Owner Trainer.
I am not fortunate enough to live in an area of the country where there are trainers within a decent driving distance. I like to spend time with my horses, several times a week if possible. I am also not fortunate enough to live within a decent driving distance of even a good boarding facility. This means I have to pay for and maintain my own facility. In the North East, to be seriously competitive, that will have to include an indoor riding area. It takes a lot of time and money to maintain a facility. I’m beginning to notice a theme here. So here I am, virtually stranded in trail horse country, with a passion for show horses, a little time on my hands and an average disposable income. Do I spend that time and money on a trainer, or try keeping my horse at home. There are a few things to consider before you make that decision, mainly facilities, time, money and support services such as farrier and vet care.
First, what facilities are available? Will you be able to board the horse and will that boarding facility be Saddlebred friendly? By this I mean will they agree to stable your horse full time, or is turnout required? Will you be able to jog and long line etc? Do you have facilities at home, and are the facilities suitable for training a show horse? I have spent many years working horses on the shoulder of the road or in the fields. Besides safety issues, fields and road shoulders are not always smooth and firm enough. Or they are too hard. If you do not have a good work surface, you are going to have to become very close with your farrier, because you’re going to need him about every other week when those shoes start flying off. At the very least you will need an outdoor arena or straightaway. This will probably involve some earth moving, drainage, and ideally a safe and attractive fence. You will also have to consider the cost and maintenance of the work surface itself whether it is dirt, sand or manufactured footing. You will need some sort of tractor and rake to maintain the surface, as well as the time and gas money. In many climates, the outdoor arena works great, a couple of months out of the year. Then it rains or snows making the arena unusable, and the days get shorter thus reducing the time available to work horses. Even in early spring and late autumn, arena lights would be a huge help. Now you are talking light poles and electric bills. Or, you can head indoors.
Money and available space dictates that I cannot have a full sized indoor arena. We built a 50 x 50 indoor round pen. What a great help that is. Not only can I train in there, but it gives me a safe and secure “play pen” for turn out all year round. It is useful for bitting and long lining. I can even ride in there, but I soon get tired of going in tight circles. Additionally I also have to maintain the indoor footing. Using the round pen for turnout means people will be tempted to throw hay in there which ruins the footing. I spend at least an hour each week cleaning manure and hay out of the indoor arena, then raking the footing level and repairing any wet spots due to drainage issues around the barn.
But as you know, you can’t ride a horse every day, even if your schedule allows it. The horse is going to get bored pretty quick toting you around 6 days a week. Horses benefit a great deal from jogging. It builds up their hind quarters, gives their minds a rest, and is a wonderful conditioning tool. You may need to buy a jog cart and harness, or a pleasure cart that can also be used to show in. This is when the fields come in handy. And, since you have already spent money on a tractor you need to get out in the field and at least mow a track for jogging. Pretty soon you may find you are spending far more time riding the tractor than riding the horse.
Speaking of time, I am spending a whole lot of it at the barn. Having a show horse at home is a much bigger commitment than having a riding horse that can be turned out in the pasture and ridden on weekends. I like to turn my horses out, but a show horse can’t be a pasture ornament, at least not during show season. We can all take a break in the winter, but in the spring when the show shoes and possibly the tail set go on, this horse will have to be kept in the majority of the time. That equals more time cleaning stalls, grooming and exercising. There just aren’t many horses who can stand in a stall 24 hours a day without getting into some mischief. Even on days when I’m not planning to train, the horse needs to get out for some exercise.
So on top of getting up at 6 am (Holidays and weekends too) to feed and clean stalls, I have to spend a minimum of half an hour a day getting the horse out. Then I have to clean him up. It seems like whenever I am pressed for time and I think I’ll just exercise him and throw him back in the stall, we end up with some behavioral issue and I have to work a little harder which equals getting him “sweat up”. Well that just added to my grooming time. If you plan on training during the winter months (in NY that’s October through May) you will probably have to body clip or spend hours every day cooling out and drying the horse. Add heavy duty clippers and horse wardrobe to the ever mounting list of expenses.
Speaking of horse blankets you will be doing almost as much horse laundry as your own laundry, at the Laundromat no less, unless you had the good sense to put a washer and dryer in the barn because there just aren’t many horse husbands (or horse wives for that matter) who want a hairy winter blanket or sweaty saddle pads in their washing machine every week. There goes another hour or two each week plus about $10 in quarters.
I mentioned earlier about support services. These include a very good farrier who will show up when called, a horse vet, possibly a chiropractor or massage therapist, and a good ground man. I have a fairly good farrier who is therefore often too busy to swing by and replace a thrown shoe in a timely manner, but my vet, who I think secretly would prefer to be treating dairy cattle has the attitude of “if I don’t think it’s broke, don’t expect me to fix it” and has to be coaxed and pleaded with repeatedly to do things like Thyroid tests and hock injections. The show horse world is getting more and more high tech every day, and some horses, particularly older AOT suitable horses, need a lot of maintenance to perform at a higher level. It is a huge help to have support services who are up to date on the available options.
A good ground man is a tremendous help. I am fortunate enough to have a mother and a sister who are very knowledgeable about training and showing. They also help fill in with horse care and exercise making it possible for me to occasionally take a vacation. And, we go shows together which provides grooming and hauling support. I do envy people who are at a public barn with several Saddlebred friends available, but my family is also very capable. If I cannot get any tips to help, they can at least take a good video so I can see for myself. This training support is invaluable. Riding lessons on your own horse, or a lesson horse are helpful for identifying and improving rider weaknesses. Being able to ride different horses not only improves a rider’s form, but helps in teaching training techniques. Before the advent of the internet, where there are often several people willing to share excellent advice, you really had to go and find some expert help when you got into a training predicament. Now, it is often possible to find someone else who has struggled with the same issues, and some people are even willing to loan equipment to try.
One thing that is hard to replace is a nearly constant human presence in the barn. During show season, I have often found it difficult to keep a horse in a tail set. When you keep your horse at home, and you also have a career or the demands of a family, you are often unable to check the horse several times during the day and fix problems like a slipped tail set.
Choosing a horse to keep at home can also be a big challenge. When I shop for an AOT horse, I am always very upfront about the fact I am potentially going to take the horse home and manage it by myself, and I always take the current trainer’s advice regarding whether this horse will be dangerous or merely a disappointment. Some horses are particularly suited for this sort of situation. If you find one, your AOT experience can be very rewarding and even easy. When you are choosing a horse, make sure it is one that can be safely handled by one person. Remember that you may often be alone in the barn, although I myself still never ride without someone nearby in case of emergency. This cuts down on my potential training time even further. Many older seasoned show horses need less riding and training techniques to keep them in top shape and show ring ready. You can expect to pay a little more for one of these gems, particularly a five gaited horse, but there are suitable horses available in all price ranges.
The time involved in preparing a horse for show is very much limited by demands of a personal life. Often, I feel that I am cutting corners on grooming or maintaining my facilities and equipment. It is hard to resolve a training problem that has popped up during a session if you know you need to have the horse cooled out and put up in time to leave and meet another obligation. If you are going to show several times a year, that is going to mean additional time from work and home. Many people under estimate the commitment involved, and over estimate their dedication and talent becoming discouraged and ultimately giving up the hobby altogether. Even if you do have the knowledge and commitment to be successful, the strain of managing a horse on your own can often take the enjoyment out of it.
On the other hand, despite the inherent challenges face by the Amateur Owner Trainer, many of us would not have it any other way. There is a tremendous amount of fulfillment to be found in achieving excellence in your chosen sport. When you have done that solely on your own, the rewards are even greater. I myself have felt the pride and satisfaction of taking a green broke two year old and turning him into an educated and winning show horse. Being involved in the training and conditioning gives you a wealth of experience and understanding that can greatly enhance the pleasure of owning your own horse. It will also increase your desire for knowledge and help keep the hobby interesting. If you have weighed all the challenges and sacrifices that you will have to make, and you have made an educated choice to keep your horse at home, then by all means, do so.
