I want to start training horses.

Hey,

Well I have just finished my training with Pumpkin and I really enjoyed working with him. Yeah he bolted on me a few times but I tried really hard to stop him and most of the time I did, plus he bucked me off a few times but I've got alot more balance now. I've gotten Chinga out of his bucking and also basically re-trained him not to run with a small kick. I'm teaching him to jump at the moment, and I don't want to teach any other horses to jump. If I do training it will simply be manners in the saddle. I retrained Pumpkin and started him jumping with a rider. I also taught him ground manners.

So I'm not planning on being a "big time" trainer just riding horses that are green and need manners for their owners for fun. So where do I start?

Oh and yes this is one of my crazy idea:)

You are only 13, right? Correct me if not. Chinga was/is your first horse? And Pumpkin and Chinga are the only horses you have worked with?

Okay, sorry to be blunt here, but 1. You are too young for the majority of horse people to take you seriously as a trainer/rider, 2. You do not have enough experience for the majority of horse people to take you seriously as a trainer/rider.

Perspective:

One day I hope to be a trainer/breaker along with doing some horse dealing (buying, training and reselling). I have been riding since I was 5, and I am now 19. I have owned 6+ horses, and taken three of them from green broke to finished or almost there, as well as teaching those three to jump and event, taking one of them to A grade PC, when I passed him on as that was as far as my ability could take him. I instruct at Pony Club, have instructed at Zone 16 camp, and have been asked to travel to Pony Clubs outside my zone to teach Mounted Games, my specialty. I have represented Australia overseas.

Now i'm not trying to brag, what i'm saying is that even with the experience I have, I am nowhere near being confident to call myself a trainer or offer services to anyone without being asked.I still have a ton more to learn about my chosen disciplines, and am planning on taking a youngster from halter broke to finished successfully before I even consider offering my services to others.

Riding friends horses is a great wya to learn, and if you are helping, a great thing to do for your friends. But for other people, there are things to consider such as liability if you were to be injured, what would happen if the horse was injured while you were riding, etc.

If I were you, I would keep working with a trainer and Chinga; Riding other horses whenever the opportunity presents itself; talking to and learning from as many people as you possibly can; and be patient.

Personally I wouldn't want anyone even teaching manners to my horses unless they had either a record of success with other horses I know, or were successfully showing/campaigning/producing horses I like and like the behaviour of.

Do you have a consistent way of dealing with different issues? Can you adequately explain the process you will/would go through to an owner?

My best idea for you is not to offer 'training' to people, but offer to simply ride. The more horses you can ride, the better. Getting into Mounted Games enabled me to ride 100's of different horses throughout Australia and overseas and has taught me the majority of what I know about staying on and handling individual horses quirks, and training my own horses for many years has taught me what I know about gradual, stepped training. Now I just have to get out there and learn about 5x more!

Goodluck!

I agree with wild spot. I am 25. I teach and I train, but I also still take lessons weekly. I started riding 20 years ago and have ridden everything from hunter/jumpers to games to dressage and working cow horses. I am not a huge fan of the show world, but go more towards problem horses and I have had a lot of success with that. However I know there is always more to learn.

I have a lot of problems with people not taking me seriously because of my age. I have a nationally known and respected trainer backing/recommending me, but people still look at me and see my lack of age as lack of knowledge. I have plenty of regrets with horses, but can't deny what they have taught me and know that they have barely gotten started with what they have to tell me.

Learn everything you can. Read everything you can, watch everyone, keep what works. I can tell people whatever I want, but what I've found works best is letting my horses do the talking for me. Remember that it is much easier to screw a horse up than it is to truly fix it. Be sure that you are confident enough in your abilities before taking that risk and never be ashamed to admit when you were wrong.

Keep it as a goal, but learn all you can and give it time.

Well put by Wild Spot. You can start by latching on to a professional trainer and becoming an apprentice. Most likely, at first all you will be will be a "go-for" but you will become exposed to many horses and methods. Over time, hopefully, you will learn how to "read" a horse - what they are thinking and why. If you want to teach, you first need to learn.

TO the OP: you have gotten a lot of good advice so far. I think aspiring to be a horse trainer is a great thing. When I was about your age (if its 13) I got a unique opportunity. My trainer routinely purchased green horses at auction and trained them and sold them. Her daughter who was several years older than me rode the horses under her direction. Very tragically her daughter was injured in an auto accident and could no longer do the training. (good news now many years later she is riding again :) She asked me to start helping her and for a couple of years I rode green horses and broke them under her direction. We also took one foal from birth to broke and sold it. I learned so much. At the time I had been riding since I was 5 and had 8 years of very good instruction. I had ridden numerous different ponies, shown very successfully in hunters and did fox hunting as well. The point again is not how much I have done but how much it takes to be a trainer. Without the careful instruction, advice of my trainer I never would have been able to train these green horses. If you could get yourself in a similar situation you would have an opportunity to really learn first hand from a pro. Are there any trainers/horse trader types near you?

Also as mentioned, read, view videos, etc. Eat up all the knowledge you can and don't give up on your goal to get where you want to be.

I would suggest going to clinics either to ride or observe.

Good luck :)

All I can say is that every one is correct when they say that you need more experience - don't be put off as it can be a really rewarding career, but time, time, time and time is needed.
You also, as suggested, need to find a pro trainer that you can spend time with and watch.
I have had horses for 20 years and I am still learning, in the last 5 years I have re-trained about 40, some of them would have not caused you any problems - even with your age and lack of experience, but a word of warning - I have had a few that would have killed you in about 5 minutes ( and I am NOT joking ) and unless you have the experience you will not be able to see the danger signs until it was too late - it's something that can only come with time.
I am currently re-training one of my neighbours horses - she is a lovely dapple magyar felver, she is intelligent, has an ability to learn and is quick to learn as well, BUT, it has taken 2 weeks just to be able to get her to listen to me and if I move past her shoulder I am asking for trouble - and I know this only because of past experiences. Two weeks ago whilst I was trying to trim her front feet ( no one can go anywhere near her backs ) , she barged me into a fence ( had a huge bruise across my back) and she kicked me in the leg ( I was lame for about a week ) , and that's with me having 20 years experience - so imagine what she would do to someone like you.
As I said DON'T be put off , but seek professional guidance or you will come unstuck ( or worse ) , and no one would want you to be hurt (most of all you )

Good luck and let us all know how you get on.

I think Chingaz original question is where to start. I didn't get the impression that she believes herself ready to train horses full time right now :)

The advice to apprentice with a professional is great advice. Also, attend clinics, check into colleges/universities that offer equine education, etc. The more information and education you can gather at this young age, the better! Build your experience and resume now by interning and volunteering with vets and trainers.

Every crazy idea has potential to become something more serious, if you're willing to work for it ;)

Why don't we wait for her to chime in and elaborate?

I'm 63, have been riding since I was 12 and only take on problem horses. To make a good horse it takes years, time I won't put into someone elses horse but if you have a bucker, a run away, barn sour, kicker, etc I will take them on for a short time.
I have started horses for others but only will put a month into them.
To train I feel you need strength, natural ability and years of experience.
13 is just too young.

She may be too young but she can start learning now and she has lots of good advice as to how to go about it. :)