[Zimalia22]

Depends on how big of a slider/trailer and your turnout situation along with if he's the type of horse that can be responsible for himself turned out. If you take a horse that's never been turned, turn him out on 50 acres in the rocks in the brush, he's going to hurt himself whether he's got sliders or not.

We used to duct tape sliders for turn out. It helps from them hanging the trailer on anything to pull it off and it gave a bit of traction in a turnout.

As far as riding in them outside, again depends on how big of a slider/trailer and where youre riding. Ive ridden them outside on frozen ground gathering cattle but Im careful. Its good way to stifle or split their hips if they get fast or slip. But that is with a cow horse slider not a big reiner one.



This makes me sad. It sounds like he got asked to stop too hard and/or had too big of a slider on, slid and he got scared. Regardless of breeding most horses if physically capable, will take a sliding stop if introduced to it correctly. Once you scare them especially as a youngster, it's pretty hard to get them over it. Don't get me wrong some horses love it and some will just do it but they shouldn't be terrified of it if it was taught correctly.

It didn't bother him on a cow! He'd slam it in the ground and come back sooo hard. He just didn't want to be a reining horse.

 

[COWCHICK77]

It didn't bother him on a cow! He'd slam it in the ground and come back sooo hard. He just didn't want to be a reining horse.

Exactly! Stopping on a cow is different than running down and sliding 20 feet while peddling on the front.
There's horses that'll do both. Some that'll do one or the other or none. Reined cowhorse has an in-between in the dry work.
A horse scared to slip after being in reining training is different than a horse preferring a deep stop on cow, in my opinion. Two different stops in totally different ground. One stop is asked for while the other gives the stop purpose, is the way I look at it.

 

[Elliesmith]

Your trainer sounds like most trainers in my area. They want the horse in training 24/7. I think it's because they are tying their name to the horse and they want you to win win win. Most of the riders that have horses with trainers expect to win. That's what they are paying for. I am doing my horse at my house and hauling to trainers. It's taking me a lot longer and I'm much further behind then I would have been if I had gone the trainer route. I did not buy a made horse though, I bought a baby. If you are buying a made horse then you are already way ahead of a lot of people.

I think there are a few things to consider. If you want to learn to really ride your horse, then you kind of do need to have full access to him. Riding him once a week at a trainers ins't going to give you a good feel of what to do and how to do it. BUT you will probably win way more than you don't with the horse at the trainers.

If you are ok with the occasional bad day and you know that you can get the help you need, then I personally would keep the horse at home. But I like the feel that you get when you have put all the work in and go to a show and get the win. I haven't seen a win yet but I just started showing again. I do know a girl that has qualified for the world that does not do the full time trainer. She does use trainers though. She will send her horse for the winter months, so probably November to March-ish... sometimes longer depending on the weather I think. Then she maintains and hauls to lessons through the Summer. I'm actually thinking into looking at that option for myself. It's something for you to consider.

When you say "high-level" Reiners then you may have no choice but to use a full time trainer if you want to be competitive.... I am not sure this post was helpful. Sorry.

Right