|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
|||||||
|
Choosing a trainer - Choosing a trainer - 30-90 days - Part 2
|
|
||||||||
|
When choosing a trainer for an unstarted horse, you need to consider several things. Is the trainer experienced with starting colts? That would be my first question - finishing a horse is quite different than starting one, so this is a very valid concern.
I would also like to look for a trainer that is going to start the colt with the end product in mind - if he is going to be a reiner, put a reining foundation on him. If he is destined for the hunter ring, that will be totally different, as would a western pleasure horse, and so on. While many things can be shared from discipline to discipline, I think you want to start your colt off on the right foot for the final destination. You want to pick a trainer who sets his program for each individual horse - some good minded and well prepared horses can be ridden on the first day of work. Others may take two (or more) weeks for the trainer to feel comfortable stepping aboard the horse. Waiting that long doesn't make a trainer slow or incompetent - they may be producing a better product than someone else who may rush the horse through the same process - each horse is an individual! Find a trainer with lots of patience!! It can be easy to get upset with an unschooled horse because they don't do all of the things that we expect from a more trained mount. It is the trainer's job to keep that in mind at all times, and not to lose his/her temper with the young horse (not only is that unproductive, it can be detrimental to the horse's future as a performance horse). Check by word of mouth with other horse owners in your area - who starts their colts, and why did they choose them? Are they happy with the results? Remember that nothing is worse than a 30-day wonder - the horse that seemingly miraculously does almost everything you ask of it after being at the trainers for a mere month. By the time you have had him home for a month much of that wonder will be gone as the horse learns to question you, evade things, and exhibit difficult behaviour. Instead consider sending your horse for three months - in this period, the trainer can get the horse fairly solid in his basic work. Or send the horse for two months in the spring and back for another month in the fall. Contrary to popular belief, this is not wasted training because he sits all winter. Instead, it gives the horse a chance to think about things during the non-riding time, and when you pick him up in the spring, you'll be surprised at how much he retained! |
|
Rabicano is a gene that is mostly misunderstood because of the other genes it mimics. Rabicano is responsible for scattering white hairs throughout the flanks and or barrel (or beyond), and most noticeably for stripes at the base of the tail. Also referred to as "skunk tail" or "coon tail", these horizontal stripes are seen right at the top of the tail. It doesn't matter what colour the horse is, if the tail is dark, these stripes will be clearly visible. Many rabicanos are, like sabinos, mistakenly called roans because of the white hairs scattered throughout the coat. However, they are not true roans and will not have roan offspring (unless bred to a roan!) but they can have rabicano offspring. Some rabicanos may add more white hairs each year. However, they are not to be mistaken for greys, which eventually turn mostly white, as a rabicano will keep its base colour quite obviously. Some people believe that rabicano and sabino may be linked, due to some of the shared traits, and I tend to believe this myself. However, no genetic research has been completed on this subject yet. Please link to our photo page for some good examples of rabicano |
|||||||
|
If you have tips or questions you'd like to share with other local equestrians, please mail them to kristi@hiway16.com
|
|||||||||
