[GotaDunQH]

How did I learn? I started riding lessons when I was 5 (back in 1961...yikes) and we bought that lesson horse when I was 10. I learned a TON in those 5 years. Then I joined the 4-H and was a very active member for 7 years and became a Junior Leader when I was 17. I went to 4-H riding camp every summer for those 7 years and learned even more. So the majority of my experience has been actual hands-on since the age of 5. And at the age of 53, I still learn things as this industry changes constantly. I have also kept an open mind...kept the techniques that worked for me and my horses, and tossed the stuff that didn't. I've also ridden pretty much every discipline-western, hunt seat, saddle seat, dressage, cross country, jumping, driving so I can appreciate them all.

Jennifer

[xlilxonex]

Never grew up on the farm, my parents NEVER rode, and mom was terrified of horses......

Started taking lessons when I was five, and got my first horse at 11 or 12.... Screwed up my first horse, second horse, and never really improved the next few horses.... I was young,inexperienced, and was sold horses who were WAY to much for me...

But it wasn't lessons that taught me really but trial and error and hand on experience... and a REALLY tolerant curly who knew what he was doing..... From what he's taught me, and over the years, it's carried onto over horses that i've worked at...

But it's practice, and hands on experience, and at times... someone who will smack you for doing something stupid haha.

[Luvs Phin]

I've always dreamed of growing up with horses, of having all that so BASIC stuff simply ingrained in your mind, because you lived it. (so jealous!)
My mom said she 'liked' horses. I lived with my dad most of my horse loving years. He hates animals, we'll just put it that way! And I am an absolute animal lover! He wouldn't let me have lesson (he wouldn't pay for them, I should say, and I of course couldn't drive there anyways!).
So I followed my dream another way. Door to door, basically. I ended up, more or less, volunteering on an Arab breeding farm. I did everything, I learned *so* much. I did extra chores at home to be able to take lessons, (taking me weeks to pay for one)..
I had to move. I found another facility that had me hands on, by myself, trial and error, working with their young stock.
I honestly probably learned the most for the year or so I was there, because I was on my own, pretty much. "If this doesn't work, we try something else"... I had no real experience with stallions, and I got my fill, halter breaking, hardly touched, long yearlings. But in the end those horses were quiet, friendly, and could go through any obstacle course you threw at them!
Now I'm under another trainer. I'm fairly proficient with ground work, but I have simply lacked experience in the saddle. I can ride, but I strive to be the best rider for the horse. I ride every day, I ask for help, and still have this SHOW ME, TELL ME HOW attitude, because I just want to LEARN.

You just have to get out there and DO IT. Reading is great, as are videos, but until you have somewhere to put it all together (with a horse).. it's not the same.
If you have to work for nothing, if its doable, do it! For me it was so worth it!

[TeeK987]

I learnt by watching my many different trainers ride their horses, work with other peoples horses, ect. I would watch also while the trainer worked with other riders, because then i could see the trainer talking, and the rider doing, and wether it was correct or not..
I really didnt rely on internet/tv untill i got older..

I started with lunging, i read ALOT on it, and jsut kept on building.

[SaddleUp158]

I started off with hunter/jumper lessons once a week for about 3ish years. Then I met my best friend and she converted me to Morgans. It was once I started riding with my friend and her mom that I really started learning about training. About a year after meeting them I leased my first horse, a Morgan mare named Beauty. She was fully trained, but completely sour to the show ring from being overshown by the last leasee. She was also a real eye opener for me and how little I really knew about working through problems with a horse, much less training. This was an eye opener for me because before finding out this mare was available I was considering purchasing a horse...only the horses I could afford were all prospects that were either just barely broke or not broke at all. So I spent a year with this mare and learned tons from her. THen I purchased a coming 4yr old Morgan gelding who had been broke at the beginning of his 3yr old year, but then turned out to pasture. With a lot of help from my friends I trained him and showed him his 4yr old year. From there it has just been working with more and more babies and getting them started. You learn from each one. THough I will say if I did not have my two friends guiding me along the way I would not have learned near enough to do this. THey step in and help me when I hit a road block with a horse-thus I am learning through them what to do in such a situation. I have had lessons off and on since my start with hunter/jumpers; though I have to say the most rewarding of those lessons were the dressage lessons I took. With those lessons everything started to come together-things that my friends had tried to teach me and told me to use on the horses now had a name and a much better explanation. A new door was opened.

[JBandRio]

Originally Posted by meljean

"Every horse can teach you something, and every horseman knows something you don't, be quiet and learn it."

There are soooo many people who need to understand this

[shepherd406]

I was a horsecrazy kid. Read every book, watched every movie, rode the ponies @ the local flea market. My mom took me on one trail ride. After that, she'd drop me off & pick me up later. She has never been a huge fan of horses.

My pap encouraged it in me all through my childhood. He'd take me to the pony rides & take me to friends' houses with horses.

When I was about 10 a family friend let me stay at their house every weekend & hang out with their 3 horses, riding bareback & doing chores.

When we moved to the city, I really didn't have chance to be around horses.

I joined the Marines straight out of high school & got stationed down here in NC. I started trail riding every weekend at a local farm. Then I discvered Miracle Meadows, a place that does lessons & also therapeutic riding. I'd help with the horses, grooming, feeding, leading the lesson horses, helping with the therapeutic lessons, & in exchange, I could ride in the Thursday night lessons on one of the lesson horses. This was my first REAL experience with horses. I absorbed everything I could from my horsey friends & of course, the horses. I learned that a horse can teach you a lot, if you just listen & pay attention.

I rode until I was 5 months prego. I didn't ride again until my son was one month old. I started back up riding at the barn when I could.

Then, I met Bobby Dale Swinson. I started riding my friend's horse out at his ranch & going to Game Shows. In April I had enough money to buy my own horse. After a few weeks of looking I found her, Harlee Rae. Brought her back to the ranch on Easter.

I try to absorb everything I can from Bobby & everyone who comes to the ranch. I've learned a lot & have oh so much to learn still. If my horse gets spooky or throws a fit, Bobby says "Just ride through it."

Thats probably the best piece of advice I've heard in the horse-world.

"Just ride through it."

It fits SOOO many things in the horsey side & other aspects of life.


I do see these young girls with their great horses & I realize how much they take it for granted. I would have DIED for a chance to have my own horse, & here they are, complaining about the quality of theirs. I guess that's how it goes though.......

[BlingRacer]

Took lessons, watched lots of shows, went to lots of clinics, read lots of books/magazines/forums, watched lots of videos

[John]

I grew up on a farm and did the heavy horse thing like farmeress. Rode green horses before and after school for a guy that brought in semi loads from the southern US to break over the winter.(good QHs) There were many old timers that I met who worked their whole life with horses that forgot more than I will ever know about them. For the next fifty years I just picked up a bit here and there.

Early one morning I was driving a heavy truck across the Chilcotin I saw a horse and rider coming towards me. I shut the truck off and rolled to a stop. The horse was going sideways as much as going ahead and looked like he was ready to explode! When the rider finally got up beside the truck he stoped and rolled a smoke!! About all that I could think of to say was that it was a fine looking horse you got there. He said ya he is a good one he just don't know it yet!!

[kewpalace]

Originally Posted by kmolen2

how did you learn about horses and training- and what do you think the best ways to learn are?

I did not grow up on a farm or ranch and grew up in a non-horsey family. I spent a few years as a kid at a local stable, but was your typical "backyard" rider - just get on and go without any understanding of horsemanship. And, as typical for kids, I thought I knew it all, LOL. NOT. Only after college (huge interval of non-horse contact), did I get back into horses.

Started of with books, got exposed to some of the now BNT at Expos, started auditing clinics. I was given two horses (at different times) and when my filly was 4 sent her to a local trainer to get started. Got her home after he did a fantastic job on her and she promptly dumped me - she knew much more than I did and she knew it! So called up the trainer and told him he had to train me now. I continued with the books, clinics (but ride in them as well as audit), DVDs, and expos and 2x month lessons with my trainer. Best learning - directly from a live person. I'll try things from books or DVDs but when I get stuck I call up my trainer and we talk about it, what I'm trying to do, how I'm doing it, why it's going wrong and maybe how to do it in a better or easier way.

My opinion ... nothing, nothing, NOTHING beats a person there to lend a hand. People will spend $$$ on a book or DVD but then say they can't afford $40 for a lesson once a month (and that's all I did for awhile - once a month). I scrimped and saved to get that $40 and it's made all the difference. There has been nothing so valuable as to have a PERSON to turn to for all my questions.