17 replies to this topic

[Century Oak]

After mentioning this on another thread I've gotten 2 or 3 messages and mails through FB about starting a thread on trainers.  Let's face it, many out there don't have the skill to take a horse from backyard to show ready and it's nothing disparaging to the owners, but personally I feel like this is a big reason we don't see more SE's out showing.  I know personally I got Jasoor to a point and then didn't have the skill or time to push him past that, I was lucky to have an awesome trainer close by and for a reasonable price that also is a great instructor.. but for a long time there was just nobody or nobody I could afford.

This isn't meant to be a bashing thread but if you have a good trainer, the kind you would be happy sending your baby to for 6 months and leaving country, knowing they would be taken excellent care of post them here.  Let people know who the awesome trainers are out there and hopefully it will encourage people to get the help or instruction they need to help their horse reach it's full potential

Please do include name and farm name, general location, prices being somewhat subjective owner to owner it might be simpler to say less than $600 a month or something along that line, I know some trainers work out deals with owners to get great horses and I wouldn't want someone to go demanding a price that wasn't available to everyone.  Also please do list the type of training available - halter, western, english, hunter, sporthorse, jumping - and whether they are Egyptian friendly

I'll start, Jeffrey Brown of Gold Star Performance Horses in Huntsville, Alabama.  Jeffrey worked a number of years with Jack Thomas of Thomas Stables in Hartselle and has gone out on his own now and is establishing a client base and show string of his own.  He has a strong background of Arabian and show experience and right now is accepting all breeds, with Arabians definitely being his breed of choice.  He's a good instructor and gives the right amoung of constructive criticism with lots of praise and encouragement when things "click".   I was told before I met him that he didn't care if you were the richest person in the world or someone that had to budget out training fees and eat PB&J to cover the cost, he would treat you like a queen and did not play favorites and I have very much found this to be true.

Jeffrey also shows and trains some phenomenal stock horse types.  I tease him about all the "yella" horses he has around, they all look alike!    He is primarily a performance trainer and trains for all disciplines, though his wife Tanya does enjoy and train halter.  His prices are very reasonable ($600ish) and his connection with the horses is evident in the ridden communication.   I admit to being hesitant to send Flirt out as I had heard so many stories, but they have been very "Egyptian friendly" and I'm beyond pleased with the service and training we've received from  Gold Star and I would happily send him every greenie I have knowing they would come home sleek, conditioned, happy, relaxed and very well trained.

There isn't a website as yet (must talk to him about that) but his number is 256-221-0233 and if you are considering a trainer for your horses in the southeast, he is definitely one I would call and talk to

[VanAlma]

There are actually 2 trainer threads in the general discussion. Maybe Heidi can blend them all here? Might make for a good place to talk about it so people don't have to search on 100 different threads......please, Heidi?

[Suellen Taylor]

OMG..I love Jeffery..he worked with both Wind Dahncer and Very Versace in the beginning there at Jack's...I had no idea he was out on his own!!!!!!!!!

Please give him our best wishes!!!!

[Century Oak]

I will Suellen - it's become a weekly trek up to ride with him and Jasoor

[Century Oak]

Here's one thread http://www.discussio...m...&hl=trainer but was not able to find the other one.  Maybe stuck in the "Training" forum it won't get pushed to the bottom with all the other stuff in the general discussion forum

[VanAlma]

The other one is HERE

[Century Oak]

Well there you go then   Such is the nature of threads that they come up and then get pushed down.  Hopefully some others will chime in with their recommendations.. I know at least 2 of the requests I had to start the thread initially were from people that don't frequent the forums alot and doing a search on "Trainer" yielded page on page of results, many of which were just where the word "trainer" was referenced in the thread body.

[sjm1371]

Hello All!!

I'd like to add three names to that list.

Some of you know Larry Westmoreland of West Winds in LA, his website is: http://www.westwindt....com/index.html.

I'd also like to put out there Paul Zigo of Zigo Arabians in KY, his website is http://www.zigoarabi...ault.asp?id=570 , it's under construction now but Paul and his wife Tammy has shown for several years at the EE with the halter horses.  With all the issues going around with the excessive shanking and so forth, Paul is one of the few that I have first hand seen and helped with that he is not one of the ones doing this.  He showed one stallion this past year and Pharoah is such a big love bug.

And of course, I can't forget about Trish Dingle at Whitehaven Plantation, their website is http://www.whitehave....com/about.html.  She is also the Endurance Ride manager.

I have a 15 year old that has been showing at the EE for the last few years and we've gotten to know all three of these trainers.  I would send my daughter and her mare to them with all the confidence in the world knowing that the would be treated as one of their own kids - both 2-legged and 4-legged.  Jasmine will acutally be going to Trish's all next summer with her mare for training.  I know that I'm just a small fish in the pond compared to a lot of you but I feel that if I can trust my only child to them knowing that she will be taken care of, then I know that the horses are going to be taken care of too.

All three of these trainers not only do halter but also uses our SE as the horses they are meant to be, performance horses.

[Juniper]

What happened to Larry Jones? He seemed so nice. I haven't seen him for quite a few years...

[marywweeks]

I would like to add Dana Coffey from Hill View Arabians in Martinsville, Indiana as a trainer who understands how to work with our horses.  I moved Summer to Hill View over a year ago and she has bloomed under their care.  While I do my own training, I can count on Dana to keep Summer fit when my husband and I travel.  in fact, it is the only place she has been since I've owned her that she doesn't go off her feed when i'm traveling.  Dana has also worked with my daughter with her Arabian/Hackney cross mare and her training program is very good.

Another trainer who has always impressed me is Alice Smith of Bent Tree Arabians, in Tomsuba, Mississippi.  She graciously allowed us to share her groom room, feed room and tack room at this year's Event.  I watched her and Benny prepare horses for presentation and they were very thorough, kind and totally non-confrontational.  Further, Alice trained a horse for my daughter when she lived in Mississippi and did an excellent job.  I highly recommend her as well.

Thanks to these ladies, our horses have never been better!

Mary Weeks

[maxhopemime]

I would like to add to the list

http://www.rakisarab....com/index.html

Amy (head trainer) and Linda (manager), You will not meet any nicer people to your horse or to you!

Chris

[Juniper]

maxhopemime, on Jul 12 2010, 03:18 PM, said:

I would like to add to the list

http://www.rakisarab....com/index.html

Amy (head trainer) and Linda (manager), You will not meet any nicer people to your horse or to you!

Chris

[maxhopemime]

Yes, that was Amy and Linda  
Amy's daughter Ava was the winged fairy in the stick horse class.
Amy has a fantastic way with horses and kids!
Rakis is now in Tennessee, we sure do miss them here in California!

[Keyno]

Juniper, on Jul 12 2010, 05:59 PM, said:

What happened to Larry Jones? He seemed so nice. I haven't seen him for quite a few years...

Larry is still out there. He was just at Region 15 and did well as usual.

[Century Oak]

I would be remiss as well if I didn't mention Sandy Johnson of Willowbreeze Arabians in Louise, TX.  Sandy has been an e-friend of mine for a long long time but even from a distance she's done a world of good to my psyche and confidence riding after some bad falls.  She is one of those rare trainers that trains and shows not only halter, but main ring performance, jumping and sporthorse and many times on the same horse at the same show!  She has the privilege of riding and showing the very beautiful Imperial Saturn as well as her own Asami Ruuh and a pack of other very beautiful, highly trained and competitive horses.

I look forward to a visit at some point in the near future to finally get to meet all these lovely boys and Sandy too!  I just wish she was closer to me here and maybe one day I'll be able to convince her to move a bit farther east ;)

[M Huprich]

Jill Thomas Girardi is a great trainer working in the Nashville TN area.  Lovely facilities too.

[VanAlma]

Bumping this up for Christina Papas (Sharon Jackson's daughter). She's south of OKC. She's great