Careers should be exciting. Your job should drive you to wake up every morning and do what you excel at to make a good living out of it. Horses are magnificent creatures and if they occupy a special space in your heart, then why not take up horse training as a career? If you think it’s all about the technicalities of dealing with a horse, then think again. A horse trainer is meant not only to train the horse to be better in the field, but he is supposed to understand the horse’s requirements and reinforce a positive attitude in the relationship. To be a successful horse trainer, a few key skills and specific knowledge about the job will come in quite handy, and to help you with the same, here’s what you should know. Make us proud!

1. Knowledge about the different training sets

Do your homework before you step in the field. Are you aware of the different trainings and the professional way to carry out the training sessions with ease? If not, then make sure that you gather enough information regarding the same and then take the final call. To ease your mind, here are a few training varieties which you should be familiar with for a successful career:

• Showjumping
• Barrel racing
• Western Pleasure
• Dressage
• Trail Riding
• Cutting

2. Patience and understanding are mandatory

Speed is not directly proportional to your abilities as a horse trainer. As a professional, it’s imperative for you to embark on this journey with a clear mindset that patience is paramount to take your career to the next level. Not only with the horse, but you must learn to be patient with yourself as well, and you’ll see it pay off in a few weeks. Also, it’s essential to have great general knowledge about horses including their behaviour patterns and mindset. This way you will be able to anticipate your horse’s next move thus making training easier and more effective.

3. Passion is essential

Horse training is not just a job; it’s a passion which drives you to make the most of your day in the field. With horse training, it’s never about the money. It’s unlikely for you to earn thousands of dollars, but the satisfaction of watching young horses grow into magnificent creatures and training them to always stay on the top of their game is unparalleled. If you love horses immensely, understand them and enjoy spending most of your time around them, horse training is a brilliant career option for you.

4. Recognising and administering health issues

There will be times when your horse will not be in good shape and will need support to get back to his brilliance. This is where you come along. From leg injuries to colic cases,  as a horse trainer, you must be familiar with the different treatments and know different symptoms of various diseases for immediate attention by the experts. Whether it’s sudden behaviour change or loss of appetite, every little thing needs to be focused on for recognising and administering health problems.

5. Self-control is the key

Getting angry doesn’t work well with horses. Try it for yourself if you don’t believe us, and you’ll see how you will have to start from scratch. Exercising self-control such as keeping your temper and other emotions under check is mandatory to ensure your horse that you are a trustworthy human.

6. Develop a relationship

If you can’t develop a trusting and loving relationship with your horse, then all of the above information will be of no use to you. Horses are brilliant, and their instincts are powerful about the humans around them. Be gentle yet authoritative with your horse and make sure that he sees you as a friend and a trustworthy ally for better training sessions.

Once you start working with a horse, you’ll gradually understand about blanketing, the need for horse rugs, forage and more. Use these tips to your advantage and be an excellent horse trainer. Good luck!