How Long Does It Take To Train A Horse?

As far as the horse training is concerned, people very often want to see the results very fast. But one must bear in mind that horse training is like the tortoise moving, steady and slow and it will give the wanted results in the end. Each horse as well as human is an individual, different from one other. What the trainer must do is to find the best way to communicate with the horse. The other very important thing is to teach the horse to enjoy learning in its best way. The horse needs to feel confident and comfortable.

How long does it take to train a horse? The honest answer is as long as it takes. There is no rush to master it all at once. Because of differences between horses the amount of time to train one completely depends on the horse. There is no magic formula, it can take two months or up to ten years. It depends on different circumstances like, the age of a horse, manners of a horse etc.

With some horses, basic things to be trained (walk, jog, slop…) can take up to one or two months whilst some can take just weeks. Some horses are slower and some are faster in learning. The best way to train a horse is in its own pace, letting them feel relaxed and confident in repeating actions. According to modern trainers (ie Philippe Karl, Nuno de Oliviera..) it takes two years to develop the back muscle and then up to twelve to master a horse.

In the end it is important to have a plan with logical steps on working on it. The horse must be relaxed and comfortable and must understand what it has been taught. It is also important to build a strong foundation and then all later skills will come faster.

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Who trains a horse?

“Horse training is 25 percent talent and 75 percent knowledge. You’ve got to have some talent, but you’ve also got to have lots of knowledge – you can’t fake it.” -Al Dunning.

Training a horse should be something that you enjoy doing but also you need to be an expert.

So, who trains a horse? Horse trainer is the answer. The horse trainer is the person who trains horses for racing, riding, showing or police work. This also includes feeding the horse, talking, exercising and getting the horse used to human contact so that it can behave and perform its best. As a trainer you should always try to be the best version of yourself, no matter if you are training for the public or only one horse of your own. Learning from others is also a very good opportunity to improve your own knowledge. There are different specialties in horse training like equestrian disciplines, such as show jumping, reining, dressage, endurance riding, eventing, tent pegging, vaulting, polo, racing and rodeo.

Two- and four-year colleges offer the programs in horse training as well as one-and two-year certificate programs. When applying to one of these programs, liking horses is not the only important thing. To become a trainer one must have the passion for it. One other way of becoming a trainer is an apprenticeship program that gives you a really good feel of what one is getting into.

Having talent and liking riding horses are just small parts of being a good horse trainer. One needs to have good communication skills, business skills as well as organizational skills in order to succeed in this profession.

Are horses easy to train?

Training horses can be easy or difficult and it starts with any interaction one has with a horse. Experience plays a major role in the training process. If the horse is younger, the lessons should be shorter. On the other hand, if older, repetition and longer lessons should be considered. Horses like children, learn the best when not being forced. Moreover, there are ´easy´ and ´difficult´ horses to be trained. When one trains an easy horse it makes a trainer feel good whilst the difficult ones teach the trainer a lesson.

The ´easy´ horse trains and improves every day. It also enjoys the training and seeks praise. On the other hand, ´difficult´ horses repeat lessons every day and sometimes months without improving. There are different factors which influence on horses´ trainability. Health issues are one of the main factors followed by soundness and conformation.

Early training is also very important as well as how the horse suits the rider. And most of all, horses should be suitable for a certain job. What is also very relevant is to end each training lesson on a good note with a horse, leaving it relaxed and comfortable. There has to be a line between doing and asking too much as well as pushing too far and be careful about how overwhelming it can be.

What is the best age to start training a horse?

A horse starts learning from the day it was born. The best age to start training is between 2 and 3 years. It is the age when the horse starts to leave the free stable and the herd. Horses start learning early since they do not need time to develop a part of the brain for the learning. But again, each horse is different and training should be adjusted to its needs.

Those early years are used to develop focus on the ground work, manners and general behavior. The spinal growth is between the ages 5 and 7 and that is the time when the light riding should start. Most people usually want to start even earlier, to return the investment but one must know that it all depends on a horse. The horse needs to be mentally and physically ready for the work. Foals need to be taught to trust humans and should be relaxed from the beginning to set a positive environment for learning.

How do you get a horse to trust you?

You have to be reliable. According to Jonathan Field:”…your horse needs to see and feel that you are the same person.”. This means that you have to behave in the same way when a horse has bad or good days. You need to make a habit of being the same. Your instructions have to be clear and reasonable. The horse needs to have faith in you. It is easy to see if the horse trusts you.

There are some signs that one can follow to be convinced in the horse’s trust. First of all, it has to be confident in the trainer’s leadership as well as authority. Its response to instructions is very important. Next it has to have a respect for the trainer. In order to gain this one has to give clear instructions and enjoy your horse.

When a horse comes to you, it trusts you. This means that it does not have negative emotions toward a trainer. Horses are very light animals and when a trainer can touch them it is a sign of a trust. In no case you can show any kind of aggression or one will lose a horse for good. Show good leadership as well as praise.

Can you train a horse like a dog?

One thing is for sure, horses are not pets. But when it comes to training, horses are not that different from dogs. Actually they learn in the same way. There are some similarities as well as differences. Both are known for the need of hierarchy. There is a strong need to know who the leader is and who is the follower.

Horses and dogs easily recognize the “weak” leader. Reward motivation is another thing that is similar. When it comes to pressure, both dogs and horses respond in a similar way. If you know your horse well just as the dog, you can predict certain actions ahead. Training horses and dogs takes time and patience as well. Following this a lot of behavioral problems can be avoided and eliminated.

One other factor with horse training that is similar is the importance of silence while training, except of course commands. Silence improves focus and makes both horses and dogs feel relaxed. When it comes to differences, horses like being safe and comfortable within the herd. Horses also recognize body language and are very sensitive. So, according to all of this, yes and no might be the best answer.

What is the hardest horse breed to train?

The most difficult breeds to train are the Arab and Akhal Teke. These temperament horses love running and understand even the slightest hint from the trainer. Trainer must allow them to run. Breeds like these respond to light touch and they are also very nervous and fearful. Around people they show roughness and do not feel totally comfortable. What the trainer must do is to be calm, patient and reliable with them.

Loudness does not suit them as well. Akhal Teke is especially hard to ride because they are very intelligent and usually one person’s horse. They are easily bored and do not like repetition. Furthermore these two types are hard to ride and difficult to handle. They are very curious and the trainer´ s words and commands are only suggestions to them or commands. Also, some breeds more or less suit one’s personality. Other difficult breeds are Spanish horses and Lipizzaner. They are especially hard to ride, since they march like soldiers.

How much does it cost to send a horse to a trainer?

There are a number of factors which influence the cost of horse training. Some are trainer´s qualifications, price of feed, land, marker value and the facility quality. Horses are trained on a monthly basis. The price is usually from 200$ to 1000$. Choosing and sending your horse to a training school is a big and important decision.

One has to be careful when deciding this. Training fees are also determined by different factors such as location, credentials, training style, time which is taken for the training, feed and boarding. Good advice is to compare a few offers before deciding which one to choose. Also it is important to read the reviews as well. When deciding about the training, be sure to know exactly what goes into the price.

Duration of the training is also important and the amount of time to train a horse depends on the current horse level of training, experience of the trainer and demeanor of the horse. But in the end, one has to be aware that it is not just the price. The most important thing is the quality of the training. Do not be afraid to do the research in detail about the training program that your horse needs.

Summary

This article is about horse training and all other questions related to this topic. People very often want to see the results in training very fast. It does not happen in that way. One must be very patient, steady and slow to see the results in the end. The horse must feel comfortable, relaxed and enjoy learning. It takes time to train the horse, because each one is different just like any other individual.

Horse trainers train horses for different purposes as well as taking care of them. When it comes to training, horses can be easy or difficult to train, depending on their experience and age. Horses actually start training from the moment they are born. The trainer must be a reliable person and be aware that horses are not pets even though they learn in the same way. There are breeds which are difficult to train, mostly those are of Arabian breeds. Horse training is not cheap if you want good results.