student of the horse

Question
hey,
I'm 14yrs old and I want to learn how to be a horsetrainer for a career.I was wondering how do you become a "student of the horse"? do you go to collage and study it or what?Like alot of horsetrainers I know are a "student of the horse"and I've searched and searched to find out how but I can't find it.Ive had experience in horsetraining I trained my res. paint horse I can almost ride her with just my legs! I'm so exited!and I helped my little sisters train their horses.Right now I'm training a little 12hh buckskin(breed unknown).
thanks!!!
p.s.I kind of need some help on teaching the buckskin not to kick at people.hes also a 1 person horse he only likes me!and when i sell him this spring that might be a problem. has a little catching problem i fixed it alot but he still kind of walks and sometimes runs away.sorry for all the questions.

Answer
Hi Samantha!

Don't be sorry for the questions!  That is why I'm here!

Learning how to educate horses is an oral tradition passed from master to student.  In other words, you learn by studying with someone that is the best of the best.  That is what I am doing and will do for the rest of my life.  Ray Hunt learned from Tom Dorrence until Tom passed away.  Buck Brannaman learns from Ray Hunt, Ricky Quinn learns from Buck Brannaman.  Ray also spends time with Walter Zettl, a dressage master.  Buck shares information with George Morris.  Are you seeing the pattern here?

Now, here comes some homework!  I want to to research each of the names I just listed.  The web is a wonderful thing.  You can go to my website and click on the "favorites" page and I have some links there or you can "google" each of them.  Now start reading!  Read everything you can about the horse.  At 14 I'll suggest that you start with "Centered Riding"  by Cherry Hill.  There are also tons of DVD's you can watch.  Start with the "Groundwork" DVD by Buck Brannaman and watch anything by Ray Hunt.  Ray is after all, the teachers, teacher.  He is the best.  Check Ray's clinic schedule and ride with him.  It will cost you about $500.00 for four days, a good education comes with a price.  Ride with Buck Brannaman and Ricky Quinn also.  Ray is in his 70's and not very healthy.  He would be tops on my priority list to ride with.  Buck is in his 40's and a true master horseman.  Ricky is is his late 20's and is a real talent.  Look for Ricky's article in the January issue of Western Horseman magazine.

Ride, ride, ride with all of the guys I named above and add Bryan Neubert, and Martin Black to that list as well.  Understand the common thread of good horsemanship that runs through all types, styles and disciplines of riding.  Understand that the type of saddle or bridle you use on a horse does not define the horse.  Good horsemanship transcends the equipment you use. Look for the masters in a variety of disciplines.  Charles De Compfey and Walter Zettl for dressage, George Morris for the Hunters, Jim Graham, David and Karen O'Connor, Jimmy Wofford for Three Day Eventing just to name a few!  Ride with the best of the best, they will give you a level of experience and knowledge that will keep you from being fooled by the fakes and imposters that are so abundant today. Invest in your horse education.  Just like a good college it will cost you money.  It is worth it.  Save your money, plan well and attend the clinics.  These teachers travel the country to help people just like you.  

To be a student of the horse also means knowing that your horse is your best teacher.  Watch and observe your horses.  Always offer the horse the best deal and know when you don't know!  Spend time watching horses out in the pasture.  Look at how they treat each other, observe, compare and remember.  Be an advocate for horses.  I have to say that I am not tolerant at all of breeding horses.  We ship tens of thousands of horses to Mexico now for slaughter.  I want to see this stopped and the only way to do so is to make sure every horse out there has a good and loving, permanent home and is not traded and sold over and over and finally thrown away. There is only one way to stop the excess horse population and that is to stop breeding.  Stop backyard breeding, period.  Also, good training is the only way to insure that a horse has a good home and a humane life.  That being said we can talk a bit about your buckskin.

Your horse needs some time.  Why are you selling him?  A "one person" horse that kicks...I'm not seeing a quality life out there for him.  How old is he.  The kicking and catching stems from the same issue...lack of respect.  A well schooled, respectful horse will not kick at you or anyone else for that matter.

Stick with this horse and turn him into something that people will really want.  At 14 with your level of experience this will take a while.  This horse will teach you so much.  Go back through my archives and read my answers on colt starting.  I also just answered some questions about horses kicking.  I could just write it for you again, but I want you to search for the information.  People seldom respect or remember things that come too easy.  I'm doing for you what Ray did for me...he made me work at it, hard.  If you were not interested in becoming a student of the horse, I might have tossed the information out there for you. BUT, I would like you to read up on some of my past answers and then YOU tell ME what to do!  So, Samantha...how do I stop my horse from kicking at me???  How do I catch him???  Hint:  Both of these things can be solved at the same time!  

Send me your answer and we will talk about this some more.  Now get out there and and to the three R's...research, read and RIDE!

Smiles, Denise