Continued Education as a Horse Trainer…

Continued Education as a Horse Trainer, Riding Coach, and Horsewoman.

As a horse person, I am a firm believer in that we never stop learning. We need to continue our education as a trainer, coach, and horseman(woman) to get the best out of our horses. So how do I go about continuing my education?

There are several ways you can continue your education.

1. Clinics with other trainers/riding coaches
   1. Riding in the clinic 
   2. Auditing the clinic (fence-sitting)
2. Workshops with associations
3. Online courses
4. Reading (there are so many books on horses and horse-related things, but make sure you read the reviews and that the books are relevant to what you want to learn)

So, let us break these down one by one.

1. Clinics

I have attended some fantastic clinics in the last few years. I have a tended 3 barrel racing clinics, a ranch horse/cow horse clinic, and about 12 years ago, I went to a reining clinic. I have also attended the Western States Horse Expo. I have only audited clinics so far, but my goal moving forward is to ride in as many clinics as I can afford. However, I feel that auditing has many benefits, such as:

1. Watching other people ride has its advantages because we can always learn  something from others
2. You can take notes (At the Sharon Camarillo clinic, I took 27 pages of handwritten notes)
3. You can video the clinic and the rides of others to review later

2. Horse Expos

One of my favorite things to do is attend workshops at events like the Western States Horse Expo and any other association events. Some excellent seminars include:

1. 1. Nutritional talks
   2. Vet talks
   3. Massage/Stretching demos
   4. Goal-setting workshops

3. Online Courses

I am working toward my certification in Equine Massage Therapy. I decided to find an online course because it worked the best in my busy schedule. I have also taken online coaching courses/challenges via Facebook. I am always looking for classes that fit into my budget and allow me to take at my own pace. One of my favorites is anything done by my good friend Jen Rohlen, HorseGirl.me. I am also involved with Fallon Taylor’s groups, Horsebosses.com and The Passion Project with FT. I also follow Heather Smith at barrelracingtips.com and have all of her books.

4. Reading

Not only am I reading books that will teach me more about horses and horse care, but also books that will help me improve myself. (I will post a list of my favorite books in my Facebook Group, so join me there.) Barrel racing books, massage therapy/equine pressure points books, “self-help” books and the list goes on. Find a topic you are passionate about and read as much as you can.

I am passionate about learning, and I have picked several subjects that are interesting to me that will help me with my business, my horses, my clients, and myself. Don’t be afraid to chase your passion and step out of your comfort zone. Drop into my Facebook group or the Facebook page to tell me what you are passionate about learning in 2020. Feel free to drop a comment below if you have any questions or would like suggestions.