Horse Training?

Question

Has anyone taken their horse to a university with an equine program for training. What was your experience with this? Or what opinions does anyone have on this type of training by students.

Answer 1

The college I went to (University of IL) had a horse training program, and there were no pre-req's to getting into the course except that you had "some riding experience."  I had started and finished multiple horses in the past, and thought it would be fun, and a way to keep horses in my life while in school.  I was appalled at the ability of some of the other students, and felt bad for the owners of their horses.  A lot of the students had very limited riding skills, and just because you ride, does not mean you can train.  Lots of kids were getting bucked off, run down, etc by horses with very little handling, but after a semester of "riding" they should have been a lot farther along than they were.  I don't think that any of the students (or teachers for that matter) knew enough to really have that class.  I would never send my horse to that school for "training"

I have heard good things about Findlay, because they have a program specifically for that, and hopefully have instructors who know what they are doing.  However, you never know what student will get matched with your horse.  I wouldn't want to take the risk and have my animal be somebody's guinea pig.

Answer 2

I watched a class as you described, but only once, so my impression just might not be as the whole picture is.   It was at Stillwater, Oklahoma  and it is known to be a good horse college.  I came away with the impression that the students that were horseman when they came to college are still horseman, and the others, the ones that thought that they could go to college to become horseman, weren't very impressive...and you could tell which ones were which...so, I could be wrong, and I know that people do need knowledge that comes from books, but you can't tan a hide in a day nor can you make a horseman in a semester.