It’s Teacher…er…Trainer Appreciation Week!

By: Brittany Bevis

Teachers dedicate their lives to educating young minds, fostering a love of learning, and promoting the belief that anything is possible, if only you have the tools with which to succeed. Years after we’ve left those locker-filled hallways and chalkboard-laden classrooms, many of us still remember a special teacher who left a lasting impact on our lives.

Perhaps it was a math teacher, who inspired you to go into finance, or an art teacher, who encouraged you to take up painting. Maybe you remember an English professor, who spent extra time teaching you how to conjugate verbs or write the perfect admissions essay for college. Whether you call them professors, tutors, instructors, educators, or teachers, they all have the same goal of imparting their knowledge to the next generation.

While schoolchildren around the country are celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week, we decided to turn the occasion on its head with a little twist- equestrian style- by turning it into Trainer Appreciation Week! They are teachers, after all.

Scroll below to see what a few of our Equine Chronicle readers had to say about their beloved horse trainers and the best advice they’ve ever received.

Mandy Warwick– “Last year, when preparing for the Congress, I was very nervous. My trainer told me to remember why I do this: for the love of horses, to relax, and just to have fun. It has stuck with me when preparing for every horse show! I really appreciate my trainer’s encouragement and ability to keep things light-hearted while pushing me for more.”

Rachel Kruchten– “Practice, Practice, Practice. This doesn’t surprise me, coming from a coach, but we take practice to a whole different level. Out of all the advice Jeff Greaves has given me, one definitely worth keeping is that nothing will come easy in your life. I have understood this through practice. Jeff always says, ‘If you want to get better, you just need to ride, and ride, and ride more.’ That’s why getting down to the barn to ride is so important. You can never, ever, be too perfect to practice.”

“The thing that I appreciate most about Jeff is that, before anything else, we always make time for fun. In the end, it really is just a horse show, and, win or lose, it cannot be all about competition. If Jeff has taught me one thing in life, it is that you just need to have fun. No matter where we are, at just a small show or the Congress, we always make time to have relax and make jokes. That’s what life is all about!”

Vanessa Froman– “Asking me to list only one thing that I appreciate about my trainer, Jenell Pogue, is nearly impossible! She has so many layers, many that she never shows to others, and is one of the strongest women I know. Besides her honesty and ability to run circles around me (not an easy task), I would have to say I appreciate her pure love and compassion for all horses the most. I’ve witnessed her stay with another trainer’s horse that had colic, because she couldn’t live with leaving it there alone, even though it wasn’t her job and she had already put in a full day of training her horses. She’s even paid for a client’s horse to get ulcer treatment with her own money, because the client didn’t want to, but the horse needed it. She even paid for that same horse’s chiropractic care, all in an attempt to try and figure out what was going on with that horse. The hourly wage of a horse trainer is not something most of us would want to get paid, yet this trainer goes above and beyond with her own time and money to do whatever she can to help the horses be healthy and happy. Some appreciate and can recognize such compassion, while others have only cared about the end result in the show pen. Jenell truly is one of a kind and her little miracle, Jayna Rose, is following in her footsteps.”

McKenzie Verling– “I feel like Mike Hachtel is always giving me such great advice. Although, I have to say, my favorite piece of advice he has ever given me is to ride smart. I find myself using this advice, not only in the show pen, but every time I ride. I appreciate all of Mike’s hard work; but, what I appreciate most about him is that he always has our horses’ best interest in mind! These horses become like family and knowing how well Mike cares for them makes me so happy! I couldn’t ask for a better teacher!”

Natalia DeVencenty– “I’d never stepped foot on a Western horse until I met Kelly McDowall. From not knowing which hand to hold the reins in, to where I am at today, he has taught me everything about the discipline. That being said, my favorite piece of advice thus far has been, ‘You ride YOUR horse. Don’t try to ride like someone else. Ride your horse and have your own style.’ The thing I appreciate most about Kelly is that he lets you ride and figure it out. He doesn’t try to control every move you make. He lets you learn how to do it yourself and lets you make mistakes along the way. When you have issues with something, he gives you the fix for it, explains why the problem is happening, and shows you how a certain adjustment will fix the problem. I love that Kelly lets you have your own flare and lets you ride and have fun without drilling the horse or the rider!”

Shannon Fisher- “The one that always sticks with me is, ‘It’s just a horse show, and there’s another one next weekend.’ The things I appreciate are endless. Not only is Alan Fisher my trainer, but he’s also my husband. He puts in countless hours to make sure my horses are ready to go. While I don’t always get to spend as much time with him at the shows, because, my attention is needed banding and braiding, he definitely makes up for my shortcomings. Also, another one is, ‘Trust your horse and don’t leave your best ride outside of the pen.'”

Ted Zajac– “Heather Runyon always gives me great pieces of advice, but one of the best pieces of advice she gave me was to ride aggressively and stop equitating in the Junior Western Riding at the Appaloosa World. It helped me big time, since I won the class. I think what I appreciate most about Heather is that no matter what horse I’m riding or what class I’m preparing for, she will make a suggestion to fix something. That fix always completes or makes the picture perfect, and I always sit back and think, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?'”

Parris Rice- “The best piece of advice I’ve received is to take care of my horse, meaning that he can’t do his job unless I have his back. I most appreciate the time, effort, and support in all areas of my life that my mom and Robin and Jenny Frid have given me. Horse trainers do so much more than a lot of people realize. They all deserve a giant thank you!”

Brian Brady– “I have too many pieces of advice to list, but a favorite is that it’s not always about the win, but to enjoy the journey. Mark Dunham is probably the most honest person I’ve ever met! That’s what I appreciate the most. Whether talking horses or life, he’s always there to give his opinion, like it or not! That honesty is hard to come by and greatly appreciated!”

Kim Jarvis– “Stay out of your horse’s way and remember to have fun. There’s no point in doing it if it’s not fun. I appreciate the honesty and pep talks when dealing with a very giant, green, HUS horse.”

Killian Mullen– “The best piece of advice my trainers have given me is that it’s okay to be tough on yourself and want to win; but, at the end of the day, it’s about having fun. I appreciate how my trainers don’t let me quit when things get tough, and they push me to be the best I can be. They are so supportive, and they feel like family.”

Julie Starkey Hoefling– “The best piece of advice that my trainers, Ryan and Andrea Kail, have given me is that there will always be another horse show. I had a habit of putting a lot of pressure on myself and getting really down if things didn’t go my way; but, they really have helped to put things into perspective. There will always be another horse show and another chance to fix or adjust what might not have gone the way you wanted. There are so many things I appreciate about them, but I think a top few would be that they put my horse’s health and best interests first. I never have to worry about his care or condition, and I know he’s in the best care with them. I also appreciate how hard they work to make showing a positive and fun experience. They are my horse trainers, who turned into friends, who turned into family, and I appreciate all they’ve done for me and my horse! It goes well beyond just horse showing.”

Emily Lundstrom– “I have the best trainer in the world! The best advice my trainer, Chad Williams, has given me is, ‘It’s just another horse show.’ I get very nervous every time I show. When your nervousness is given a name, ‘Squirrels,’ you know it’s bad! I’m lucky that Chad stays very calm and patient with me. Even when I’ve made some pretty ugly mistakes, he stays very positive and keeps me moving forward. There are so many things that I appreciate about Chad, but the number one thing is how he truly cares about the horses under his care. He takes each one at their own learning pace, and he knows every single ones’ quirks. I’m so grateful for everything he has done for me and my late horse, Elliott. If it wasn’t for Chad, I wouldn’t have gotten as much time with him as I did.”

Jennifer Welhouse– “My mentor, the late, great Jack Bound always said, ‘Nothing great gets done alone.’ The number one thing I always appreciated was honesty. Now that I’m a trainer, myself, this is what I know to be true.”

Noel Meadows– “The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given from my trainer is that if you’re not winning, you’re learning. This is so important to remember, especially in a sport like ours where it’s so easy to get caught up in winning. For me, my trainers are my parents, so I appreciate everything they do for me. However, I most appreciate them giving me the opportunity to ride great horses and helping me become a horseman myself.”

Gracie Cochran– “I grew up with my mom being my main coach, and I now show under the guidance of both Kari Fritsch and my mom, Rhonda Zilka. My favorite piece of advice from my mom would be to never stop showing! You’re showing from the time you enter the ring, until the you step out of the gate. Kari is always reminding me to have trust in my horse, that she will go out and give it her all. What I appreciate the most about my mom is that she can make me feel better about any pattern or ride, whether it’s a laugh, or pointing out the strong spots. Kari knows when to push me, when to build me up, and when to let me do my thing. Much love to both of them!”

To all of the hard-working trainers out there, thank you!