| So You Want To Be a Reiner #2...... By Carrie Zambrano |
Disclaimer: In this series of articles I will provide tips on how to get started in the fastest growing western sport , Reining. These tips will be from the non-professional prospective, and will have pointers and stories from various other Non-Pros in the industry. They come from years of mistakes, and rewards in the reining industry. Always consult a professional when in doubt. This website and author assume no responsibility if these pointers do not work. These are merely suggestions. When we last met Mark, Sally, Natalie, Jack, Rich , Jenny and their family, they had all just been bitten by that very contagious “Reining Bug”. Since then , all of our new reiners have found trainers that they love and can not wait to have a long future with. Now they are all searching for that perfect horse. Let’s follow them while they try many horses, contemplate what is important and finally , bring their horses back to the barn............ The Potential Owners: Mark and Sally found a great trainer, Bill. In fact he is a NRHA Million Dollar earner. Mark and Sally have met with Bill both at his training facility, and at his home. They have all become fast friends and feel that they are going to be great business partners. They have decided to buy 3 horse for Bill to ride. The first horse is going to be a 2 year old Futurity prospect. The second is a 3 year old that Bill has had his eye on since the horse was a yearling. Bill wants to show this horse at this year’s Futurity. The third horse is a horse that Bill actually already has in his barn. The current owners are getting out of the business. This horse is a 5 year old mare with over $75,000 in NRHA earnings. Bill will show this horse at the NRHA Derby , as well as the NRBC (National Reining Breeders Classic), for the next two years. Bill has agreed to help Mark and Sally learn all there is to learn about being great owners. Mark and Sally have given Bill free rein, so to speak, on finding and purchasing horses. In fact , Mark just told Bill on the phone “Bill you find them , we will buy them. We want to own the best and want you to ride the best.” Bill loves Mark and Sally. The Potential Breeders: Natalie and Jack know a thing or two about horses. They both rodeoed , ranched and roped growing up. Currently they breed and raise champion AQHA rope, and barrel horses. They are wanting to incorporate some reining bloodlines into their horses with the hopes of have very versatile horses that can do any event. Natalie and Jack have been furiously researching reining bloodlines over the last few months. They have decided to buy several extremely well bred mares with either AQHA points, or NRHA money earners, that are considered a little large to be reiners, to breed to their champion rope stud. They have found several at really decent prices and are ready for breeding season. The Potential Competitors: Richard , Jenny Lewis and the kids Elly and Sam are so excited to get their horses. They have found a trainer that they trust their lives with, Lucy. Lucy has been training and showing for years, she specializes in teaching Non Pros. Lucy has a great teaching style, and isn’t not afraid to tell you when you are doing something wrong. Lucy feels that her clients need to essentially know how to train their own horses, not just know how to show their horses. Lucy feels that this builds convenience in the riders, and helps to avoid potentially dangerous situations in certain circumstances. She basically teaches her clients how to ride and think like a trainer, even if they have no intention of ever training a horse. Since the family is going to have 4 horses in training and have 4 people taking lessons, Lucy is going to give the family a little bit of a price break on her training fees, and wave any commission that she might make on horses they buy. This may help lower the price on horses they buy. The family loves her and have started their search for their perfect horses. Lucy has encouraged the family to try lots and lots of horses, even if they love the first horse the get on. This way they have a reference point to compare horses to, and to asses their skills and abilities on horses. She does not want their to be any buyers remorse after a few months. Jenny is a very good rider and is very confident, she wants to start showing in Green as Grass classes right away. Lucy has found a horse that is around the age of 5 that has been shown , but not so much that is tired of it. He is really easy and solid, Lucy thinks she could even compete in the Open level classes with him. Jenny is so happy with her cute little red dun mare she just can’t help but smile. Elly is also a great rider, however she is not quite as experienced and wants to learn and go out and show in the Rookie Youth classes right away also. Lucy has found little bit older horse that had actually won the NRHA 14-18 Youth title about 4 years ago for Elly. The cute stout little chestnut gelding is all Elly could have hoped for in a new best friend. In fact, Elly rides the bus from school to the barn nearly every day. She has her lesson , then she helps wash horses, clean stalls, and just watch others ride. She wants to be a trainer some day too. Even though Sam has ridden at camp he is very apprehensive about large horses, and Lucy has noticed he is a little afraid at times. Lucy has found a for a horse for Sam that is a baby sitter and is nearly the size of a pony. Sam wears his cowboy hat and spurs everywhere he goes now. He has made sure all of the kids at school know about his new little black and white paint horse named Pancho. Richard needs a baby sitter horse also, a really, really solid babysitter, since he has no riding experience at all. Lucy happened to have one in the barn that she had been given lessons on and the current owner wanted to slim down their herd. Richard is completely in love with his big bay gelding and sings Roy Rogers songs every time he gets to ride. He loves being a cowboy. The family helped make Lucy’s job at finding horses easier by not requesting that their horse be a special breed or color. Jenny knew that there was plenty of time to be picky, but not right now. So Let’s Go Through Some Steps on Picking a Horse, and Identify Different Levels of Horses: I will not get into all of the details and ins and outs of horses , that is what your trainer is for. I will just give a few pointers and discuss a few issues that I personally have dealt with and learned from over the years. Here are Just a Few Terms Regarding Horses and Riders That You May Hear Around the Reining World: Open Level Horse and Rider: There are three levels to the Open category of reining: Open, Intermediate Open, and Limited Open. These levels only represent the amount of monies that the rider has won at NRHA approved shows over the last several years, 3 to be exact. Open riders, as a rule , are professional trainers. They can ride any horse owned by anybody. Non Pro, or Non-Professional riders can show in Open classes, but they or their immediate family member must own the horse. The Open Level horse is essentially a horse that is competing at the highest levels of the sport of reining. These horses usually are only shown by professional trainers. Some are studs and mares that are being promoted by their owners. Often times these are younger horses. Most require great skill and knowledge to show. With that being said, after several years of being shown at this level many go on to be great Non Pro horses. Some retire to the breeding pen. Occasionally you will find a horse that go out and win at the Open Level , then a Rookie rider can get on their back and just lope nice and easy through the show pen. Those horses do not come around very often , but they are out there and are a ton of fun to watch show at the two very different levels. Aged Event Horse: These horses are a specific age. Futurity horses compete in their 3 year old year. Derby horses are horses that are 4, 5, and 6 years old. The National Reining Horse Association, as well as it’s Affiliates have great Futurities and Derbies , with the NRHA and the NRBC events having in excess of $100,000’s in cash and prizes at their national events held every year. There are classes for both Open riders and horses, and Non Pro riders and horses at these shows. Non-Pro Horse and Rider: Basically a Non-Pro is anyone showing reiners who is not a professional trainer, thus the term Non-Pro. Open riders can never show in a Non-Pro class. Non-Pros can only ride horses that are owned by themselves or an immediate family member. As a Non-Pro you have to fill out an Non-Pro Declaration and Immediate Family Form (if you intend to show a horse owned by a family member) and have it on file with the NRHA. Just as the Open riders have three categories, so do the Non-Pros, with the addition of the Rookie classes , Prime Time ( for riders 45 and older), and some Affiliates have Green Rider or Green as Grass Classes for those just starting out. You can visit the NRHA website for details regarding eligibility. To say that a Non-Pro horse is not a tough or competitive as an Open horse would be false. At certain shows, the Non- Pro classes can be more completive than the Open classes. However, the entry level Non-Pro horses are usually horses that have been around the block and can handle a beginning rider, all of their miscues, and mistakes and still go and show relatively well. Often times Non-Pro horses have spent sometime in the pen as an Open horse. These horses usually know their job and will help their riders learn and grow. This is not to say that Non-Pros do not show young or untrained horses. Many, many, many of us Non-Pros show and train our own horses, or like to ride our young horse in a class or two will our trainer finishes their training. The Babysitter Horse or Entry Level Horse: These horses have been there and done that so many times you can whisper the pattern in the horses ear and they seem to just go out and do it. Babysitter horses are not so over shown that they are burnt out or get offended at their rider‘s lack of experience. A good baby sitter horse will do what you tell it to do, even when they think it is wrong. You will her the term “Bomb Proof” a lot when talking about babysitters. This simply means that as a rule, these horse spook at nothing, will not run off, or buck, ever. Often times you will find that these horses have been and can be rode on the trails , and perhaps have has several other events done on them at one time or another. These are the best horses for someone who has little or no riding experience. Confirmation, and Breeding: I will not get into all of the ins and outs of confirmation, color, and breeding. Every trainer has their own opinion on how a horse should look and be bred. Some trainers do not care at all. While others have had really good luck with horses of a certain bloodline or build and they like to stick to it. There are many, many good articles, and books on these subjects. This is a subject that is relative to the person your talking to. I have seen, ridden, and won on, many horses that if you were going by the book, had no business being a reining horse. These horses taught me a great deal, built my confidence as a rider, and won me quite a few buckles. I would not have traded the prettiest, best bred horse in the world for these horses and the lessons I learned from them. It’s Your Money, and Your Horse: To say that confirmation and bloodlines mean nothing when buying a reiner is not entirely true. However, if you are just starting out do not buy your first horse on these criteria alone. That is of course unless you are like Natalie and Jack, breeders only. Try a lot of horses. Do not be thrown off by the way they look. If you are not happy with the horses your trainer is finding for you to try, do some research. There are many websites, including this one, www.OnlyReiningHorses.com, and classified ads that you can search through . Find something that peaks your interest and bring it to your trainers attention. Perhaps your trainer knows that horse and there is an issue, such a soundness, or a bad attitude, with that horse that your trainer does not want you to deal with. Just keep looking until you click with a horse, and keep in constant communication with your trainer about your feelings. “Pretty is , is Pretty Does” : A take off of the Forest Gump saying , this essentially sums up what it means to be a good horse, no matter what level you are referring too. If you hang around shows long enough, you will her a lot of people saying this. Basically it means that a horse is only as pretty as it performs and behaves, no matter what it looks like. A great beginner horse may not be able to get the scores that the higher level Non-Pros get. But a great beginner horses will help you learn and grow. These great horses will have patience, a good attitude, and most importantly a big heart. With out these three traits the prettiest , best bred horse in the world will be as appealing as an onion left out in the sun too long. VET CHECK, GET ONE! A vet check is essentially a physical for a horse. Sometimes there are soundness issues that perhaps no one knew about that could affect the longevity or ability of your new horse that can be discovered by a vet check. It is highly recommended by many trainers that you get a vet check on every horse you purchase, no matter what the owner or trainer of the horse says, even if it is your trainer. If the people you are buying the horse from refuse to let you have a horse vet checked, run as fast as you can in the other direction. Today most trainers are upfront and honest about health issues and the horses they are selling. However, just like any business there are those who try and conceal a potential deal breaking injury, or other problem with a horse. It is always a buyer beware situation if you do not get a vet check. A vet check can be as inexpensive as $75 and cost upwards of $500 for full digital x-rays , but that beats getting a horse back to the barn only to find out the he has foundered in the past, has navicular and should never be rode again, and be out a lot more money. My rule of thumb is if I am paying more than $3,500 for a horse, I get a vet check. Then I know exactly what I am dealing with, and what I may have to deal with in the future. It is for your own peace of mind and pocket book. Price, Try to Negotiate: You have found the horse for you, you have had the vet check and know exactly what is going on with the horse physically. You are ready to make the deal. Since Lucy is waving her share of the commission on the horse, the Lewis family negotiates a lower price on all of their horses. Not everyone will do this, but if they do not have to pay a commission, sometimes they will. The best news is that since both Richard and Elly’s horse came from the same barn in California, and were owned by the same people, they got a great deal on their horses. It never hurts to try and negotiate, just do not offend the current owner of the horse. After all the worst that they could say is no. Sometimes you have to pay a little more to get that perfect horse. Do not let a couple hundred dollars, the horse not having that cute little hiney, or possessing a beautiful long flowing mane stand in your way of true happiness in the saddle. Till next time! Have a Question, Comment, Story or Topic You Like Discussed? Email Me at caz_az@hotmail.com Carrie Zambrano, 34. lives in Chino Valley , Arizona and has been reining for over 10 years. She has numerous state level and several region titles to her accomplishments, including CRHA Challenge / Western Affiliate Finals Limited Non- Pro Champion and Intermediate Non- Pro, and Non-Pro Reserve Champion in 2002. She trained under the guidance of Marcy Ver Meer for over 8 years. Currently she trains her own horses, but often seeks out the advise of many helpful professional trainers. Her husband Ariel, starts colts, works with problem horses, and trains rope , and cow-horse horses,. Her daughter , Madalyn , is in her first year of showing reiners. Currently Carrie raises horses with her parents, Mike and Marilyn Aaby, and her husband. |
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