In this 4-part series, GoHorseShow discusses some of the horse industry’s most prevalent career paths. At times, jobs in the horse industry are complex and unpredictable. Yet, horse lovers come in droves to participate in this lifestyle.
As the joke goes, “How do you become a millionaire in the horse business? Start with two million.” It is not for the faint of heart, but most equestrians don’t do it for the money. We do it for the love of the horse.
In the first article in our series, we talked to two of the top breeding managers in the business – Debbi Trubee of North Farm and Amy Gumz of Gumz Farms. In case you missed it, click here to read Part 1.
In part 2, we asked trainers how they got involved in the business, what some of the challenges are, and what advice they may have for someone who wants to make this their career choice.
Leonard Berryhill
“Becoming a professional horse trainer was not something I had set as a goal in my life. It just pretty much evolved,” says AQHA Judge and Multiple AQHA World Champion Trainer Leonard Berryhill.
Berryhill grew up on a ranch, and his parents raised some very nice horses, but his interests were in sports and rodeo. Though he showed the babies they raised in the local futurities, he didn’t get interested in training for several years. When Leonard decided that it was a waste of his time and his parents’ money after two years of college, he took the only ‘job’ he ever had, working in a bank.
Berryhill learned from that experience that he did not want to work for “the other guy” and didn’t like working inside (except when it snowed).
“Independence was huge to me. The freedom to come and go, make my own choices, and make decisions was paramount to finding a career that I could thrive in. Thus, when I said goodbye to the bank, I struck out with an old friend and farrier and learned to shoe horses.”
Work ethic was one of the main things his parents taught him. “I knew that as long as I got my work done and kept my customers happy, I could do almost anything.”
Berryhill said the farrier business was good, and he was riding a few colts when, about this time, the AQHA Youth World came to Tulsa. “Seeing the beautiful, exquisitely trained horses and the enthusiasm they generated got me excited to be a part of this.”
Leonard took a horse his family trained, got a few western pleasure lessons, and started showing. Fast-forward a few years, he had already trained a reserve champion tie-down roping horse (1982) and a world champion western rider (1983).
After that, Berryhill started getting calls to ride and show horses for people, and he sure had a lot to learn about horse training and the business side of being a professional horseman.
“As I said earlier, I love the independence of being self-employed, but to be successful, you are going to have to work very hard and long hours,” he says. “I’ve always said I quit working 9 to 5, to work 5 to 9. I love the daily challenges of working with the horses and managing our facility. We all love to go to the shows, and I see it as a reward for the work we’ve done to prepare. Winning is great, and we all love that part of it, but when you see vast improvement in both your horses and your riders, you should be happy with your work.”
The rewards can be great if one keeps those rewards in perspective,” Leonard says. For instance, we all know trainers who think that first place is the only place, and I’m not knocking being competitive, but, in most cases, improvement is the reward.”
In his opinion, managing finances is probably the most challenging aspect of being a horse trainer. This Oklahoma native says that it can be a very lucrative occupation when handled correctly. Next, he says, is working and cooperating with their client base, keeping them happy with their progress, and matching them with the horse or horses that bring out the best in them.
As for any advice to young and upcoming trainers, the first is managing your finances. “Do all you can to keep debt to a minimum. Remember, we are judged on the inside of the arena, not the tack room or parking lot. Next is to take care of yourself physically and mentally. Burnout has ruined a lot of trainers. Good luck to you all!”
Ashley Dunbar-Clock
Trainer Ashley Dunbar-Clock grew up with a horse trainer mom, Brenda Dunbar. Unfortunately, they could not afford to have her horse all the time and show, so she decided that being a horse trainer was the only way she could show horses.
At 15, she became her mom’s assistant and showed client horses. “I love the horses, so I can’t imagine doing anything else, but it comes with challenges. This lifestyle isn’t for everyone, and you must be committed to early mornings, late nights, and sleepless nights.” Ashley adds, “You also have to be a good people person, as that’s a huge part of what we do.”
She also thinks another major part is when she’s struggling with a horse or some aspect of this business. “We all think we are not enough at times, and the trainers on top don’t ever go through that, but as trainers, we all feel like we are not enough. And it’s always okay to ask for advice and help. The best advice ever given to me and I live by to this day was…’The day you think you know it all is the day you need to quit!”
Jamie Hartman
“I love horses. I have gone through times where I lose sight of the why, but I do this because I love horses. I love the connection. I love the conversations. Horses are humbling and therapeutic. I don’t know if I would suggest becoming a horse trainer unless you are truly passionate about it,” Jamie told us.
She is a third-generation horsewoman. Her dad and grandfather both run lesson and boarding barns. “So I must say it also just runs in my blood.”
“The financial and people aspects are the hardest,” Jamie says. Horses make sense to me. That doesn’t mean that their owners always understand what that means and/or think they know what’s best. That is extremely challenging to me. These horses become family; those conversations are how I build each animal. Having someone telling you how to do it better from hundreds of miles away is probably my biggest challenge.”
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Why did you become a trainer? Do you have any advice for young trainers or someone wanting to pursue this career? Please share your comments on our social media.
