There’s a reason the same names keep appearing at the top of the standings year after year. Yes, there’s talent and an almost obsessive work ethic, but behind that is something quieter: a set of core principles that guides how these trainers work with horses, manage their businesses, and navigate the ups and downs of show life.
We asked top trainers from across the industry to share the best training advice they’ve ever received…the words that stuck, shaped their programs, and still show up in their barns every single day.
Let the Good Ones Be Great
One of the first lessons many young trainers learn is that not every horse is meant to be a star. And that’s okay.
Colorado Judge and Trainer Kelly McDowall remembers being told not to spend all of his time trying to fix the bad ones when he could be concentrating on the good ones. That simple idea reshaped how he looks at his string. Time and energy are finite; pouring them into the horse that genuinely has the ability, mind, and heart to excel often pays bigger dividends than grinding away on one that’s not suited for the job you want.
Trainer Tami Thurston was given the same sentiment more colorfully: you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken crap. She and her husband, Paul used to joke about “more mayonnaise” as they watched each other ride the not-so-great ones, but the message was profound. The horse ultimately limits your ceiling under you. That doesn’t mean giving up on one that needs more time or confidence, but it does mean being honest about what each horse can realistically be.
Trainer Brad Ost pushes that idea a step further. Some of the best advice he gathered from his mentors was to find what the horse is good at, even if it doesn’t match your original plan. Maybe the one you bought to be an open pleasure star turns out to thrive in showmanship or horsemanship instead. Success is often about putting horses where their talents and minds make things easiest, not forcing them into a box that doesn’t fit.
Listen to the Horse
Several trainers point to advice that boils down to one thing: pay attention to what the horse is telling you.
Legendary trainer and breeder Nancy Sue Ryan echoes that sentiment with a twist: learn to think the way a horse thinks. When you start from the horse’s perspective, everything from timing your release to setting expectations becomes clearer. The “why” behind a behavior matters as much as the behavior itself. Other trainers add that you have to give horses a chance to respond. Tessa Dalton recalls learning that releasing the horse, letting go and trusting them to try, is their real reward.
Many riders and DIYers want to hold and micromanage, but without a release, a horse never gets to process or offer its own answer. Dalton also credits early mentors for insisting on starting at the walk: bending, teaching true frame, and a real spur stop before trotting and loping. Basics first; everything else builds from there.
Trainer Julian Harris sums it up: when you get in a bind, reestablish the basics. Go back to the foundation the horse understands and rebuild from there, rather than muscling through the problem.
Never Stop Learning
One of the strongest themes is humility: the idea that the moment you think you know it all, you’re finished.
“If you’ve thought you learned everything there is to know about training horses, you may as well quit because you’re done anyway,” says Brent Maxwell. Every horse, every client, every show offers a new opportunity to learn something, sometimes what to do, and sometimes what not to do.
Texas professional Ashley Dunbar-Clock holds onto similar advice from early in her career: the day you think you know it all is the day you need to quit. When she struggles with a horse or with the business, she reminds herself that even the trainers at the very top have doubts and tough days. Asking for help isn’t a weakness; it’s part of being a professional.
Arizona trainer Beth Clemons carries two pieces of wisdom that frame how she approaches learning. First, that you can learn something from everyone, and sometimes that lesson is how not to do it. Second, when in doubt, ride your best horse first and spend the day trying to make everything else feel like that ride. Using your best horse as a reference point keeps your feel sharp and your standards clear.
Train the Horse in Front of You
Some of the most practical advice centers on tailoring your program to the individual horse and rider instead of forcing everyone into one mold.
Kellie Hinely says the best advice she ever got was to train each horse for its owner’s needs, not for her own expectations. For some clients, a safe, dependable horse is far more valuable than a fancy show horse. For others, being in peak form all year is the priority. Recognizing what success looks like for each partnership changes how you ride, condition, and even schedule their show season.
Jessica Sunday was taught to “ride the horse you have today.” The horse you had yesterday, or the one you hope to have tomorrow, doesn’t exist in that moment. Each day’s mental and physical state is a little different. Asking for what the horse can give you today often leads to better rides, less frustration, and more consistent progress in the long run.
Stacy Lane adds a mental piece for riders: don’t overanalyze and overthink. Stay out of the horse’s way and let them do their job. Stick with a program instead of constantly reinventing the wheel.
Be Fair, Be Clear, Be Patient
Fairness shows up repeatedly in the advice these trainers treasure.
“Be fair,” says Brad Jewett. Before you correct a horse, ask yourself whether they even understand what you’re asking for. Fairness isn’t about never saying “no,” it’s about teaching clearly, rewarding try, and not punishing confusion.
Several trainers also stress patience and timing. Jenn Wheeler boils it down to working hard, having patience, and knowing when to stop. Ending on a good note, giving the horse and yourself a mental break, or quitting before frustration builds, can be the difference between progress and a setback.
Tessa Dalton’s lesson about release dovetails with this: if you never let go, the horse never knows it got the correct answer. The release is how we say “yes, that was it.”
Work Hard, but Keep Perspective
Underneath all of this advice is an unglamorous truth: there is no substitute for work ethic.
Leonard Berryhill remembers being told that no one can do the work for you. If you don’t want to start early and stay late, get a different job. He also points out a practical reality: an excellent living can be made in this industry if you manage your money and resist the urge to chase the newest, biggest toys. No judge has ever asked where he bought his saddle or how new his truck is; classes are placed on what happens inside the arena.
Karen Graham says to never think you are unbeatable. Humility keeps you improving. Chelsea Carlson was once reminded, “We’re not out here curing cancer.” That perspective keeps pressure in check and helps trainers simplify their cues and programs so horses, and riders, can actually understand them.
Finally, Jimmy Daurio carries two pieces of advice that shaped his entire career. First, always let the horse tell you what it’s capable of. Don’t try to make it something it’s not. Second, remember that clients have an expiration date. They may leave for all kinds of reasons: money, life changes, new goals. Accepting that as part of the business helps trainers focus on doing their best work while they have them, rather than clinging when it’s time for someone to move on.
Every one of these trainers was shaped by someone else’s words at some point, be it parents, mentors, spouses, judges, or fellow professionals. Their success today is built on that foundation.
Stay tuned for part 2 of this series where we hear from leading trainers as they tell us their best advice they give today.
