There’s a difference between a rider and a trainer. I’m not talking about the difference between an AA and a Pro. A “rider” is someone who rides the horse, doing what the horse already knows. Certainly you can be a good rider or not so good. And you can even be a Grand Prix rider. And that’s nothing to sneeze at! Learning to be a really good rider is a huge accomplishment. You keep the horse where they are in their training. Hopefully through good riding you keep them fit, happy, confident, keep their minds and bodies sound. All wonderful things.

The Difference

A “trainer” is different, though. A trainer is able to assess a horse and come up with a path to improve the way the horse goes and then hopefully teach the horse new things. A trainer needs a very inquisitive mind, needs to be bold enough to push the envelope sometimes, and needs enough grit to work through the inevitable mistakes that will arise.

No Learning Without Mistakes

Mistakes are no fun, especially when you’re on a 1200 lb animal, who might tell you that you made a big one. But there’s no learning without mistakes. And as a trainer – that’s your job. Your horse is going to have to learn new things from you. New movements, yes, but also new concepts (that we often call “the basics”) that really change the way they use their body.

Are people just naturally “riders” or “trainers?” Sometimes. I’ve met some young kids who just intuitively wanted to train their horse, and not just ride him. But I’ve also met plenty of people who were riders and over time became very effective trainers.

There is Always More to Learn

Want to be more of a trainer? Learn to assess a horse’s strengths and weaknesses. Learn when to push and when to just cruise for a while. What do you do when you run into a problem that’s tricky or one you didn’t expect? All of these can be learned, mostly from horses who will teach you but hopefully from an educated and patient trainer who has run into whatever problem you’re having many times before. That’s why great trainers still work with another trainer themselves.

There is always more to learn. Always a new problem to solve, and no single person has all the answers. I’m so grateful to all the trainers who helped and are still helping me learn!

About the Author

Eliza Sydnor Romm epitomizes a classically trained dressage rider, trainer and instructor. She is a successful competitor and a sought-after trainer. In 2007 Eliza made history by becoming the youngest person in the United States to receive her USDF Training-Fourth Level Instructor Certification. Eliza was influenced early in life by her mother, Cindy Sydnor, USET longlisted rider from 1976 – 1979. Her classical background included trainers Karl Mikolka, Bengt Ljungquist, and Walter Zettl. Eliza has forged her own career instilling the principles she established from classical legends into a career as a trainer, competitor, and clinician.

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