Trainers: how do you choose between clients?

The three for one deal with the lady sounds like a better situation, but the man sounds like a short-term job that maybe you could do before going all the way in with the lady. Maybe you could work his horse with ground work while doing one thing for the lady (either ride one of the horses or give her lessons), then when you're done with the ground work help, take on more from the lady.

Definately not first come first serve. You have to decide which client will be more worth your time. After all, YOU, are the one they are ASKING. There are many factors to consider: how far away do they live, what is their horse like, can you successfully acheive what they want done with their horse in the amount of time you have, do you feel comfortable in the situation, and of course pay. I have had some nutjobs call me and say "I would like you to come train my 13 year old QH gelding who is green broke and has a little but of a bucking problem. He can only be ridden in a shank bit and spurs and in a month I would like to be able to run barrels with him and take him out on the trail quietly." THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT WORTH YOUR TIME! Sometime you just have to know how to say no. Especially if you doubt yourself or doubt the horse's ability to do what they want done. You have to recognize if you feel that you would do a better job with one client than the other. For instance say I had a guy call me and say "I have a 4 year old Saddlebred gelding, hasn't been backed yet but super sweet on the ground. Get's excited easily but I'm positive he will be a breeze the train. I'm willing to pay you $15 an hour, and I live 45 minutes away from you." Then let's say I had another guy call me and say "I have a 4 1/2 year old Arab/QH mare that has been lightly backed, use to rein pressure and weight, super calm and wlling to learn, just needs work. I can pay you $10 an hour and you live 15 minutes away from me." In this situation you have to consider ALL the posibilities. The Saddlebred seems more of a challenge, will most likely put you in more danger, and cause you more stress. However, the job pays more an hour. Then you have to think about your travel time and gas expenses. Yes the first guy that called will pay you $5 more an hour but he is a half an hour longer to get to. That gas will cost something, basically that extra you are making. Overall, you just have to weigh out everything and make sure you are happy and going to be profiting in one way or another. I've had some jobs I didn't plan out well and in the end I ended up only making like $5 an hour to train 1 horse. And how long can you really work 1 horse a day? About one hour! lol. But if you find the right people you can actually make a lot. I work for a lady now that lives 45 minutes away from me but pays me $60 each time I come out and ride. So in the end I make about $45-$50 and hour. Just be smart about your decisions and never work for nothing, accidents happen all the time and your life is worth much more! Good luck!

there's no such thing as first come first serve when it comes to personal horse training.

you're a trainer, not a fast food restaurant.

lol

You take whichever one you feel like working with.

Training horses is personal. It's you and the horse and the owner.

If you don't want to work with the guy right now or not ever, then you tell him no, or tell him not now because you don't have time.

Then you take the lady and her horse on as a client.

You work for you, when you are a trainer. Therefore, it's important to think about what will make you happy, so you do a good job.

I am offering horse training. I had many people contact me on it so it was really hard what to choose. I had to choose from:

- 2 ponies who were wild who needed to be broke to be kid safe

- 3 horses who need work on loping (will take in one at a time or only 2)

- horses on a ranch who need work from being just started to working on a certain disipline

The first one who contacted me was this man who had the 2 ponies who were wild and need to be broke to kid safe. The last one was the horses on the ranch.

Anyways, I really wanted to work with the 2 ponies personally but the guy said he would bring them down in August and I needed to start training in July. So I told the lady I will take in a horse and she brought her gelding here. Ponies are still coming down in August. I never talked to the person again about the ranch horses as I was rude and actually forgot to call him back weeks ago.

Go with the person who contacted you first, it's fair. But if you really want to work with the lady's horses, do it! (:

I would say go with what best suits you, training 2 horses a new rider with her new horses and doing all you do now is going to be WAY hard, unless you change your schedule to evolve around this. Ground work isn't as time consuming just because you don't need to spend a long time on it daily. so whatever is best for you. I would personally go with the woman with the 2 horses, just because it will give you more money in your pocket and maybe just give her like 2 hours every Saturday in the evening for her horses and her. :) hope I semi helped

Do you feel one needs more help than the other? If so go with that one, but if not then go with the one that'll be shortest time consuming with the most or better results for the time spent. Ed. supernaturalwildcat@yahoo.com

I recon how ever needs the most work