If you’ve ever had your trainer, or farrier, or vet, dismiss or undo what another professional has said or done, you’re not alone. It happens all the time, and while one side might be right and the other wrong, that often isn’t the case. While there is an alarming number of bad trainers, farriers, and even vets out there, this isn’t about them. It’s about how to process the situation when good, smart, competent professionals disagree.
When you hire a professional, you are usually inviting someone into you and your horse’s lives for long-term care. Apart from emergency veterinary and farrier services, your regular trainer, vet, and farrier are there to help you both in the present and into your horse’s future. What that means is that he or she has a process. This process is like a road map to get you where you need to be, or as close as possible. Some professionals may be using a different route, but the destination or goal is the same. Good farriers know a balanced hoof, shaped to support that horse’s unique conformation, is the goal. They just might disagree on the right place to start with a sub-par foot, and might prioritize their steps to get there differently. Good vets know your horse needs to feel good enough to perform to his potential and to fit his discipline, and might have different methods to get you there. The trainer knows your goals and your horse, and will use certain techniques instead of others so you and your horse can get started along a crystal clear path to success without too much extra to muddy the waters (until you are ready). Every professional worth their salt has a program that is born out of their experience, convictions, discipline emphasis, and even personality. All of these factors mean they will not perfectly align with other professionals, but your job is to trust their process until given a reason not to (finding these reasons is a different post for a different time). And when in doubt, asking questions is always helpful in understanding where the professional is taking you!
Everyone wants results right away, but that’s not always possible or even a good idea. When you skip or replace steps in an intentionally laid-out process that has been tailored to fit you and your horse, or when you chronically “shop around,” you may actually be slowing the process at best and impeding progress at worst. Not to mention it can confuse your horse mentally or physiologically (unless you yourself have a clear program you’re sticking to and you’re just looking for tips here and there). Some programs are consistent with each other and some aren’t. When they aren’t, switching it up all the time is like changing your routes constantly on a road trip. That adds time, might even get you lost, and you aren’t likely to get where you want any time soon. The path that fits your style and your horse’s needs is the best for you, regardless of if other professionals disagree with it. Try to find a process worth sticking to, and stay the course for as long as it’s beneficial.
-Sarah