12/23/2025
Here’s something you don’t hear much about from trainers:
I’ve had to put several horses down, in my time. Some were my own and others were to help friends out. Every one of them needed it to be relieved from some form of agony.
Today I had to put another horse down. But this was different. It was a client horse I’d only had for a few days. She was bucking around the round pen, first time feeling the cinch snug (which isn’t uncommon for a first saddling), and kicked a back leg through the rails and snapped her femur. If you know anything about horses you know a broken leg is a guaranteed death sentence.
Of all the horses I put down in the past I’ve gotten emotional over 2 or 3 of them (maybe). I know that sounds callus, but I’m a very logical person and I know the horse is going to be better off when it’s gone.
I got pretty damned emotional over this one, even though I had no particular feelings toward this horse yet. Was it the guilt of losing someone else’s investment? Was it the fact that she was a big beautiful filly that had, what looked to be, a bright future? Was it that she was my responsibility to keep safe, sound, and healthy and I failed? Had I just hit my breaking point?
Who knows?
Heres what I do know:
I’ve lost 2 other client horses in my 18 years of riding for the public. I’ve taken all 3 losses VERY personally. I feel tons of guilt toward the owners, and the horses, even though their deaths weren’t really preventable. It’s the kind of thing that makes a guy want to just hang up his spurs and get a job in town. As a horse trainer you work ungodly hours every day, fighting the elements, busting your ass to make nice horses for other people. You spend several hours a day on the phone coordinating with/updating clients and you don’t get any days off, ESPECIALLY not the weekends, whis is when you have to catch up on everything that didn’t get done during the week. All the while dealing with sicknesses, lamenesses, bad attitudes, dangerous behavior, and, unfortunately, sometimes death. So why keep doing it?
This is why:
One client that brought me a mean, miserable, tough minded filly this last year is now SAFELY kicking ass in the barrels on her. Another horse I started a few years back has won her owners thousands of dollars in the barrel racing and a trailer at a team roping. These are just a couple quick examples that instantly come to mind. I get calls, texts, and fb post tags, on a weekly basis updating me about how the horses I’ve ridden are making their owners lives better in one way or another. The list goes on. I don’t say any of this to sound boastful, because it’s really nothing to brag about, it’s simply my “why” to keep going. I get to teach young horses how to be good citizens and make ornery horses happy for a living. I’m blessed beyond words to do what I do.
Horse training is a great way to raise a family and make a living, but it’s not for the faint of heart! Today was extra hard. There will be more hard days ahead if I’m going to keep doing this for a living. There will be more heartache, frustration and pain. However, the losses and the hardships will never overshadow the hundreds and thousands of horses that transform in their time here.
If you’re a horse trainer, and going through the rough times, keep your chin up and keep pushing forward. You’re not alone! Remind yourself of all the good you’ve done for your horses AND customers. Don’t let the hard times overshadow all the good. Heaven knows it’s easy to do. Especially on days like today.
