Ep 190: Optimizing Your Training Schedule for Success
This week’s episode is inspired by a topic request from Sloan Smith in Alberta, Canada. Sloan worked for me at our training facility in Oklahoma for about 3 years and he and his wife, Stacey, now own and operate a successful performance horse training program in Alberta. His topic request was:
“Which horse do you ride first each day? Do you like to start with your easiest set of horses first, or your more challenging ones?”
This is an excellent topic request because it ultimately ties back to, what I believe to be, one of the most important aspects of being a professional trainer and managing your business–working smarter.
The business of horse training is a thinking game. It is a career path that can be mentally and physically taxing, but incredibly rewarding if managed in the right way. Over the years, I have experimented with my system for training and managing multiple horses at a time, and these are some of the best practices I have found work for me.
Breaking Horses into Groups
When I am maxed out with my roster of customer horses, I like to break my horses into smaller groups to rotate through as the week progresses. Depending on how much time I have to dedicate to my training, this may look like rotating to one set of horses in the morning and another set in the afternoon; or, this may look like riding one set Monday, Wednesday, Friday and another set Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. This system has worked well for me for a few different reasons.
It allows me to manage my time with each horse more efficiently because I break my workload into more manageable intervals.
It allows my horses to rest, think and absorb the fundamentals we worked on between training sessions.
It provides my horses some time to experience being saddled, tied up, and learning patience while I am working the other set of horses.
I typically start the week riding my most challenging set of horses in the morning (the B-team), then switching to my more advanced horses (the A-team) later in the day. Once I have the B-team dialed in, responsive, and softened up, I will shift my schedule and start my day with the A-team. The reason I do this is, by Thursday or Friday, I am typically more fatigued and sore, and I know I am not at my peak first thing in the morning. So, I will shift my schedule and start with my “easier” horses. This starts my day off on a good note so that I have the energy and motivation to tackle the more challenging set of horses in the afternoon.
Creating a Patient Learning Environment
To maximize your horse's learning potential, it's essential to ensure that you, as the trainer, are in the right mindset. For me, staying in the right mindset requires me to set my training schedule up in a way that allows me to be patient, communicate effectively, and give my horses time to explore and understand the responses I’m asking for. I have to ensure that I am in a mindset that is conducive to each horse having a great learning environment.
The Rule of Thirds
Someone once told me about the “rule of thirds” in life, which is designed to communicate that preparation encompasses highs and lows. This theory states that one-third of the time you will be excelling, one-third you will be facing challenges, and one-third you will be experiencing average results. Realizing that perfection is not the expectation is a game changer for how I approach my training schedule. By enduring the less desirable periods, I am paving the way for those periods of my training schedule where my horses are thriving–where they are thinking and progressing their skills at a pace that I am confident in.
Picking Your Battles
Our horses often mirror our own attitudes and leadership. If you're feeling mentally fragile on a particular day, it's best to avoid riding a horse in a similar state. Instead, choose a horse you know you can succeed with—one that trusts your leadership, exudes confidence, and is aligned with your training program.
This topic request ultimately comes back to understanding yourself mentally and setting yourself up to be as efficient as you can be. Being a successful trainer is all a thinking game–it’s about working smarter, not harder. Look for patterns in your own performance, both physical and mental, and see how you can use those patterns to your advantage.
“Be Your Best Horsemanship” is brought to you by Silver Lining Herbs, Classic Equine, Martin Saddlery, Better Horses Network, Purina, Healthycoat, CINCH, Starbar, and Clarifly. These brands have been part of the Phil Haugen Horsemanship team for many years, and their products continue to play an integral role in the success of our performance horse training program. To support these brands, visit our Sponsors tab.
