Good Horses and Bad Trainers

I recently sent my little Arab to Boise with trainer Mark Birch....He charged me $750 for one month of training and my already-ridden and gentle Arab was supposed to come back ready for trail riding. WRONG! He was returned wild-eyed with horrible mouth sores from a twisted-wire snaffle bit, sores behind his front legs from being manhandled while being trained to keep his head down, bruises on his front hooves, and cuts and scrapes all over his body. This was a GENTLE, sweet horse when he left for Boise! The trainer evidently took a disliking to him because of his Arab personality and decided he would either break him in training or kill him in trying. There are good horse trainers out there, I know. But this one came recommended by my farrier. Talon has lost his wild-eyed look over the past few days and has become more settled down. But he still flinches at sudden movements and is hard to catch. If anyone out there has any advice I would appreciate hearing from you. If you have had an experience with this trainer please share it.

Tribute to Norton Buffalo...September 28, 1951–October 30, 2009