Honesty in the equine community is a touchy subject. We all claim to be in it for the horses, not for the money, but truth be known, we all gotta eat. But somehow we’ve twisted the meaning of “an honest horseman”.
Being an honest horseman is telling the entirety of the story, whether it costs you a client, a sale, or a paycheck. Being an honest horseman isn’t holding back the little details because “it only happened once” or “it wasn’t a big deal”. As trainers, we need to know everything about a horse to fully utilize our skills and create a safe and sane horse for someone else. As sellers, we need to be clear about a horse’s abilities and temperament so as not to put a less experienced rider in danger. As instructors, we need to not sugarcoat our lessons and make sure our riders aren’t developing bad habits that could put them or their horse in harm’s way.
Here at Helms Hill Farms, we value honesty and openness with our clients. We won’t tell you your colt is kid safe after 30 days of training. We won’t tell you that flashy horse would make a great barrel horse (even though his top speed is walk) because it would put money in our pockets.
We will happily help you find a horse that is suited to your abilities, help you train a horse for your discipline, or sell a horse that just isn’t the right fit. Please contact us if we can help you today!