Almost all of the comments that are received on this blog are published. I only make a few rare exceptions and mostly that is to filter spam or advertising. I recently got a comment on the Canada blog post section. It was about a trainer and boarding stable owner. It was very detailed. I was going to approve it when I saw the "by line" was by "admin." Since I did not write it, I thought that it should not be published since the author did not put a name to their comment but tried to make it sound like it was my comment. Sorry "admin" but you will have to try that one again. Google also placed that comment in my "spam" section so maybe something is wrong with it to begin with.
If you are reading this, "admin," next time you write about that trainer, could you please put a link to the lawsuit you mentioned? That would add credence to your claims.
How to locate the wrong or right horse professional
Are you one of those people who seem to never find the right person to work with your horse? Is it the wrong trainer, farrier or vet? Never fear a new website has popped up just for you. Touted as a place to find the right horse professional instead of the wrong one, it will guide you to your dream trainer, vet or farrier......for a fee. That's right you have to join their little club to see what's behind door number 1. That website is called Rate My Horse PRO and it is being discussed on various message boards and blogs.
I first heard about the website back in June 2010 and it was just in its planning stages then. I had my doubts about the website but thought, hey this is a good idea. I thought it would be run like the BBB of the horse world....but I was wrong.
If you go to the website and click on trainers, it has a pop up which shows a list of trainers (why does it always show the wrong state for me I am not sure) then if you click on "go to PRO finder" takes you to a sign up page where you have to pay $5 just to see if the trainer you are trying to look up is even listed on the website. I was curious about a horse trainer in a neighboring state but I was not about to pay $5 just to see if they were even listed. Of course there is no telling if the website has horse trainers that sign up just to give glowing reviews about themselves. Let's face it I don't like having to be a "member" just to get information on a business.
Here is something from their FAQ page:
"What is the verification process?
A one time verification fee of $5 will apply to pay for this safe and secure process to ensure the ratings are accurate and reliable."
HOW IN THE HECK DOES $5 ENSURE ACCURATE AND RELIABLE RATINGS!!!
That is what I want to know. Money does not breed honesty.
Another item from their FAQ page:
"PROs who are listed on the site should take an active role in reviewing their ratings and inviting current customers to rate them."
Now there is a one sided rating system. I bet they never tell their unhappy customers they are even listed. Of course if the website is behind "closed doors" the trainer's listing and information is also hidden from Google so it will never show up in searches.
This is also from their website on their Terms of Use page, and quite frankly is a little scary:
"8. FEES
By registering on the Site, you are authorizing us to bill you in accordance with the fee schedule, and to automatically deduct one-time, monthly, annual, or other periodic fees from your credit card as set forth therein. Fees will not be pro-rated. You may terminate your registration by sending an email request to terminate to service@ratemyhorsepro.com. Please allow 30 days for termination to take effect. If you elect to make payments on the Service using a credit card, you hereby authorize us and any of our processors to charge all amounts owed as a result of your use of the Service to the credit card you provide us. You assume all responsibility for notifying us of changes in credit card numbers and/or expiration dates. We may also require a secondary credit card number to be used only if the payment to us by your primary credit card is declined. You shall additionally be responsible for and shall immediately pay us, on demand, any payments that are made to us that are subject to a subsequent reversal or chargeback. You represent and warrant that the credit card information supplied to us is true, correct, and complete, that that payments made by you will be honored by your credit card company, and that you shall pay for all charges incurred through use of your login credential. You are solely responsible for payment of all sales and other taxes arising from your use and access of the Service."
Now didn't they just mention a one time $5 sign up fee on their FAQ page? So what is this part about a fee schedule?
Has anyone used this website yet? I know that many people plan on steering clear of it (via message boards I have read) because they require a membership fee and the fact the information is hidden. If you have joined I would be curious to hear about your experiences with the website.
I first heard about the website back in June 2010 and it was just in its planning stages then. I had my doubts about the website but thought, hey this is a good idea. I thought it would be run like the BBB of the horse world....but I was wrong.
If you go to the website and click on trainers, it has a pop up which shows a list of trainers (why does it always show the wrong state for me I am not sure) then if you click on "go to PRO finder" takes you to a sign up page where you have to pay $5 just to see if the trainer you are trying to look up is even listed on the website. I was curious about a horse trainer in a neighboring state but I was not about to pay $5 just to see if they were even listed. Of course there is no telling if the website has horse trainers that sign up just to give glowing reviews about themselves. Let's face it I don't like having to be a "member" just to get information on a business.
Here is something from their FAQ page:
"What is the verification process?
A one time verification fee of $5 will apply to pay for this safe and secure process to ensure the ratings are accurate and reliable."
HOW IN THE HECK DOES $5 ENSURE ACCURATE AND RELIABLE RATINGS!!!
That is what I want to know. Money does not breed honesty.
Another item from their FAQ page:
"PROs who are listed on the site should take an active role in reviewing their ratings and inviting current customers to rate them."
Now there is a one sided rating system. I bet they never tell their unhappy customers they are even listed. Of course if the website is behind "closed doors" the trainer's listing and information is also hidden from Google so it will never show up in searches.
This is also from their website on their Terms of Use page, and quite frankly is a little scary:
"8. FEES
By registering on the Site, you are authorizing us to bill you in accordance with the fee schedule, and to automatically deduct one-time, monthly, annual, or other periodic fees from your credit card as set forth therein. Fees will not be pro-rated. You may terminate your registration by sending an email request to terminate to service@ratemyhorsepro.com. Please allow 30 days for termination to take effect. If you elect to make payments on the Service using a credit card, you hereby authorize us and any of our processors to charge all amounts owed as a result of your use of the Service to the credit card you provide us. You assume all responsibility for notifying us of changes in credit card numbers and/or expiration dates. We may also require a secondary credit card number to be used only if the payment to us by your primary credit card is declined. You shall additionally be responsible for and shall immediately pay us, on demand, any payments that are made to us that are subject to a subsequent reversal or chargeback. You represent and warrant that the credit card information supplied to us is true, correct, and complete, that that payments made by you will be honored by your credit card company, and that you shall pay for all charges incurred through use of your login credential. You are solely responsible for payment of all sales and other taxes arising from your use and access of the Service."
Now didn't they just mention a one time $5 sign up fee on their FAQ page? So what is this part about a fee schedule?
Has anyone used this website yet? I know that many people plan on steering clear of it (via message boards I have read) because they require a membership fee and the fact the information is hidden. If you have joined I would be curious to hear about your experiences with the website.
Check out that trainer
A recent comment on the horse trainers post listed under Colorado prompted me to write this post. That comment dealt with the issue of sexual abuse of teenagers by male horse trainers. The number one thing a parent should NEVER do is leave their kids with a stranger and yes someone hired to train your horse or give your child riding lessons is a stranger. They are not friends but people offering a service for pay. These are not people you choose to hang out with on your days off, they are professionals, you are paying for them to do a service. You would not leave your toddler alone with the plumber while you went shopping so why drop your kids off at the horse trainer?
If the trainer goes out of their way to get you to leave the child with them while you go on a quick errand - THAT IS A RED FLAG. Also ask to see if the trainer has had a background check done on themselves since they teach children. Most states require sports coaches to have passed a background check and last time I looked, horseback riding is a sport.
To be safe run a background check on the horse trainer yourself. You don't want to find out that the horse trainer has a list of thefts or sex abuse in their past. After all they might also want to steal your horse too.
Lastly if you do find out that your child was a victim (like the comment under the Colorado posts) PRESS CHARGES! For heaven sakes don't let the scum bag continue to do this to others.
If the trainer goes out of their way to get you to leave the child with them while you go on a quick errand - THAT IS A RED FLAG. Also ask to see if the trainer has had a background check done on themselves since they teach children. Most states require sports coaches to have passed a background check and last time I looked, horseback riding is a sport.
To be safe run a background check on the horse trainer yourself. You don't want to find out that the horse trainer has a list of thefts or sex abuse in their past. After all they might also want to steal your horse too.
Lastly if you do find out that your child was a victim (like the comment under the Colorado posts) PRESS CHARGES! For heaven sakes don't let the scum bag continue to do this to others.
A few words to horse owners about neglect
Since posting the recent comments to the side bar, I think that the readership has gone up on this little PITA blog. Yep, it is a PITA to those nasty horse trainers that should not even be around horses, much less getting paid to train them. Now I would like to say a few words to those horse owners that are weekend riders or seem to think that having a horse at a boarding stable is the answer to their prayers.
If you own a horse YOU should be the one that is doing most of the training. You know your horse better than anyone. Of course that means daily attention to that horse and not just a quick ride on the weekends. This is where those horse trainers are taking people on that rip off train. They offer a quick fix to an on going problem - the neglected horse. A horse cannot stay in a stall 24/7 or even a paddock and expect to be an angel when taken out even for a quick walk on a lead line. They are a big animal that in the wild roam for miles in one day. The horse needs to get an adequate amount of exercise DAILY not just when the owner has the time or feel like it. That will take more than an hour at the barn each day so plan on at least 2 hours per day per horse. If you don't have the time then do the horse a favor and become an ex-horse owner. Most new horse owners underestimate the amount of time needed to properly take care of a horse each day and I am not talking about mucking out the stalls or feeding, I am talking about handling, ground work, free exercise, grooming, manners and if time allows - riding or driving. That does not include daily medical attention should the horse become sick or injured.
Neglect on the part of a horse owner is what is making those horse trainers on TV millions of dollars. Instead of buying one of their videos or going to one of their seminars, spend that time with your horse.
If you own a horse YOU should be the one that is doing most of the training. You know your horse better than anyone. Of course that means daily attention to that horse and not just a quick ride on the weekends. This is where those horse trainers are taking people on that rip off train. They offer a quick fix to an on going problem - the neglected horse. A horse cannot stay in a stall 24/7 or even a paddock and expect to be an angel when taken out even for a quick walk on a lead line. They are a big animal that in the wild roam for miles in one day. The horse needs to get an adequate amount of exercise DAILY not just when the owner has the time or feel like it. That will take more than an hour at the barn each day so plan on at least 2 hours per day per horse. If you don't have the time then do the horse a favor and become an ex-horse owner. Most new horse owners underestimate the amount of time needed to properly take care of a horse each day and I am not talking about mucking out the stalls or feeding, I am talking about handling, ground work, free exercise, grooming, manners and if time allows - riding or driving. That does not include daily medical attention should the horse become sick or injured.
Neglect on the part of a horse owner is what is making those horse trainers on TV millions of dollars. Instead of buying one of their videos or going to one of their seminars, spend that time with your horse.
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