A Trainers Nightmare

I was working my for a trainer in small Texas town in the early 80s. I was hired as the assistant trainer, and my job at the time was mostly to start colts and get 60 days on them. There were a lot of 3 year olds to start. Not only did they the trainer have a lot of 3 year olds, but he had a lot of young horses that belonged to his clients.

One of his clients was a really fat guy who owned a large trucking company, but the guy was a real tight wad and he owned a really old pick up and a really old straight load 2 horse trailer.

One day he brought in a 3 year old mare that had never been handled and they had to run through a chute to get her loaded into this shitty trailer.

I hate to be judgemental here, but this guy was an idiot! But he paid on time and that was what was important.

When the horse arrived at the facility, I was told to go help unload the mare, get her in the barn. So I walked my happy ass out to the drive way and fat trucker told me that he did not have a but chain on the horse and that the mare was not tied in the trailer. He told me to that he would go get the lead rope and hook it to the halter and let me know when I could unlatch and open the door.

Fat trucker fucker opened the feed door, hooked the lead rope and told me to unlatch the door. As soon as he heard me unlatch the door, he waved his arms at the mare and yelled HA!

The door was not open yet, and as soon as the mare heard HA she came running backwards and the corner of the trailer door whacked me in the nose breaking it. There was blood everywhere!

I was stunned but somehow managed to hang onto the lead rope and get the mare into the barn.

I was told to go to the doctor so I did. All they could do was tape my nose and give me some Tylenol.

I went back to work the 2 days later and was told that the mare that broke my nose was waiting to be started by me. Shit! But since I had a nose job, I could wait a few weeks.

Two weeks I was feeling well enough to get this mare started. I got her going and was well into a 14Th day on this mare when Fat trucker came by to see her progress. I got on the mare in the arena and walked her around, loped her some and stopped her and did a few turns on her. Fat Trucker was impressed and came out to pet the mare while I was on her. When her reached for her face, she through her head in the air and whacked me in the nose re breaking it.......

I have become somewhat cynical over the years about horse people, not just owners, but trainers as well. I have seen some of the dumbest mistakes get made and have made a few of my own. I have learned that the horse business is no place for egos, though there are plenty out there. It only takes one idiot to get someone hurt.

I have also come to realize that the last thing I want to hear from any prospective client is "He never did that at home".