05/01/2026
There is so much I could say here relating to coaching with lesson horses and providing a facility etc etc etc ā¦.
Itās a tough industry but rewarding!š
-Coach Deanna
C**T STARTER SALARY BREAKDOWN
Letās actually break down what the average c**t starter makes, risks, and deals with.
$1,000.00 Ć· 30 Days = $33.33 per Day
Now letās break that down further...
That $33.33 isn't just the time spent riding or training on the ground. It includes:
⢠Catching, handling, grooming
⢠Tacking up & untacking
⢠Training (Mental & Physical)
⢠Warming up, cooling down, care before & after
⢠Taking time to monitor soundness, behavior, & progress
And thatās BEFORE we talk about what they donāt get paid for:
⢠Tack (that constantly wears out)
⢠Shavings & bedding ($7.00 a bag)
⢠Barn maintenance & cleaning
⢠Fly spray, shampoo, daily care supplies
⢠Power bills, facility costs, rent, etc.
⢠Fence/Stall repairs, broken boards, bent gates, broken buckets, wear and tear
⢠Feed store runs, vet & farrier schedules
Now letās go a step furtherā¦
Some trainers include feed & hay in with the $1,000. for 30 days
That can easily take $400. out of the $1,000.
Now youāre looking at --> $600. for 30 days = $20. per day... NOT per ride --> EACH DAY
And we STILL havenāt factored in:
⢠Cleaning stalls
⢠Daily feeding
⢠Hauling & errands
⢠Time it takes to do repairs
⢠Book work, billing, scheduling, etc
⢠Time spent thinking through your horseās progress and figuring out what's best for each horse.
Now the BIGGEST one... The RISK involved:
⢠Young, immature, unpredictable horses
⢠Getting hurt = No paycheck, no way to pay the bills or provide for the family
⢠Not being told the full story on a horse
⢠Reputation damage from unrealistic expectations & not being able to make certain clients happy no matter how truthful or hard you try for them and their horse.
And yet... we wonder why itās so hard to find a good c**t starter?
The truth is... most of the good ones arenāt out there because it's a job where theyāre underpaid, under appreciated, over stressed, and over worked.
Yes, for the really good c**t starters who's still out there taking in outside horses... it is a passion for them, but the reality is... they have to survive and be able to use their body to make a living.
So when youāre price shopping⦠Youāre not just paying for 30 days. Youāre paying for:
⢠Year's of experience
⢠Knowledgeable feel, timing, and balance
⢠The understanding of listening to each individual horse & working with each one as needed.
⢠Safety for you & your horse
⢠A foundation that can add YEARS to your horseās future & save you lots of time, stress, heartbreak, and money
Cheap training doesnāt stay cheap. It usually shows up later⦠In retraining, soundness, or a horse that never reaches its potential.
Iām not sharing this to complain. I love my job, and I love the amazing people who step forward and give me the opportunity to work with them and their horse. This is my passion!
I'm sharing this because this industry doesnāt talk about it enough. If we want better horses, better trainers, and a stronger industryā¦
We have to start valuing what actually goes into it. At the end of the day, weāre all here for one reason... THE HORSE.
Post credit & copied from: Jeremy Anglin