Training Day rates

[griff]

day rates, like almost every thing else is a product of supply and demand.

all the good justifications for a rate are meaningless unless there is a demand for that trainer at that rate

and you surely can not "justify" the day rates of the big time trainers with expenses; i.e., it's pure Adam Smith.

Supply and Demand is simple, not simplistic.

griff

[valjoe]

this is one of the biggest mistakes people make, shopping for day rates, day rates are usually an indication of the trainer's ability to win races. A trainer that is "just starting" will be negotiated down by cheap owners with most likely
cheap horses who are less likely to win purse money and reputation for that trainer so he is most likely to start cutting corners on the cheap day rate to get by, which transfers to the horse and respectfully the owner who ends up shooting himself in the foot with that decision,

[griff]

high demand, high rates; low demand, lower rates.

pure Adam Smith and young starters will raise their rates when the demand for their training service goes up.. And that demand will go up if the horses they get perform at or above their grade. It does not make young low day rate trainers bad trainers if they have to start at a low rate and with below average horses in order to attract horses and demonstrate their worth. .

And I don't think it makes an owner a bad owner if he takes advantage of the lower rates of promising young trainers. Hell someone has to give them horses so they can show people they are worth $100 a day.

I suspect most, maybe all, $100 a day trainers started below $50 a day [in today's dollars] . These $100 a day trainers definitely improved with experience and the improved horses success brought to them but they are still the same trainer that started below $50 a day.

I like young eager, low rate trainers for many reasons. One being my horses are not good enough for a $100 a day trainer. Maybe one day, but not this year, and probably not next year.

griff

[madelyn]

When you get down to the cost level, though, a cheaper day rate just means the horse doesn't get the same care and training. That is a self fulfilling prophecy.

[griff]

I don't agree with you on that one Madelyn. Actually quite the opposite in many cases. A big trainer with 50 to 100 horses in training seldom sees those horses, much less has hands on, while a young talented ambitious trainer with 10 horses not only has daily hands on experience with every horses but mucks their stalls.

Not all young getting started trainers are talanted or even smart but ever last one of the very successful ones that are worth every penny of their $100 a day rate did not start out on top.

griff

[griff]

I don't agree with you on that one Madelyn. Actually quite the opposite in many cases. A big trainer with 50 to 100 horses in training seldom sees those horses, much less has hands on, while a young talented ambitious trainer with 10 horses not only has daily hands on experience with every horses but mucks their stalls.

Not all young getting started trainers are talanted or even smart but not one of those very successful ones that are worth every penny of their $100 a day rate started out on top.

Lucy Webb once told me a trainer could either train horses or meet with and talk with owners but few could do both. I like trainers with horse shit on their shoes/boots.

griff

[madelyn]

I am not talking about $100 day rates. I am talking about the bottom rates.

[valjoe]

I don't agree with you on that one Madelyn. Actually quite the opposite in many cases. A big trainer with 50 to 100 horses in training seldom sees those horses, much less has hands on,

griff

Griff you're so wrong about this

[griff]

maybe so, but I still like to see horse shit on my trainer's boots

griff

[Pete]

Hi Valjoe,

I don't agree with you on that one Madelyn. Actually quite the opposite in many cases. A big trainer with 50 to 100 horses in training seldom sees those horses, much less has hands on,

griff

Griff you're so wrong about this

Can you expand on your thought - why you disagree with Griff?

Regards,

Pete

[madelyn]

I have seen shedrows where the trainer is $35-45/day and those horses look it. Rough coats that have not been consistently curried, manes long and in dreadlocks, backbones showing. I have seen others in that same price range and the horses look like the ones in the $75+ a day shedrows, CARE-WISE; glossy coats, neat manes, legs done up, clean stalls, clean buckets, hay done up in nets, etc. No matter what rate you pay, it pays to VISIT. I don't care if a blanket is PATCHED as long as it is sturdy and on my horse when it is cold. In day rates, I believe you get what you pay for as long as you're paying ATTENTION.

[ageecee]

[quote="aurora"]I realize the trainers day rate for big name tracks is going to be higher than for smaller tracts. Anyone want to repond with what the general day rate is for the tracks they are racing at? I'm running in the mid-west and it is approx $50 / day. I'm particularly interested in PA rates.[/quote]





Did you find a trainer in PA? Stay away from Tubby with Renpher.

[karenkarenn]

I disagree with Madelyn, I have been with a higher paying trainer and he didn't and still hasn't given his horses what I would have liked at all. I found a good trainer/he is mid level and hands on.
The price doesn't mean that your going to get QUALITY care for your horse.

[madelyn]

At $35 per day at most locations, you are right at what it costs. The trainer has to win races or not eat. Here, a stall is $7 per day; ex rider is $15 per ride; bedding/feed/supplements/wraps/supplies around $10/day. Some trainers do fine on that because they WIN; others steal the money from the horse. ie: skip the supplements, don't do wraps/clipping, don't send them to the track every day, etc. Under $35 around here, your horse just cannot get what it needs.

[pfrsue]

ex rider is $15 per ride

Slightly off topic, but out of curiosity, how many horses on average will an exercise rider work during a normal day?