Good Horsemanship is good horsemanship. Period. Is that subjective? Yep. If one is talking about what *human* is the trainer its very subjective. 
So, instead, look at it from the horse’s point of view. Would you like to be ‘that horse’ with ‘that trainer’ ? Horses know how to behave and act. They can already *do* what we think we’re ‘training’ them to do. We don’t do anything except try to relay to the horse our cues … and what they mean. We try to form a mutually understandable language between the two of us. So think in terms of *teaching* a horse instead of training one. Every horse has a different, unique personality with his or her own way of learning. Of course there are generalities within that scope. But then its individualized from there with each horse.
So, instead, look at it from the horse’s point of view. Would you like to be ‘that horse’ with ‘that trainer’ ? Horses know how to behave and act. They can already *do* what we think we’re ‘training’ them to do. We don’t do anything except try to relay to the horse our cues … and what they mean. We try to form a mutually understandable language between the two of us. So think in terms of *teaching* a horse instead of training one. Every horse has a different, unique personality with his or her own way of learning. Of course there are generalities within that scope. But then its individualized from there with each horse.
If you’re considering a specific trainer then ask yourself if you’d like being that trainer’s horse-‘student’? If that ‘trainer’ is a good teacher? Watch and feel how other horses respond to that trainer. There’s no need to force horses and there’s no need to cause fear when training. Both are totally detrimental to the horse’s learning. If you know of someone who uses that particular trainer, watch and feel his or her horse.
Horses will always let us know what’s good and ‘bad’. Better to listen the them than barn/stable gossip.
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