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Todd on Dry Ruff at the Sunflower
Slide Futurity in Kansas |
Todd Martin didn’t start out in a horse training family but to look
at his life today and hear him speak about what he’s learned, he sure
made up for it. Todd and Taumi Martin live in La Vernia, TX where they and
operate their training facility. Readers of this paper will be familiar with
his columns on showing and training. He specializes in reining, showing at
AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association) & NRHA (National Reining Horse
Association) events and maintains a training barn of 12 to 15 clients’
horses with the help of assistant Ginny Phipps.
“If I wasn’t happy in my home life, though,” Martin points
out, “it’d reflect in my training and showing.” That serves
as the cornerstone of his work. From there, he reflected that his chosen line
of work has allowed him to meet people and horses from all areas of the globe.
One weekend, Martin was surprised to realize that he had quite an international
group at his facility as he looked around and was surrounded by some clients
from Mexico, a person from each Denmark and Sweden and an apprentice from
Brazil. Currently a budding trainer from Israel is knocking on his door to
learn under him This year he has performed three clinics in Europe, two in
Mexico and several in the area for Purina’s HOW (Horse Owners’
Workshops) program. The industry has given so much to him, Martin said and
he wants to give back.
Martin attributes much of his success to the opening of doors by other reining
greats who have been generous with their knowledge and time, folks like Craig
Johnson and Steve Archer. The atmosphere within the reining industry is generally
a very healthy one, Martin explained. Folks are eager to support and learn
from each other, no matter how accomplished they already are. In the show
pen, Martin said, he and Steve Archer may just prior to competing but they
also share a mutually beneficial relationship in which each shares their knowledge
with one another. Since Archer has had a long multitude of years in the industry,
that means he’s connected with many more horses and training issues,
Martin said. The two men compare notes frequently, a fact that Martin greatly
appreciates. Or Archer may see Martin use a technique that he might have forgotten
about and that serves as a “refresher” for Archer, too.
Prior to becoming a fulltime trainer, ten years ago, Martin was finishing
up college in agricultural and animal science,
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Todd conducting a Reining Clinic
in Sweden. |
and then worked as an aircraft mechanic. He credits an ag teacher he had
in high school at Marion named Jimmy Missildine as a large influence in his
life. That teacher “made me apply myself,” Martin asserts. Although
he had had horses as a kid, Martin largely trail rode and not much else back
then. Before he turned pro, he knew he had to seek out more knowledge, so
he called such reining greats as Craig Johnson and Brent Loeske who invited
him to travel to north Texas, where Martin spent many weekends building his
knowledge and ability. Martin learns all he can from other trainers and continuously
avails himself to a program of “continuing education” as he makes
sure to expand his knowledge from other sources. He feels he has an obligation
to pass on this knowledge too.
Sometimes, he admits, he feels he has an obligation to the horses too, to
make their owners more knowledgeable as to how to ride them.
One of the biggest thrills he gets from training is taking a young horse,
anywhere from two to six or seven years of age, and molding the horse all
the way up to having confidence not only at home but in the show pen as well.
Martin aptly points out that it makes little sense to spend all the effort,
time and money on good training if the horse is not able to handle itself
at shows as well—“the one spot where it counts the most.”
He judges whether a client should extend the training period but usually,
a finished horse takes two years. He does not like to rush the development
of a horse, though, as mentally overfacing a horse or pushing it when the
animal is too fatigued can lead to injury and nervousness. “Each animal
is an individual,” Martin said and he is careful not to hurry the process
along simply because of the attraction of large purses.
Reining events are not constrained by requiring a particular breed or pedigree
of horse, though. It is a performance rated event—Morgans, Arabs, paints,
and grade horses all are welcome as well as Quarter horses, of course. Futurity
winners are age three and have large purses in that category. Then there are
the Derby winners, also calibrated by ages four, five or six. Horses older
than six can compete for further honors and purses (of as much as over $100,000)
in the World games and FEI Olympic events. Annually there is the NRBC (National
Reining Breeders’ Classic) in Katy, TX, with its $60,000 purse for the
championship winner. Martin has recently competed in two futurities where
he had top ten finishes on Royal Dunit in Gold. He now has his sites set on
the Southwest Reining Horse Futurity, as well as the NRHA Futurity aboard
Dry Ruf. The whole industry fosters longevity in a horse’s career.
Martin points out that unlike dressage, with its progressively complex and
staggered demands, reining patterns in competition ask for all the maneuvers
from the beginning—the spins, sliding stops, changes in speed and collection.
On breeding, Martin stated he hoped clients would be mindful that the quality
of the mare is equally as important as a big name stallion and that they would
feel compelled to campaign their mares as well. Simply because a horse may
be an “own son” (direct descent) of a top stallion such as Hollywood
Dun It, Magnum’s Chic Dream, or Wimpy’s Little Step, for instance,
does not ensure it will command top dollar or be an outperformer in the show
pen. Those progeny that stem also from a quality mare, a mare that has proven
herself to be a top producer of athletic and winning horses and perhaps has
a stellar show record herself, deservedly get the higher sales prices, Martin
asserts. “Then you are no longer gambling,” he explains. “You
are investing.” Case in point: Last year, at auction, he saw a two-year-old
colt by Gray Starlite go for a $125,000 sales price because the dam was outstanding
as well.
As for the future, Martin fully intends to be training and showing while in
his 60’s and 70’s. He’s in for the long haul. He plans to
keep his facility the same size, while fostering a quality client base and
aiming for his own world championship titles. And, he plans to keep on giving
back, to see that his assistant trainer, Ginny Phipps, and others be given
the same opportunities and open doors that he’s been given.
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Todd aborad Royal Dunit in Gold
at the Sunflower Slide Futurity in Kansas |
Martin can be reached at: his home, 210-667-9300, cell 210-825-1114, email
todd@toddmartin.net or web; www.toddmartin.net. Also, log on to www.power-dose.com/todd
to register to win a free clinic with Todd.
