The Appalachian Trainer Face Off feature Trainer: Mike Hurst of Mike Hurst Horsemanship

HOP has asked each of the trainers taking part this year to tell YOU about themselves. We asked for some of their personal favorite photos to share with you, as well.

Mike is our first feature, and we will share more trainers as they get their photos and write ups to us.

We encourage you to Share these trainers, like their pages and keep them in mind whenever you are looking for training, lessons and/or a clinician for an event. We recommend and everyone of these awesome folks

So, Kicking this off, From Mike:

“I started training horses in 2001 for myself after leaving the army and buying a farm. I bought un-started horses because they were cheap, and I could start them myself. I had no idea that there would be no turning back from this point. I began reading about training and watching videos. I picked up on things quite easily and couldn’t feed my desire to learn fast enough. Friends started asking for help and later people starting offering money for my help. I realized that horses were helping me more than I was helping them. Horses were so honest, forgiving and comforting. They have given me a sense of purpose by allowing me to enter their lives. I have had some success getting horses to operate cooperatively with me and for my clients; horses fill in the gaps for my lack of ability to communicate with them. Horses will give you their all if you just ask.

I start around 60 horses a year at my place in Philippi, WV. Every horse is different and will teach you something new. I feel honored to work with horses. My dad was a horseman when I was a tiny child. I can barely remember those days. Horses were a luxury in WV when I was growing up. This was a poor state with no industry, but I always wanted to be around horses. I feel blessed to be in the presents of horses of all breeds, shapes and sizes.”

Thank you for sharing, Mike, and ya’ll please follow his journey that will begin with an unstarted TB mare who comes to us tomorrow from Kentucky Equine Humane following Paladin’s inability to compete due to lameness. Mike has a been a heck of a sport!