Most of your horse’s training is done by doing some sort of job; day work, riding outside, trailing cows, roping, sorting, opening and closing gates, giving the horse something to do as we are teaching them, not just repeating a pattern in the arena.

How much do you charge?

The horse training service is $500 for the "Foundation for Perfection" instilled in your horse.  You are not necessarily paying for specific rides, but rather for the “Foundation for Perfection” and the specific components in it.  Within reason, if your horse needs to be ridden more than a month to instill the Foundation, they will be.  They will not be ridden less than 1 month.  Hay and board expenses are on top of the training fee.  If you wish to bring your own hay you can, if not, it is $50 per month, and a $50 per month boarding fee. Half the money is due at the start of training and half the money is due at the middle of each month’s training. 

 What are you going to do with my horse?

Your horse will learn the "Foundation for Perfection" and then build on the foundation by doing jobs.  The 1st month is about setting the foundation for perfection, and the 2nd month is about using jobs to build the foundation.  The longer you leave your horse, the more they will learn.  At the end of the 1st month (unless your horse came with major issues) some of the things your horse will be able to do are: a simple reining pattern, accept a rope, open and shut gates, and start to neck rein.  The 2nd month will incorporate jobs to build on the foundation, cow working and roping, and going to brandings in Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada (depending on the time of year).  No matter what time of year, if you leave your horse longer than a month they will do lots of roping.  With any horse, some of the riding will be done inside a round pen/arena, but a great deal of the riding will be outside.  They will spend very little time in a round pen.

Will you help me learn with my horse?

Through the "Foundation for Perfection" program, your horse will learn to ride with “willing submission” (after initial cue the horse performs the task on a loose rein with no leg pressure).  However, you may not be used to riding a horse that expects to be your “willing partner.”  Many people expect to ride a horse much like they would ride a 4-wheeler. If you are looking for someone to numb and dumb your horse down so that they are an "unwilling slave," Training for the Cross is probably not the place for you.  If you are interested in learning how to ride with the philosophies passed down from Tom Dorrrence and Ray Hunt, we would love to help you and your horse.  Part of the "Foundation for Perfection" is not only teaching your horse how to operate in it, but teaching you as well.  After your horse has learned the foundation, we want to ride with you a minimum of 1 to 3 times to make sure that you and your horse leave on a path of success.     

If you want to contact us about having your horse trained, please fill out the "Contact Form" found at the top, upper right of this page.   

Other Services - Hoof and Teeth Care

Upon request, we can have your horse shod (cost = $65).  If you choose, we will have their teeth examined and the basic dental procedures done (if they need it).  To get the most out of your training, we highly suggest that you have their teeth examined.  If you do this before they come to Training for the Cross, make sure your horse gets a “performance float” with a “bit seat.”  This insures that the horse does not have any sharp points on their teeth cutting into the soft tissues of their mouth when contact is made with the bit.  Getting the proper dental work done also sets a wear pattern in your horse so that they will live a long and healthy life.  If money is tight we would much rather you have the dental work done than put shoes on them.  They can be ridden on soft ground, but sharp points and the presence of wolf teeth greatly limit over all productivity in training.  You will get the most out of each ride if your horse’s teeth are healthy.  Most horses are farther along in 15 rides with proper dental care, than in 20 or some times even 30 rides with severe teeth problems.  It’s hard to teach a horse to be soft, if the bit is inflicting pain in their mouth.

 

Discipleship Training Introduction

Every client with Training for the Cross will get both of Wade's books "Returning to Eden:  True Unity and Willing Communication," and "Foundation for Perfection: A Guide to Discipleship." In these books Wade explains his training methods and why he does what he does with a horse. 

Training for the Cross offers two services:  1) A horse training service, and 2) A discipleship training service.  The two are only mixed if the client wants them to be.  "God has given me a gift and I will share it with anyone that wants to hear it.  However, I have absolutely no desire to force the gift of my reality on anyone else.  It is a gift; you don’t force gifts, you just offer them.  If you are just interested in getting your horse started I am not here to push my beliefs down your throat.  You can receive one service without the other." ~Wade Black

 

Wade Black's unique background and experiences as the son of Martin Black, and the grandson of Ray Hunt, have shaped his horse training methods and his overall philosophy. His book "Returning to Eden - True Unity & Willing Communication" details his horse training program called the "Foundation for Perfection" and his spiritual journey along the way.

"This book is what the Lord has shown me, and what I have experienced in my walk with Him while starting colts. I would like to take the horsemanship principles handed down from Tom Dorrance and use them to bring glory to God. Jesus spoke in parables. He taught the people in ways that they would understand like farming, fishing, etc. I work with horses nearly every day, so God has taught me using horse parables. God has taught me using something I could relate to in my own life and I would like to pass it along to you. The parables will probably make the most sense to people that are familiar with horses. However, I believe that even if you aren’t familiar with horses, you will still be able to benefit from the parables." ~Wade Black

Training for the Cross hopes that the horsemanship movement started by Tom Dorrance, and continued by Ray Hunt, would be used to spread the Gospel, and bring people to the Lord. Wade Black has developed a 40-day discipleship program designed to improve your relationship with God. That 40-day program is outlined in his book "Foundation for Perfection: A Guide to Discipleship."

"If you have a horse with a problem and your trainer is worth a hoot, "40 days to the trainer" ought to fix it. If you are a person with a problem, my "trainer" is the best and "40 days to the Trainer" ought to fix it. Treat the next 40 days like you are a horse that God wants to use to do a job. You are entering God’s training program."

"Jesus said, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." If you choose to try the “40 Days to the Trainer” my goal for you is to not learn from me, but learn from the Lord; to be converted as a little child or in the case of the parables, a young horse that God wants to teach to do a job. Some of the toughest horses to start are the ones that have been through a few training programs that were unsuccessful, or developed bad habits. Be converted and start fresh. God wants to teach His children. However, we have to be willing to let Him teach us. " ~Wade Black

Smith Wigglesworth prophesied in the late 1800’s: “In the last days the gospel will be spread by the cowboy…”

God Bless,
Wade Black