Ricky Noiseux of Noiseux Show Horses

Tell us a little about your business?

 My wife Jessica and I founded our own business in December of last year. We specialize in training and showing quarter horses. We do everything from colt breaking, western pleasure, hunter under saddle, amateur and open all around events.

What were some challenges that you faced when you opened Noiseux Show Horses?

Gaining the confidence to make the leap is challenging. It took a long time for us to feel prepared.

What is your training philosophy and how do you apply it to your daily work?

I think horse training is fairly simple when we let it be. It’s all about trying to emphasize their strengths and trying to downplay their weaknesses. Those are different for every horse. It applies to all disciplines and breeds. When the class is over and you can say you did that it doesn’t matter if you won or lost. You did your job!

How do you manage client expectations when it comes to their horse's performance?

Communication is key! Goals and expectations need to always be fluid and constantly adjusted as each individual horse develops. Too often people try to make a horse fit their own personal goals. We have to be open minded. What the horse is best at and what we want it to be best at as trainers and owners aren’t always the same thing.

Do you work with any other disciplines?

We work with a small number of problem horses, mainly warmbloods, with all different types of behavioral issues. We enjoy working with those owners and trainers to help them reach their potential.

Who are the big players, behind the scenes, of your business?

It's definitely the customers. In any business it begins and ends with them. Without their support our business can’t work. We’re lucky we have a great set of people that have been really supportive. We have worked with a lot of them for a long time.

Do you find it difficult being a young professional in the industry? If so, what are the challenges?

You have to pay your dues. You have to find a job that will allow you to learn, make mistakes, grow and make enough money for a business startup. We were both assistant trainers for over 10 years and we had great jobs and worked for people who were really good to us, but that part can be very challenging. Generally speaking though, I don’t find this industry particularly difficult for young people. This is a business that really rewards hard work. The industry can get a lot of negative attention, but it’s been really good to us!

Which direction should the horse industry take in order to grow?

From breed to breed, discipline to discipline, there is too much negativity towards one another. We need to do a better job respecting our differences and acknowledging our own ignorance. The more negativity that surrounds our industry hinders our ability to attract new people. When you go through the comment section of a YouTube or Facebook video you’ll see jumpers criticizing western pleasure horses, reiners criticizing dressage horses, trail riders criticizing walking horses, etc. It casts a negative cloud over our industry. We’re all in this together and we need to start acting like it.

Who do you look up to the most? Who are your mentors?

My Grandfather. He was my best friend when I was growing up. He had a great perspective on life and had an answer for just about everything. He was upbeat and positive in adverse situations and he had an unbelievable feel for what was really important. This business is so demanding for all of us in it and it’s easy to lose a healthy balance between work and regular life. Without his influence I think I’d be a very different person. He was a really special guy.

Where would you like to see your business in 5-10 years?

I’d like to see it look a lot like it does right now. I hope it’s made up of a lot of the same people and horses we have right now. More of the same would be good with me!