Trainer's License in California

tbrace · Postby **tbrace** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 2:22 pm

Has anyone taken out a trainer's license in California, lately?

Are there requirements, besides taking and passing the tests, and hopefully, being a good horseman?

Is there a sample test or study guide knocking about?

I have been licensed in three other states, a few year ago, and, not going to do anything right now, but may in the future, in a year or two. Just for a small personal stable.

Thanks for your help and information!

Laurierace · Postby **Laurierace** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:31 am

I can't speak for California as I have never been licensed there but it has been my experience that once you are a trainer in one state you can get a trainers license in any state just by filling out the application and paying the fee. I am licensed in 5 states right now but only took the test once.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:56 am

Ditto. I don't recall any problems ever from state to state. Even country to country

majxmom · Postby **majxmom** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:31 am

There is a written test and a barn test. There is no sample test specifically for the CA test that I know of, but the usual trainer's tests don't cover all of the questions that recent licensees have told me about. I've heard that the latest test focuses greatly on reading a condition book for eligibility and for the medication rules. I would download a copy of the CHRB rules here:

http://www.chrb.ca.gov/policies_and_reg ... 6-2006.pdf

and also look under the publications tab on the main website and memorize the drug penalities.

The barn test can vary greatly. People who are well known breeze through it, and people that are unknown are really put through a shake- down cruise. It used to be that another trainer would give you the barn test, which might be putting on wraps, etc. Lately I've heard a lot that they have a big box with pieces of all kinds of tack and you have to put them together. So they might have headstalls, nosebands, chin straps, bits, disassembled figure-eights, Sure-wins, girths, billets, leathers, stirrups, stirrup pads, etc., and you have to sort them all out and put them together and tell about the use of each piece, especially different bits. This actually seems a little fairer to me instead of having random trainers question you.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:40 pm

Of course if heading to CA you would need to apply for stalls and have insurance

majxmom · Postby **majxmom** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:26 pm

Yes, don't underestimate the insurance. For a small stable with no employees, minimum premium is $1600. You do get a bit more money per start to offset it, but it still drove out all the little guys. I don't disagree at all that the jocks need their insurance, but it seems to me that it would be a heck of a lot better to have the tracks buy it (compensated from the handle) since they already have dozens of employees and have HR departments to handle it. To have every trainer with no employees have to buy workman's comp insurance is ludicrous.

Laurierace · Postby **Laurierace** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:05 pm

Does your workman's comp cover the jockeys? It doesn't here at any track I have ran at on the East Coast. MD has a separate fee they collect when you get an owners or trainers license specifically to cover the jocks. That is in addition to workmans comp policy you must have for your employees. Everywhere else they are more or less on their own. Hence the need for the injured jockeys fund and the like.

ArchDandy · Postby **ArchDandy** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:26 pm

So someone looking to get a trainer's license just to train their own stock would run into that problem? Is that a month or a year?!?!

I am looking to get my license in the next 4 years or so, have been studying up and need to learn to wrap.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:15 pm

Save up. I can get on my own, brush my own, ride my husbands rider and it's still costly. Cal isn't user friendly

vallygirl927 · Postby **vallygirl927** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:05 pm

My friend tells me its around $2.50 a day for workers comp on top of everything else. If you're looking to train in Ca, which I am also trying to do, it's around $45 to $50 a day not including vet or farrier to train a horse at COST! It might be beneficial for you to train somewhere else...which I am considering one day, otherwise, partners are needed. It sucks! And somehow, we're all still supposed to be able to pay to live in CA too!

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:48 pm

Ditto that!!! Cost of living is something else

majxmom · Postby **majxmom** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:29 pm

Yes, it is terrible in CA right now. Most of the fairs seem to have cracked down so much on their travel trailer facilities, you have to have workman's comp even for a single start, and it costs a mint to be here. It doesn't take a genuis to figure out why racing in CA is in such dire straits. Very few people can afford to come from Grants Pass or Tucson anymore.

I do totally support the jocks having workman's comp. When something like the Rene Douglas situation happens, we are all relieved that they have coverage and don't have to rely on charity alone. But it has totally forced the little guy out of the business, or else he has to use a program trainer, which they also try to crack down on. Pay attention to how many scratches there are on July 1st at Pleasanton. That's when the workman's comp comes due for most people, and a lot of people just can't pay and get scratched.

Bunty Lawless · Postby **Bunty Lawless** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:45 am

Laurierace wrote:I can't speak for California as I have never been licensed there but it has been my experience that once you are a trainer in one state you can get a trainers license in any state just by filling out the application and paying the fee. I am licensed in 5 states right now but only took the test once.

California doesn't offer reciprocal licensing. You still have to take all the tests unless you know someone who is in real good with the Stewards.

cewright · Postby **cewright** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 4:24 am

Bunty Lawless wrote:
Laurierace wrote:I can't speak for California as I have never been licensed there but it has been my experience that once you are a trainer in one state you can get a trainers license in any state just by filling out the application and paying the fee. I am licensed in 5 states right now but only took the test once.

California doesn't offer reciprocal licensing. You still have to take all the tests unless you know someone who is in real good with the Stewards.

http://www.racinglicense.com/index.html

doublete · Postby **doublete** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:12 pm

Also I think if you have not run a horse in a certain number of years (3 to 5?), your license is considered "expired". and you have to take the test again.

Most people if they try to get out of the business will try to run a friend's horse in their name at least once a year just to keep their license.