Advice on combating isolation

[Joan_from_Flatlands]

Area 1 really has a great community. If you are a FB kinda person, check out the Area 1 FB page. The Adult Rider Program is very active. Volunteering at events where you aren’t competing is a great way to support the sport and make friends at the same time. There are some great events not too far from you where you could hook up w other Area 1’ers. Does your coach have any other students competing in Area 1?

Edited to add we also have a bunch of upper level trainers in the area who offer coaching at events. Im sure we hook you up with someone from that group for course walking and/or coaching if you were looking for coaching at Area 1 events. That would also connect you with some of their students competing in the area who may also be traveling to Area 2. Bevin Dugan is the head of the group. You could email her at winchester.vt@gmail.com.

Joan from Flatlands

[Lost_Shoe]

A practical option that I have seen work out for getting coaching at events is to select a trainer you would like to work with, arrange to ship in for occasional lessons, cementing the relationship, and then arrange to meet up with the trainer at events going forward. My coach in the Midwest did this. She lived 2.5 hours from her coach. She invested the time to ship down for occasional lessons (leaving her farm, her family, and her own students/income for the day to do so; it was absolutely an investment in her riding career not something she did for fun). By doing so, she was then able to meet up with her coach at events, get coaching (including warm ups, course walks, etc.; no different than a regular coaching relationship), stable her crew next to her coach’s crew for a big team feeling, and compete at advanced. I observed that after she got established as a student, she shipped down for lessons very infrequently, with no detriment to her professional relationship to her coach, because it had been cemented by that point. She happened to not have a coach at “home” (we were in eventing no-man’s land) and she competed at some events without her coach when their schedules did not line up.

[luvmyhackney]

@Jealoushe

I really struggle with this too. I have my horses at home and not in a very horsey area. There are other eventers in my area but they don’t give me the time of the day no matter how much I try and connect with them.

This is one of the reasons I moved one of my horses to a training barn. I keep horses at home and work from home. Super isolating.

I’m trying to make friends at new farm but it’s not going well, but I have a hard time with friends in general. Still less isolating as I at least talk to other humans that aren’t family.

[Incantation]

I am in central MA. Once upon a time, I used to have boarders or students to ride with, but now I only have my two here. I evented back in the 80’s and early 90’s, and am hoping to get back into it next year with my young horse ( she can actually jump!). Her talent and my budget will determine if we do recognized or unrecognized.
This year I am doing some trail rides and hope to do a few hunter paces. My paint is older, arthritic, and his favorite speed is walk so I can’t wait to get my new filly going. Once she is ready, I would be thrilled to have ride buddies for trails and hunter paces. Currently I mostly ride with BSTRA because my paint does not like to go out alone.
Who is in the area for trainers now?