WHY DO THE RIDER’S AND HORSE’S NAME KEEP CHANGING THAT STORY?
[QUOTE=2bayboys;6089176]
What it says to me is that the OP is a child and adults have no business smacking children around on the Internet.[/QUOTE]
Children have no business being on the Internet. But if the OP really is 16, then she should be able to handle it. That first post is ridiculous. She’s got herself convinced she is so much more (more talented, more dedicated, etc) than any other horse crazy teenager out there.
To the OP, if you’re still reading: grow up and be grateful for what you have. There are a lot of 16 year olds who would kill to have any old nag in their backyard, just to have something to ride. Kids who clean stalls just to be once a week lesson students at small barns that have never been to an A show, much less have any show quality horses. Sounds like you have plenty of horses/ponies to practice on - sounds like my dream when I was 16.
So you want to show… Get a job. Take the grooming job. Learn the ins and outs. Make some money. Begging never got anyone further than standing beside a highway with a sign. (or is that hitchhiking?)
And don’t knock IHSA. Getting on any horse and every horse regardless of quality will teach you more than a trained show horse, whether you are walk-trot or open. Even if you don’t win nationals, you’ll have gotten on most types of horses, from slow and lazy to sensitive and fussy.
Don’t necessarily give up on your dream, but take the time to read through some of these responses. Get as far as you can but realize life doesn’t end because you turn 18. (really, it doesn’t, in fact it kind of STARTS).
If you really are an intelligent 16 year old, take some of the good advice posted here.
I watched the videos and I don’t think they are horrible! She looks pretty much what I was picturing: a teenage backyard rider jumping 2’6. A young lady who has not had the opportunity for top class instruction.
Whatever she has posted, please people, don’t bash the videos. She may have got herself in a pickle with her posts here, but let’s try not to get even more personal.
I imagine she is feeling rather horrible right now, and although I’m 30-something, I can well remember my 16yr old self!!!
To the OP (if you are still reading). Find a good instructor in your area (one that does at least the B shows) and try to work something out with them re: working for your lessons. I think good quality lessons will be your first step to where you want to go! 
PS. I have a B.A in English! 
I think that she’s actually a pretty good little rider in the “after” portions of this video:
I think the OP just needs to take a deep breath and step back for a moment. She has a LOT of opportunities where she is, but she is focusing on what she doesn’t have rather than on what she does have.
At 16 and if she can really ride the babies she could have flipped two or three OTTBs already. If her mom has a good eye, the kid can ride, and she’s having one lesson a week (isn’t she? I thought I remember seeing that somewhere in the thread) she could have made herself a 3’ horse by now. Buy one for $500, train it and flip it for $1500. Buy another one for $1500 and flip it for $3000. Pretty soon you’ll have then scratch to but something with a lot of potential, or even enough to buy something pretty broke already. The sticking point with flipping is when you have to pay board, which she doesn’t.
I’d focus on what you have, OP, and not on what you don’t. I’d recommend you start flipping some OTTBs or backyard ponies. Get used to putting training on something and then marketing and selling it.
I watched the videos and though she looks morew “rough” than ready the OP has some good basics. She needs to take that adorable little black horse and do some lessons/clinics with some bigger name riders and learn a bit of finesse and get some details in order.
I also agree that OP should be thankful for the horses she has at home and parents who want her to succeed. If you have horsey parents, OP then they must understand that to get anywhere “big” you have to leave what appears to be a small local facility and get exposur at bigger facilities with more to offer. (This is not a slam on your place. The horses in the videos all look happy and well tended. They appear willing and honest. I mean that small outfits without indoors and with limited options on jumps etc are not the places BNT’s are looking to for their next big rider.)
OP, there are alot of posters here who have worked and shown at the highest levels of the sport. They have offered good advice. Read it and take it to heart as it is a resource that was not available when most of us were 16.
OP, you are not the only horse crazy teen. Their are millions of you. You have to distinguish yourself.
You say your Mom is supportive of you but she is a horsewoman, running a lesson or boarding barn who doesn’t herself seem to be able to advise you. If my child was that intent on a career in horses and I wanted it for him, I’d be helping him find a position at a barn with a trainer I trusted, and I’m just an ammy. A friend of mine, a pro, has a son (now in his 20’s) who was always a great rider but as a teen, she opted to sent him to lessons with another (slightly bigger name) pro. First she knew that he needed BNT exposure and second, as him Mom, she knew that there was always going to be that “parent to teen” blockage.
OP, ask your mom to help you. Ask her to take your horse to a bigger outfit for lessons in the indoor over the winter. Listen to every trainer and work on some of those finesse skills like adjustability. I know kids that can fit 7 strides in a 5 stride line then gallop down there in 4, who would envy your leg but you have to look your shortcomings straight in the eye and fix them before you’ll be offered fancy horses to ride and or show.
I think the title illustrates the unerlying inconsistency.
You do not “make something of yourself” by “Begging”.
I would love to have an ambitious teen come exercise our ponies that don’t get enough saddle time. I watched the videos, and yes the OP isn’t going to win a Big Eq show next week, but neither am I… I’d let her hack around some of our horses.
OP, loose the attitude and you may find people willing to help you out.
Janet, you nailed it! Kudos to you. :yes:
OP, you are not the only horse crazy teen. Their are millions of you. You have to distinguish yourself.
Ditto, Linny.
16 isn’t a “child” in book. I have kids that age in my barn now that bust their butts, ride any horse regardless of how nice or fancy (or lack their of), kids that work jobs and ride. 16 is not a “baby” or a “kid”, it’s a teenager that should be treated like a young adult, not a “kid”. The young people seem to be getting younger and younger these days and many people still “baby” their 18 year olds! How many 16 year olds still have “mommy” doing everything for them? A LOT!
If this kid REALLY has dreams of “making something” of herself then she needs to be treated as an ADULT. Not a “kid”. Teenagers should be treated like young adults otherwise they will ACT like “kids” because that’s all that is expected of them.
[QUOTE=xemilyx805;6085311]
Oh no I’m not short sighted and I understand that there is life beyond horses. I’m not in any way saying that a degree is wasted on equestrians, I’m just saying it’s not needed. The sport is based on experience and skills. Four years worth of competing will look a lot better than four years of college from an equestrian perspective.
And I have given a lot of thought as to life outside of horses I assure you. I’m very interested in English and have been told on many occasions that I could easily be an author or an English professor. So, I’ve considered this, and my plan is to go to Mount Holyoke after high school (if I’m not in a training program or better situation). I would be majoring in English (most likely creative writing), and minoring in psychology or philosophy. And, I would be riding with a very well established equestrian program.
But as far as making an equestrian career goes, riding with a college team isn’t the best way to make it to the top.
edit: I’m sorry I didn’t completely answer your reply. I know that I can’t rely on making a career in horses and I will need a back up plan. My plan right now though, is to work and train and be a live-in trainer somewhere. My ultimate goal in life is quite literally to break even. I want to be able to make enough to live and enough to ride. I don’t need any extra than that. But, if it does fall through, my plan is still to go to college so I can fall back on an English career.[/QUOTE]
You most certainly do need to get a degree. The main problem in the horse industry is that there is so little business expertise. Riders are a dime a dozen. Riders who can also run a business, not so much. Get your education. The horses aren’t going anywhere, you are only 16, and believe me, your priorities will change as you get older.
TO the op
Focus on school and get great grades so hopefully you will get a scholarship.
Maybe you can also find a school that will take that scholarship as well as has a good riding program…
If not while you are in school offer to work on the weekends for free at the nearest top barn and work you way down… I dont care if you end up at Joes hunter jumpers… As long as they go to shows and have a horse thats doing over 3ft you can learn something.
Lastly, you are 16 (sigh) and 16 is the age where hopefully your parents have reminded you that all of these things come with a price, lots of work, discipline, and you DONT get to have the party life if you want ANY of this bad enough. You will lose out on WAY more than you think trying for this goal… But its a great goal with great reward.
I worked for free for a barn off and on for YEARS before I got a ride on a top horse. He and I were top 4 in our division at one of the biggest shows in the country… I would NEVER be able to afford a horse like that but I didnt get to ride him by simply begging the ride I worked horses for this lady when they were home from training and I made myself flexible on breed, discipline, and pretty much everything else so that I could be useful to anyone that so much as needed it… I didnt ask to ride her top horse… After about 4 years she just offered…
It tells you a lot.
I wasnt looking for a freebie… I was looking for a good horsey experience and worked dang hard to get it
That being said… You can start now offering to help at shows… That will make you somebody… Humble you, and if you are easy to coach… Youll be somebody in the horse world today
Now when my trainer leaves people come up to me asking me no begging me to help them out with horses imported in the 10’s of thousands of dollars. Dream horses
But I groomed a LOT of horses, and had girls and trainers both step on me QUITE a bit in my younger days.
[QUOTE=JackieBlue;6085763]
You seem unfamiliar with how the horse show world works. Yes, there is a lot of money involved, but even more important than what you can spend is WHO YOU KNOW and WHO KNOWS YOU. If the opportunity to groom during the WEF arises again, GO!! IF you work hard, keep your mouth shut (use tape if necessary) and turn out impeccable horses with happy riders you will begin to see doors open all around you. The, “That’s not worth my time because I wouldn’t get to ride” attitude will be your undoing. Any opportunity to rub elbows with the big players in the game is worth your time if you really want to make it as a hunter (or jumper) rider.
I didn’t have tons of $$ growing up to pour into horses, but I’ve ridden with some of the best trainers (Frank Chapot, Frank Madden, Debbie Stephens, Mark Stopford, Peter Hansen, Carter Bass, etc…) in the sport and sat on horses worth more than many people’s houses just by putting myself in the right places, with the right people and keeping my mouth shut and my ears open. Don’t worry about whether spending a show season as a groom will allow time/opportunity to ride. Just do what needs to be done and do it well and I assure you, if you have the talent you say you do, you will be turning down rides because of your busy schedule.
If you can show even the busiest professionals in the industry that you are will not be a waste of their time, they will want to help you. At least that was my personal experience.[/QUOTE]
This. Every one of my contacts at the highest levels of the sport are because I did a good job as a GROOM. That was what I wanted to do, so riding was never an issue, BUT, had I wanted to pursue a riding career, my friends and contacts would have at least given me a shot because I had their respect as a GROOM and stable manager.
Not sure how I missed this thread. But you have been given plenty of good advice. You seem to have lots of horses/ponies to ride. You are very lucky to get to ride every day and have supportive parents. Talk to your mom about locating a nice project horse that has the possibility of jumping bigger courses if that is what you really want and continue to work being the best at lower jumps. I would say you have it better than 95% of the horse crazy kids in this country.
I find it ironic that the OP has evidently checked out on us (she’s too busy to read this thread…) yet we continue to give her advice!
Oh I bet she is still reading it
[QUOTE=lauriep;6089949]
You most certainly do need to get a degree. The main problem in the horse industry is that there is so little business expertise. Riders are a dime a dozen. Riders who can also run a business, not so much. Get your education. The horses aren’t going anywhere, you are only 16, and believe me, your priorities will change as you get older.[/QUOTE]
Please. I see so many people in both atheletic and creative endeavors who are UTTERLY CLUELESS about what it takes to survive in the real world: money, business acumen, the ability to network and connect with the right people. Recognizing that this is not la-la land where being sporty or creative means the magic pixies will come and reward your talent and pure heart.
That means TAKE THE GROOMING JOBS. Ride anything you can get on. Say yes-sir no-ma’am and behave like you expect nothing. I have no interest in the big circuits, but I know now if I really wanted to get into the day-to-day end of racing (rather than partnerships and owners) the best thing I could do is get a trainer to let me walk hots and learn how to wrap legs, groom, pick stalls, feed, hand off to the gallopers, see how the long-term expert grooms work. You can’t expect to jump in and train the six-figure Keenland yearlings if you have never seen what the guy hands-on caring is doing.
Here are the basics…
You need experience to gain clients or to get a good job- Showing, riding, training and teaching experience. Take every opportunity you can and be grateful no matter how insignificant it seems.
Don’t ever stop learning. Go to clinics (riding or auditing), read books, talk to other professionals. BE HUMBLE. There is always something to learn and always someone better than you. If George Morris is still learning, then you better be too!
You need a good business plan- figure out the expenses (insurance, advertisement, boarding/barn mortgage, equipment purchases, etc) and how much you should charge for services. Be realistic.
You MUST network. Our industry revolves around networking and word of mouth advertising. Building a good reputation is critical. Every person you meet should be treated as a potential client or employer, even if you don’t like or totally agree with them.
Those are the basics and should be a good place to start. I am a young professional and would be happy to answer any questions.
OP, you’ve gotten some great advice from everybody here. I wanted to add in on the subject of college. Be careful about how much debt you’re willing to rack up during those years. Mount Holyoke would leave you with about $160,000 in debt if you did all student loans. That’s an enormous amount if debt to be carrying into a profession where you probably won’t be making a ton right off the bat. I don’t know your financial or scholastic situation, but if you can’t afford a 3’ horse, I doubt you can afford 40,000 tuition a year. If the riding team is not NCAA I doubt you’ll get much in the way of scholarships from them. Consider going to a state school or one where you can get good academic scholarships and working and riding at an outside establishment in the area.
[QUOTE=kmwines01;6090621]
OP, you’ve gotten some great advice from everybody here. I wanted to add in on the subject of college. Be careful about how much debt you’re willing to rack up during those years. Mount Holyoke would leave you with about $160,000 in debt if you did all student loans. That’s an enormous amount if debt to be carrying into a profession where you probably won’t be making a ton right off the bat. I don’t know your financial or scholastic situation, but if you can’t afford a 3’ horse, I doubt you can afford 40,000 tuition a year. If the riding team is not NCAA I doubt you’ll get much in the way of scholarships from them. Consider going to a state school or one where you can get good academic scholarships and working and riding at an outside establishment in the area.[/QUOTE]
You can get get scholarships even if your school is not NCAA. They are not athletic scholarships as D3 has no athletic money to give but you can get academic, merit or leadership money. My DD is at a D3 school, rides on her varsity equestrian team and got a decent amount of scholarship $$ from her school, as well as all the others she applied to.
I really cringe at posts like these. I remember how it was to be 16, and I was just as horse crazy but I didn’t go around begging for anything. I got a summer job cleaning stalls with one other girl at a 52 stall barn in exchange for lessons which usually turned into “I’m too tired to give you a lesson tonight but you can tack up and ride xxxx horse on your own.” I learned a TON from that time, and really figured out how to solve problems by myself. I never got to set foot in a show ring.
DD is 13 and a pretty solid rider, and even though she has her foot in the barn door, she is working for every step she takes. We are paying good money for BNT instruction, and she still went every day last summer from 8-6 to spend the day working along with the other working students mucking, wrapping, washing, folding, grooming, hand walking, feeding, rolling bandages, packing trunks, turning out, etc. It was hard hard hard hard work under the hot Virginia summer sun. For FREE. Didn’t involve a bit of riding any of the other horses in the barn, but she did it to be a better horsewoman. It’s paying dues and learning ropes. While her friends were on vacation, she was cleaning stalls.
What is my point for you, OP?
No one is going to “hand you” anything. You need to take that grooming job even if there is no riding involved just to get your foot in the door and get experience. You need to pay more dues than you ever thought possible. Nothing is “too beneath” you.
And honestly, riding all those greenies and problem horses at 2’6" and below is going to teach you almost everything you need to know. If you take the time and focus on perfecting your equitation, your solid seat and riding skills will carry you a long way.
If you were here in our barn, said BNT would teach you that the size of the fence is fairly unimportant, they just get in the way. It is about rhythm, track and pace. And being perfect in your equitation. If you are thinking about what you need to do and being a rider instead of a passenger every step of the way, it will come together. Every rider in our barn has amazing equitation even if they are not “eq” riders, because that is the base of everything you need to do all the way up. The girls in our barn with 6 figure Jr/Ao jumpers only jump big maybe once a week anyway, the rest is flatwork and smaller jumps/gymnastics.
What things can you do aside from jumping around at 3’ and higher to make your skill set better and grow as a rider?
Become an expert at riding through gymnastics. We do those here usually over poles, crossrails, maybe 2’ sometimes. It’s not about fence height it is about training horse and rider to respond to the question asked.
Become an expert at adjusting stride down the lines. You can practice this with only 2 fences in your ring at any height, or even poles on the ground. Like this: (second time on this horse)
How fast do you ‘figure out’ a new horse? You can make some videos of yourself the first/second/third time on new horses to show off your skills. If you want to catch ride, make sure they are not juvenile videos covered in graphics/hearts/writing and bad music. Even if you just use a camera phone, add a little classical or non-distracting background music to polish it up and show off what you can do. If you watch the other two videos on my channel you can see DD’s first and third times on this same horse. She had him pretty well the first time out, and really got him down by the third ride. On a weird, sensitive, looky TB. (Note, that is not categorizing TBs which I Loff, just THIS TB, lol) then by the 4th time when he was super fresh and wanted to buck her off/take off after every fence, she was able to just sit and ride right through it. Can you show off your skills like that and point out how quietly you can sit through a spook or bad behavior? You need to be able to show potential “employers” how YOU are TRAINING every ride you get on.
What you need to NOT do is have multiple personalities posting the same ranting threads about how you are better than other teens in the same position and should be given ‘a chance’ just because of that. Because honey, you aren’t. There are 5 million teens who feel the exact same way and are willing to work just as hard. Keep it real, be humble, and be willing to do whatever it takes even if it is ‘grooming with no chance of riding.’
