I agree. The after portion is pleasing.
Out of all of that, the funniest thing to me is that the 16 year old OP has been
told on many occasions that (she) could easily be an author or an English professor.
Yup. Neither of those are a hard slog at all. Just show an interest in English, and next thing you know, publishers will be beating down your door. Nevermind teens with dashed big-time horse-showing hopes; how many would-be authors are there who never succeeded?
Given that quote, I’m not at all surprised at her attitude. Kid’s probably somewhat talented (in English and riding) and surrounded by people who puff up her ego :yes:
One good thing about having been that horse crazy teen with no money back in the late 60s is there was no internet. Thank God. Only my teachers were bored with the horsey theme and nobody else read them…and I had the advantage of learning to spell and use proper English.
Best to back off on that part a little when some tweens and teens get a little full of themselves and feeling sorry for their life circumstances. Most of us went through that too. I remember being totally convinced I was switched at birth when I was about 13 and got the short end of the swap:rolleyes:. Fortunately there was no internet to facilitate my “search for real parents” and express my angst at the unfairness of it all.
I am not sure it’s PE/skittles here either unless she is lying about her mom having horses (don’t buy the half million $ Dressage horse or Cutter however). That one/two had disinterested parents and was riding a schoolie once a week who couldn’t do over 2’6". I realize there are similarities but not convinced.
What most of these kids miss is you have to find joy on every step of that ladder, have to really love horses. Not want to use them to be a star.
[QUOTE=findeight;6092038]
What most of these kids miss is you have to find joy on every step of that ladder, have to really love horses. Not want to use them to be a star.[/QUOTE]
Amen and well put!
This is a frustration I have. The “I’m not learning anything/improving” attitude. If you aren’t, it’s not the horses’ fault.
I’m all about riding any horse I can. I grew up in the 4H/breed show world riding a very inexpensive grade mare who spent a couple years trying to kill me… and when I finally got a nicer quality registered horse, he was one who we purchased inexpensively because he terrified his riders. And I won on him. A lot. Because I learned what I could from my mare and any horse I could get on, and so once I was on a more talented horse even with his very forward nature he was EASY in comparison.
Right now I’m riding my talented TB dressage… and my mom’s less fortunate trail horse. I’m learning as much from her as my guy, because I can only get a happy, willing response from her if I do everything just right. There’s nothing better to learn to get rid of bad habits than really working hard to get the best out of a less talented horse. It makes the talented horses of your future so much easier.
I groomed at huge shows for my trainer in high school… and he had me warm up horses for his clients when he was on other horses because I’d been there, he knew how I rode and what was needed. He actually then had me warm up the clients on their horses, helping them mentally prepare. While I’m not doing the breed thing now, the practice doing it has been extremely valuable for me elsewhere! Same with my experience in IHSA - sure, I only jumped 3’ a couple times in college and had been jumping 4’ courses beforehand, but I probably jumped at least 50 different horses. That’s valuable experience!
I thought about becoming a working student before going to college or not going to college at all to pursue a riding dream (and I could prob be an upper level rider with the money/time/ etc) but instead I went to college. I’m on a riding team at a school that is NOT an equestrian-oriented school. I graduate in a year and a half. and you know what? I AM SO GLAD I DID THIS! I will have a GREAT career afterwards to afford horses and riding. I am grateful for my IHSA experiences being able to ride and jump different horses is cool. I’m also grateful for my LIFE experiences. I have matured and learned so much and I have an entirely different outlook on life itself and horses. Will I be a BNT? no. Will i be an adult with a non-horsey career with some pretty nice horses showing agaisnt BNT? you betcha.
i would consider college if i were you!!
[QUOTE=Long Spot;6090867]
I agree. The after portion is pleasing.[/QUOTE]
Compared to the before, yes. However, the “after” still has a lot to learn…straightness for one thing. And the jumps are about 2’ max, so it’s hard to really judge. I was that kid at one point, a backyard rider with more ambition than training and spent a lot of time as a working student trying my best to learn what was expected from me. It was a great experience, and I went on to BECOME a groom, because despite what the OP thinks, good grooms are hard to find and I probably learned more about training and running a stable as a groom than I ever did as a rider. :yes:
Ok… as some COTH members will remember… I once posted something somewhat similar to this. In 2006 AFTER i graduated college. I was working in “Corporate America” making decent $$$ but miserable bc I worked until 6 and couldn’t ride after, and couldn’t take off time for horse shows. My riding was becoming a hobby and I had NEVER wanted that. I got the same responses as you are getting now more or less… I had a bit more experience than you but the same hungry attitude.
My advice is this. If you get offered a grooming job, TAKE IT. If you get offered any job you need to take it because it is a start. I took a job as an instructor and taught up down lessons and the only horses I rode were school horses, many of which didn’t jump and the ones that did jump, maybe jumped 2’. I worked there for 2 years, and learned a whole lot that i didn’t even know there was to learn.
Then another opportunity came along and I took it. I never would have been offered that opportunity if i hadn’t taken the first one. Now I’m doing pretty good… I have a small group of clients, we show on the A circuit and one of my kids even won the Illinois Childrens Medal final last year. Small beans to some, but exciting and motivating to me. I still work as hard as I did when I was 16 like you. You have to take baby steps… I am above nothing. I still take lessons and do clinics and read and watch and watch and watch. I have a ton to learn, I am humble and willing to work my butt off, and the veterans in this area have come to respect me and even like me for these traits.
You are not the only kid out there riding cheap project horses… there are a lot of you, so be humble and be willing to start anywhere… again, baby steps…
Holy scrapple.
Did anyone else realize that the OP is also the OP of this thread:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=287469
Apparently “I’m not reading this any more so blah blah blah blah” isn’t new for her.
Oh my. Things make more sense now!
I’m experiencing profound deja vu right now.
Apparently Mom has morphed from a Horsmanship trainer this time last year into working with just the horses this year…wonder if they have stalls;).
[QUOTE=JackieBlue;6099764]
I’m experiencing profound deja vu right now.[/QUOTE]
Not again!!
snort Yup. All over again! :winkgrin:
I cannot speak to your riding ability, but as one who knows, you are a very good writer. Go to college and major in English. I vote for that.
Not wanting to make this any more of a train wreck than it already is but…
is this the same OP posting now on the Eventing forum?
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=338956
[QUOTE=carasmom;6100499]
Not wanting to make this any more of a train wreck than it already is but…
is this the same OP posting now on the Eventing forum?
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=338956[/QUOTE]
Dear god. I think you’re right. It sounds JUST like her…
Mods? Can I throw the red challenge flag and get a ruling on the houseguest?
[QUOTE=AmmyByNature;6100601]
Dear god. I think you’re right. It sounds JUST like her…
Mods? Can I throw the red challenge flag and get a ruling on the houseguest?[/QUOTE]
I disagree on that. The other poster sounds humble and grateful.
:lol::lol::lol: That’s awesome! Inquiring minds want to know!:yes:
Perhaps she is capable of learning and has figured out a better way to get the responses she wants? A little humility sprinkled on top isn’t much of a disguise.
I think it’s her. A little too quick to defend, sounds like “WHAT? Who, me?” But I’m a jaded witch, so I could be wrong.
