DIY/Budget tips for winter circuits!

[Nickelodian]

[QUOTE=AmmyByNature;7946832]
And on the polar opposite, I treat cancer with radiation. If we have a 4 day weekend we treat on the prior Sunday because it’s not good for cancer to get treated 3 days and then have 4 days off. Long hours (salaried, so no overtime), hard work, zero travel.

But I wouldn’t change professions to make it easier to show. I went to school for 9 years to be able to do what I do, and I like it.

Not every field has flexible hours as an option no matter how long you’ve been there. In 14 years I’ll still have to treat cancer 5 days a week.

It’s just a fact. Some people have jobs that allow them time to do the sorts of things that make things like WEF feasible. Some of us don’t and never will.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. Literally coming out of college I specifically pursued a career that would eventually lead to the flexibility to allow me to horse show. I did not become a doctor or a vet for the only reason that I didn’t want to be tied to a clinic seeing patients in person full time.

It sounds ridiculously silly, and maybe it is, but those are my choices, which are not yours.

My choices do not however make my lifestyle “unconventional.” Just simply not the same lifestyle you have chosen for yourself.

[AmmyByNature]

[QUOTE=Nickelodian;7948039]
It sounds ridiculously silly, and maybe it is, but those are my choices, which are not yours.

My choices do not however make my lifestyle “unconventional.” Just simply not the same lifestyle you have chosen for yourself.[/QUOTE]

I must not have phrased myself correctly, because I was agreeing with you. You sound like I’ve pissed you off, which was never my intention. You DID make those choices - as we all do. I’m not saying anything is better or worse than anything else. I certainly wan’t calling your choices ridiculous!

There was no negativity meant in the word “unconventional.” I meant it simply as stated - not “conventional.” Most people don’t have the flexibility that you have nurtured and achieved. I wasn’t implying there was anything wrong with that! Simply that (as we all know) the majority of people work some sort of structured hour job and can’t arrange things in a way that lets them do self care at WEF.

It’s hard to tell on in a message post - I’m afraid that I’ve insulted you which was never my intention.

[Lord_Helpus]

The last time I went to Fla (Ocala) I had a pregreenie that I also showed in the AA’s. My trainer was very understanding and let me “stable with” his barn, without being part of it. That meant that I did my own daycare, ordered my own feed/hay/bedding, etc. But it also meant that I did not pay for share of tackroom, grooming stall, feedroom, grooms’ housing, trainer’s hotel… I was, in effect, a “trailer in” at my own barn. Yes, I paid slightly higher fees per ride and for being schooled on my show days – but that was more than offset by not paying all the extra fees that really make time on the road so expensive.
I stayed at the cheapest clean hotel near the showgrounds that I could find. It had a small fridge and a microwave, making food costs minimal (since I would have been eating at home anyway, I called it a wash).
My young horse did very well, so with his winnings subtracted off my show bill, 4 weeks in Ocala with everything included cost $2200.

This year I have another young horse going to Ocala. He is an investment horse, so he has to go in order to be seen by people with $$. The way I am saving money this year is by 1. only sending him for 4 weeks and 2. staying home. Sending my horse down is one thing, but going down to watch him costs more than I can afford. So I will be sitting home on pins and needles, waiting for my trainer to text me each day he shows.

[showidaho]

[QUOTE=Lord Helpus;7948178]
The last time I went to Fla (Ocala) I had a pregreenie that I also showed in the AA’s. My trainer was very understanding and let me “stable with” his barn, without being part of it. That meant that I did my own daycare, ordered my own feed/hay/bedding, etc. But it also meant that I did not pay for share of tackroom, grooming stall, feedroom, grooms’ housing, trainer’s hotel… I was, in effect, a “trailer in” at my own barn. Yes, I paid slightly higher fees per ride and for being schooled on my show days – but that was more than offset by not paying all the extra fees that really make time on the road so expensive.
I stayed at the cheapest clean hotel near the showgrounds that I could find. It had a small fridge and a microwave, making food costs minimal (since I would have been eating at home anyway, I called it a wash).
My young horse did very well, so with his winnings subtracted off my show bill, 4 weeks in Ocala with everything included cost $2200.

This year I have another young horse going to Ocala. He is an investment horse, so he has to go in order to be seen by people with $$. The way I am saving money this year is by 1. only sending him for 4 weeks and 2. staying home. Sending my horse down is one thing, but going down to watch him costs more than I can afford. So I will be sitting home on pins and needles, waiting for my trainer to text me each day he shows.[/QUOTE]

Not to derail, but if this horse is anything like the grey horse of yours I saw for sale, you won’t need all 4 weeks.

[Lord_Helpus]

From your mouth to God’s (or a wealthy buyer’s) ears, Show Idaho.

[Appsolute]

So I guess we can say (and Nick - I am not poking at you, I admire what you have done!):

Tip to show at WEF on a shoe string. When you are in your late teens or early 20’s choose a career path that will be well paying with a VERY flexible schedule.

Get a degree and a position in that field. Work VERY hard at said job for a decade or more until your career offers the money and time you need to show.

In other words - plan ahead a decade or two ahead. Work your tail off, and then you might be able to go to WEF on a budget.

If you did not plan 10 - 20 years in advance - the whole “going to WEF on a budget” deal might very well be out of reach.

Molly - I understand the motive for the article, I LOVE reading Nick’s blog and admire how she has gotten it done. But I am still pretty sure she represents a very SMALL percentage of people attending the show. Its just not that easy to pack some PB&J sandwitches, sleep in your trailer and get it done (like one can at lower level shows).

[french_fry]

To that point, I would love to see an article on horse-friendly careers. The ammies like us series somewhat speaks to that topic but comes at it from the other side.

[AffirmedHope]

[QUOTE=Appsolute;7948957]
So I guess we can say (and Nick - I am not poking at you, I admire what you have done!):

Tip to show at WEF on a shoe string. When you are in your late teens or early 20’s choose a career path that will be well paying with a VERY flexible schedule.

Get a degree and a position in that field. Work VERY hard at said job for a decade or more until your career offers the money and time you need to show.

In other words - plan ahead a decade or two ahead. Work your tail off, and then you might be able to go to WEF on a budget.

If you did not plan 10 - 20 years in advance - the whole “going to WEF on a budget” deal might very well be out of reach.

Molly - I understand the motive for the article, I LOVE reading Nick’s blog and admire how she has gotten it done. But I am still pretty sure she represents a very SMALL percentage of people attending the show. Its just not that easy to pack some PB&J sandwitches, sleep in your trailer and get it done (like one can at lower level shows).[/QUOTE]

I tried planning being born into celebrity/Fortune 500 CEO royalty but I failed

[justathought]

Tried really hard not to comment here – epic fail.

Yes the winter circuits are a luxury - and yes they are expensive

But, it does not all have to planned out 10 or 15 years in advance. Today, career choices are both more flexible and more difficult. People do not stay in the same place or industry forever. Some professions permit more flexibility than others.

An established professional may create the opportunity for a month or month and a half remote work location. An academic, supplemented by active consulting, may organize their schedules such that January through April is not a teaching period. An attorney in some practice areas can be entirely responsive to clients and still be free to travel. A consultant can travel to clients from anywhere.

None of this is easy. All of it entails trade offs. But we all make trade-offs every day.

A number of people have mentioned the usual - do your own care, minimize living costs, minimize pro rides etc. during circuit. However, sometimes doing the winter circuit also involves decisions during the rest of the year. Living with less - a small house/apartment, a cheaper car, self-care, minimal showing except for the winter circuit, trailering in for lessons - all reduce the cost of having horse(s) and each of these savings may be “put aside” to pay for the winter season.

In general, few of us can have everything we want all of the time. OTOH, many of us can figure out how to make something we really want work some of the time.

[Linny]

There are ways to cut corners, rent a timeshare with 5 barnmates, pack horseshow food every day, do your own care/braiding etc. These apply to any horseshow.

The fact is that doing any “remote” circuit for the typical ammy is always going to be very expensive. Could I save by driving my horse to FLA myself? Sure, but that rig costs more to drive day in/day out than my little car so that’s a wash. Could I braid or groom for others while there to offset costs? Yes, but not if I have a job or family in NY that requires that I be present. I could send my horse for only (say) 2 weeks, but now I need to hire a commercial hauler because my trainer is there for 8 weeks.

If you are going back and forth, maybe you can arrange for someone other than your trainer to handle hacking your horse to avoid some pro fees. Book your flights at cheapest times etc.

The point made above about advance planning makes sense if you care to show on the A circuit. A career with flexibility, a spouse willing to fill in while cheerfully helping the showbound party pack up for Florida while it’s 10 degrees at home make a difference.

There seem to be several varieties of winter circuit ammies. First are the ones with the money and ability to make it “just what you do.” For them, it is all but assumed that they or their horses are going to FLA or Thermal etc. Second are the ones who “find a way” every few years to make it work. They plan to live frugally, accrue time, arrange their schedules etc to make it possible when they can. They may try to combine it with a family trip to justify it to spouse and children.
Third are the ones who are making this a “once in a lifetime event.” They are looking at it as if they were planning that special trip or event. Maybe it is only a week, maybe two. Maybe they are leasing a horse for that time or doing self care but by the grace of God, they are going to FLA and they will ride while their barnmates freeze.