Does Moving Barns Mean Moving your Whole Life?

[sassymares]

I am absolutely in love with my current trainer and I have a wonderful little mare I do jumpers on and catch ride at some of the schooling shows I go to. I was talking to my trainer and she said that because our barn doesn’t have any grooms or barn managers and only has one trainer she will not be able to go to more than two a and aa shows every year. For right now that is 110% fine and I am very excited to have the opportunity. In a couple years I think I would like to take the step up and go to a and aa shows more frequently which means I would have to switch barns. I understand that I might have to sell my horse and get a new one which I am open to but there is only one or two barn in my entire state that goes to a shows regularly and although they are very successful I don’t agree with all of their training methods and don’t think I would fit in. My trainer like I said is wonderful and told me that if it ever becomes to much I can come back with no hard feelings at all and if I see her at shows to give her a huge and say hi to some of my previous mounts.

That being said I think the only way I can do what I would like and reach my goals is to move out of state but as my parents say “we have owned our house for 20 years and we will die in this house” :lol: so I don’t think that will happen. Are there programs to live with someone like the trainer during show season? There is obviously a very large $$$ problem but this is many years away so I’m not considering that at this point. I am home schooled so hopefully that helps. Thanks!

[bayhunter]

All I could think of is you could be a live in working student for an A/AA show barn. Maybe ask about leasing a horse to show.

[sassymares]

That would be ideal, but I am sadly not old enough to live on my own as I forgot to add in I am a junior/teen.

[Kat]

many/ most working students are juniors, but it usually takes a lot of exposure to get those positions. maybe try working with your trainer to get to EAP and/or stay working with her but slowly start meeting up with another trainer at shows. So stable with her at home and the shows she goes to but when you want to add more train with a trainer who she likes/ trusts and see how that goes

[silvership]

I understand your pain. I grew up in an area where hunters were not “the thing” and ended up hop-scotching around for years during high school trying to balance expensive fees, long driving distances, and limited time. My solution was to find a supportive instructor who I clicked with, establish a working relationship, and work for lessons/show rides.

My advice is to find someone that is willing to mentor you and let them coach you to become the very best rider you possibly can. You have the rest of your life to compete at the A level, but the sooner you establish A level equitation, the better.

[HealingHeart]

Just don’t take your current horse, they will sell & not really be committed to this horse for its best situation. Let your current trainer handle any sells for this horse. I would hate for you to learn the horse was place with a sales barn & group with others & sold & shipped to who knows where ?? Just saying…, don’t loose control of where your current horse goes.

[cdn_alter]

Depending on where you live could you trailer out of state to meet up with a trainer at shows? I know a lot of people on the east coast who have arrangements like that! Therefore you could still stay at your current barn. And buying a trailer is much less expensive than buying a house

[PonyPenny]

My daughter was a working student and lived with her trainer during the summer and when she could arrange it with her school. She started when she was 15 until she went off to college. She got to travel and show all over the country.

[sassymares]

My daughter was a working student and lived with her trainer during the summer and when she could arrange it with her school. She started when she was 15 until she went off to college. She got to travel and show all over the country.

How did you arrange this? It sounds like the ideal but did your previous trainer hook her up with a new trainer that she liked or did you call/email a reputable trainer?

[snowrider]

Honestly, try going to a show by yourself. It’s a VERY good skill to learn and you can come back and dissect how it went with your current trainer. You will also save a ton of money. After you’ve gone to one or two shows you can maybe find a coach you’d like to meet at shows and work that out with them and your current trainer.

I like to show with a group for moral support but lots of top amateurs show alone or with a group of friends.

[Soaponarope]

I understand that you want to live the A circuit dream and I totally understand. However, I do think it sounds like you are in a really good place with a trainer who understands your goals, has you catchriding, and is being very honest with you about the level she plans to show at.

I would first count your blessings and be very careful to keep a good relationship with your trainer. If you do want to move up in the world, I am wondering if there are any barns in your schooling circuit who also show on the A circuit? If so, I would volunteer to groom for them at some shows. Make yourself useful. Watch lessons and learn how the horses are groomed and conditioned. See if you can trade grooming or grunt work for some lessons, and in general try and learn the skills that would make you a valued member of the barn and perhaps get a catchride or two or get a working student position.

I would focus on improving your skills as much as you can. If possible do clinics, the Emerging Athlete Program, and camps and clinics at NCAA college programs. That way if a working student position or catchride does come your way, you’ll be prepared to put your best foot forward.

[PonyPenny]

[QUOTE=sassymares;8545966]
How did you arrange this? It sounds like the ideal but did your previous trainer hook her up with a new trainer that she liked or did you call/email a reputable trainer?[/QUOTE]

It was through connections from another worker student. My daughter made the call to arrange it. I never even met the trainer until she came out west one year to show. The new trainer was based in the mid-west and we live on the west coast. Not sure of your age, but some trainers will take on working students under 18. Your parents have to be fully on-board for this to work. My daughter also spent 3-weeks with Missy Clark in WEF as a working student. Other trainer got injured and could not go.

[PonyPenny]

[QUOTE=sassymares;8545715]
but there is only one or two barn in my entire state that goes to a shows regularly and although they are very successful I don’t agree with all of their training methods and don’t think I would fit in. My trainer like I said is wonderful and told me that if it ever becomes to much I can come back with no hard feelings at all and if I see her at shows to give her a huge and say hi to some of my previous mounts. [/QUOTE]

You never know unless you try. I would try one of these barns and maybe you could become a working student for them. It is good to try out different training methods and not be judgemental about them. At your age, you are still in the learning process and should try and expose yourself to different programs. I am not sure how you can make assumptions about a successful trainers methods, unless you are there and understand the context of why they are being applied. Good luck in future endeavors.

[AmmyHunter]

If you can get the level of training you need where you are, perhaps your trainer has contacts with other trainers whom you could meet at the larger shows when you reach the point that you want to do more showing than your current barn does. Lots of people keep their horses locally and meet up with other trainers at the shows.

[sassymares]

I am watching the 2013 Maclay Finals (I am very bored) and Jacob Pope was talking about how he would do school during the week and then do a 4 hour drive and ride with Andres on the weekend then during the summer be a working student and go on the show circuit with them. We are looking at getting a trailer so does this sound doable? Do you think he rented a hotel on those weekends or stayed with someone?

[red_mares]

The gal at my barn lived with the trainer and his wife over summers. She started taking lessons and it went from there.

I’m not sure how junior/teen you are. Keep in mind when coming up with grand plans that your parents are presumably working 40 hours a week. That “4 hour” drive doesn’t sound like much, but in reality it’s closer to 6 or 7 hours by the time you get a horse & gear loaded and unloaded. It’s either a day/half day off work or a very long day if done after work. That can get to be a lot if it’s every week. If they are doing the driving, your bedroom better be spotless. :lol:

[sassymares]

It’s either a day/half day off work or a very long day if done after work.

Actually my mother works 3 mornings a week at my current barn and my father works from home and then travels to different country’s for free to meet with people. Does during this mean that maybe I could ride with my current trainer also? She has a cheap board of $400 and low lesson prices of $30.

[AmmyByNature]

Based on your other threads I think you may be getting a bit ahead of yourself. You seem to be in a good place with a supportive trainer (who is letting you ride and show a fancy WB at A shows).

Before you start planning on making your parents move or commute hundreds of miles out of state for lessons with fancy trainers why don’t you just see how it goes for a year or two?

You’re asking very specific questions about things that your parents and trainer would or would not allow you to do. These aren’t the sorts of things we can answer for you.