Going pro as a mediocre rider - is it worth it?

[luckycricket123]

I’ve been riding and competing as an amateur. I follow the amateur rules strictly and have previously turned down payments for any activity that I felt would put my amateur status in question. I would say I am a solid rider, but definitely not the type of rider that you see and think would be a professional. Think beginner lessons, exercise riding, schooling green horses etc. I’ve already been buying and selling my own horses, but this doesn’t affect my amateur status.

Now I’ve been toying with the idea of changing my status and accepting payment. Based on the requests I’ve gotten, I think I can cover the cost of my additional insurance + the entry fees to the few shows I attend each year, so certainly not enough to quit my day job, but at least enough to break even with the horses.

I’m not really concerned about winning fewer ribbons or qualifying for regionals with a lower score. I am however a little afraid of looking foolish as a pro with mediocre scores at the lower levels (think sixties) and an imperfect position.

Has anyone gone pro and regretted it? How easy is it to change your USEF status back if you didn’t like it?

[fordtraktor]

What are your goals for the future?

[luckycricket123]

Generally, I just enjoy bringing green horses along. I like taking a horse with no experience and making them an ammy-friendly solid citizen.

I don’t have any serious competition goals otherwise.

[Scribbler]

@luckycricket123

I’ve been riding and competing as an amateur. I follow the amateur rules strictly and have previously turned down payments for any activity that I felt would put my amateur status in question. I would say I am a solid rider, but definitely not the type of rider that you see and think would be a professional. Think beginner lessons, exercise riding, schooling green horses etc. I’ve already been buying and selling my own horses, but this doesn’t affect my amateur status.

Now I’ve been toying with the idea of changing my status and accepting payment. Based on the requests I’ve gotten, I think I can cover the cost of my additional insurance + the entry fees to the few shows I attend each year, so certainly not enough to quit my day job, but at least enough to break even with the horses.

I’m not really concerned about winning fewer ribbons or qualifying for regionals with a lower score. I am however a little afraid of looking foolish as a pro with mediocre scores at the lower levels (think sixties) and an imperfect position.

Has anyone gone pro and regretted it? How easy is it to change your USEF status back if you didn’t like it?

People go pro because the potential earnings from lessons and training far outweigh any extra cost for showing. And many lower level pros rarely or never show because they are spending every weekend supervising paying clients at shows.

There are an awful lot of mediocre pros out there competing in lower level dressage. Generally the pros have a bit more gumption and effectiveness than most ammies, however.

If you are truly a mediocre rider, you aren’t going to get clients for lessons and training. So I doubt you are that mediocre. Or maybe your talents are lessons and greenies, not going up the dressage pyramid.

Anyhow, getting serious about maximizing your lessons and training clients and income is a bigger shift than just what classes you compete in. You might not have much time to compete, if all goes well.

[Jump314]

@luckycricket123

How easy is it to change your USEF status back if you didn’t like it?

After at least one year of not receiving money, you have to send a notarized letter to USEF explaining why you want to return to amateur status and you have to tell them about your work situation/ what changed. You also need to get three USEF members, who are familiar with you, to send notarized letters on your behalf. Getting these people to write letters and take them to notaries is the hard part.

[luckycricket123]

@Scribbler

People go pro because the potential earnings from lessons and training far outweigh any extra cost for showing. And many lower level pros rarely or never show because they are spending every weekend supervising paying clients at shows.

I should have mentioned I have a full time job with great benefits that pays me better than I could hope to make through horses, so I don’t want to go full time pro! I just am considering taking on paying clients in the evenings and weekends.

[Scribbler]

@luckycricket123

@Scribbler

People go pro because the potential earnings from lessons and training far outweigh any extra cost for showing. And many lower level pros rarely or never show because they are spending every weekend supervising paying clients at shows.

I should have mentioned I have a full time job with great benefits that pays me better than I could hope to make through horses, so I don’t want to go full time pro! I just am considering taking on paying clients in the evenings and weekends.

Well, then the decision is: do you want to spend your evenings and weekends riding your own horse, or standing in the arena shouting “heels down!” Or schooling other people’s spoiled ponies

[flexion]

I did exactly this and then reinstated amateur status, which was a slow process but very easy. No regrets, it paid for my horse and I liked teaching. Plus, I was in great shape due to the additional saddle time, which did more to improve my riding than anything else previously. I had a greenie and didn’t show so it was a no brainer. Burnout was the major downside for me but that was directly related to the number of hours I worked.

[anon55755751]

I would love to do this and have thought about it seriously. I have ridden quite a few green horses for free, since it has always been mutually beneficial to me and the owners. I love working greenies and helping “spoiled” horses become more comfortable and happy in their work.

The part I struggle to get past is that paying clients will have expectations and requirements that I may not be able to meet, since my paying job comes first. In my case that sometimes means I lose control of my schedule to support deadlines, have to travel, etc. So the right clients would be important to make it work I think.

[eightpondfarm]

@Amberley

Both the young horse starters me and my friends use are what I’d call mediocre riders in terms of winnings or getting the most out of a horse. But they are fantastic at starting and working with green horses and have very steady clientele because of that. I think being less competitive minded is a benefit to training green horses, not a detriment.

I totally agree with the point you’re making here.

[DMK]

They can also be better teachers of beginner riders than exceptional riders/coaches. And even if the really great riders happen to have the skills to teach beginners, if they skilled at teaching more advanced riders their time and talents are probably better spent teaching those riders.

I’ve toyed with this idea as well, now that I do combined driving mainly and do some dressage showing off season. I’m not sure what the value of that ammy status is. There’s NO ammy anything in Combined Driving, and at some point, I’m not sure if it’s worth it in dressage, and I’ve always enjoyed teaching…

[clanter]

@luckycricket123

I think I can cover the cost

better than Think is to put the costs onto a spread sheet to see how much you will actually need

under capitalization kills most new start ups

[Mondo]

@Jump314

After at least one year of not receiving money, you have to send a notarized letter to USEF explaining why you want to return to amateur status and you have to tell them about your work situation/ what changed. You also need to get three USEF members, who are familiar with you, to send notarized letters on your behalf. Getting these people to write letters and take them to notaries is the hard part.

Yes. I did this almost 30 years ago. The requirements haven’t changed. You know what? I didn’t even last 6 months as an ammy. I had too many people still wanting lessons and training. I threw up my hands and went back to pro status.

That said, I think you have to ask yourself why you want to turn pro if you a) consider yourself a “mediocre” rider; and b) are doing it only for the $$. There are far too many crappy trainers out there without adding another one. I’m not saying you are crappy, just that without more experience and better scores, even at the lower levels, what is it you think you have to offer as a pro that your potential clients can’t get better elsewhere? I don’t mean to be harsh, but that’s a reality you need to consider.

[Jarpur]

@luckycricket123

Generally, I just enjoy bringing green horses along. I like taking a horse with no experience and making them an ammy-friendly solid citizen.

I don’t have any serious competition goals otherwise.

This was me, too. I always liked starting horses, started all of my families’ and my own, as well as ones for friends. Never accepted money for it, as it was so enjoyable for me. Was asked to ride horses for others, but I could be as picky as I wanted to be as to which horses I rode, since it wasn’t a business. Getting paid would have taken all the fun out of it for me – plus I didn’t want the hassle of becoming a pro.

Added benefit was that working as many as four or five horses, up to twice a day, kept me very fit, as mentioned above. Personally, I wouldn’t ever have described myself (or someone else with the same skill set) as a mediocre rider. It takes real feel to start horses, and develop them into those desirable solid citizens – can’t be a second rate rider and accomplish this, IMO.

[Texarkana]

I feel like the internet over emphasizes the distinction between “pro” and “amateur.” They mean nothing about your ability or performance. All it means is one person is earning money in the industry and the other isn’t. Working in the industry is sometimes an advantage in the show ring, so they separate the divisions. That’s it.

So please don’t stress over other people’s opinions. No one who matters is going to be judging your position and going, “gasp! She’s a pro!” The only people doing that are biddies on the internet who haven’t sat on a horse in 30 years.

Some of the best “pros” in the business barely ride themselves.

Ok, off my soap box!

[atr]

I could name several pros around here who are scoring on the low 60s at lower levels on a good day.

They aren’t professional dressage show riders, per se, they are pros in the horse industry. Some are young horse starters, some are “remedial horse” trainers, some are grooms or barn help of some kind or other.

And so, yes, they probably ride multiple horses a day which gives them a pro advantage over us mediocre ammies, but doesn’t put them on the road to the Olympics. They are out to play at any given show for entirely different reasons. Usually mileage for a horse or just a fun challenge for them

And that’s fine and well understood, no one who has a clue thinks any the less of their abilities for it.

[BlueDrifter]

My trainer is exactly this. She has been part of the bigger dressage scene and was competitive, but prefers bringing along greenies and other horses. Her other job does take precedence, and I think the reason it works for her is that she/we are not at a show barn – but rather a more “family barn” with most riders wanting their horses to have a good education, but have no aspirations to show themselves.

So getting the clientele correct depends, I think, on what type of barn you are at…

[exvet]

I have backed and started my own for many, many years. I was a pony jock as a kid to pay my horses way on the circuit. I have a full-time job and toyed with the idea of going pro each time someone asked (at times begged me) to take their horse in for training. I decided against it each and every time because I am addicted to my hobby. It’s my solace, my sanity, my only way of decompressing. At the end of the day I do not not want to end up hating my hobby; which, I fear would be the eventual result if I turned pro. I deal with people and their emotional attachments each and every day. I just don’t think I would excel under the additional pressure turning pro in my horse-life would bring. While I too love the process of bringing a horse along and seeing its potential, I CAN do that as an amateur and have successfully. I do not struggle to sell horses especially those I’ve started. At the end of the day, I have a day job that is in many ways satisfying. The horse thing is my silver lining, my escape, my therapy even when I buy or produce projects, train them, bring them along and sell them - as an amateur. Pro status would not bring me any additional benefits in reality because it’s not as if I’m going to forsake my hard earned reputation or ability to make a living in my profession to turn full-time pro doing horses - just not going to do it. I’ve invested a ton of money, time, energy, emotion and blood in both but one is my profession and one is my PURE PLEASURE. I guess I want to keep it that way.

[Bogey2]

If the only reason to not do it is competing in the OPEN vision then just do it! We compete with AA’s who have much nicer horses and are very talented (think Alice Tarjan) So make some money doing what you love and just look at your scores as an accomplishment, not your ribbons!

[ParadoxFarm]

Something to think about, if you grow your horse business at all, sometimes riding problem horses or teaching takes some of the fun out of your own riding. Or you don’t have as much time to ride for your own enjoyment. There is a trade-off especially when you work a non-horse job and do this on the side.