is being a working student worth it?

[skinny_jumps]

My background: I’m in my first year at college and I own one horse who I have trained from Intro to Prelim. My goal is to transfer to a 4 year school, as I’m at a CC to save money, but I don’t want to leave the horse world.

My question! Is being a working student worth it? Or is it better to find a good trainer(s) and work consistently with them? I live on a farmette so it’s not like I need to live closer to my horse :lol: , and I worry that it would affect my chances of being competitive for a 4 year school. Is it worth it?? Sorry for rambling, I’m so torn up about this- I want to do right by my future and my horse at the same time!

[yellowbritches]

It comes down way more to the program and how good a match you are with the trainer and the program. If you end up in a crappy program where you’re treated like slave labor, get little to no saddle time, and are worked into the ground for a few paltry minutes of instruction, then no. Definitely not worth it. If you are in a program where you are treated fairly, the coaching is good and consistent and you are compensated appropriately for your work, then it can be an amazing experience and a great opportunity to grow as a rider and a horseperson.

I have no idea how it would effect your chances of school (maybe taking too much time off of your schooling?), but a good program with a good trainer you get along with and where you get not only experience in the saddle, but hands on experiences with the horses can be really great.

[Scribbler]

Speaking as a college instructor myself . . .

“Working student” can mean anything from trading chores for rides at a lesson barn to being a real apprentice trainer for a big name trainer who sees a lot of potential for you to go pro yourself.

If that’s what you mean, signing over your life 24/7 to work 12 hour days, go to Florida for the winter, catch riding and training clients’ horses, I don’t think that is compatible with any academic goals. The horses will always have to come first in that kind of position, whereas to do well in college, your school work has to come first.

If you are using your community college years to boost your GPA to get into a competitive four year university, then you need to (a) focus on your course work now and (b) be ready to focus even harder when you transfer to 3rd and 4th year in the bigger university. You are going to need to have excellent attendance, do all your assignments, and not stay up all night before the final exam with a colicky horse.

It’s really a matter of goals. If you have been successful enough in your junior riding that you realistically think you can go pro as a trainer, coach, rider, yourself, and if this is something you really want, and if you are a high-energy, physically strong person who can do all the grunt work and cleaning stalls that being a working student can entail, and if you are fearless about riding strange, or really strange horses, and if you are emerging from your junior years at the top of your pack locally . . . then maybe you might want to consider a career in horses. Just training one horse and living on your parent’s acreage in and of itself doesn’t say a lot.

If you don’t want a career in horses, I’d say concentrate on school work, get a good career, and stay an amateur.

[DancingArabian]

It depends on the role. There are a lot of working student positions that you would not be able to take on since you’re going to school. You would not be able to physically handle 10-12 hour days 6 days a week and stay on top of your schoolwork.

If a 4 year school is your target, then I would be extremely careful about what working student positions you took on. Might be better to take on a part time barn job working under a trainer than to try to go full on working student.

[skinny_jumps]

[QUOTE=DancingArabian;8986909]
It depends on the role. There are a lot of working student positions that you would not be able to take on since you’re going to school. You would not be able to physically handle 10-12 hour days 6 days a week and stay on top of your schoolwork.

If a 4 year school is your target, then I would be extremely careful about what working student positions you took on. Might be better to take on a part time barn job working under a trainer than to try to go full on working student.[/QUOTE]

That’s what I was thinking. I already work at a barn part time and think that it’s been very educational.

[FitToBeTied]

Get your education done first and then decide if you want to do the working student thing.

[judybigredpony]

Here’s another perspective…How much time energy and focus are you able to offer in return for the lessons and saddle time? Will you be able to “work” at competitions or are you busy with your 4 horses, do you have time from your school program to fit in work, rides, school etc …and lastly do you also have to work to pay for your day to day expenses like food, gas, cell phone etc…

[SnicklefritzG]

OP, I’ve known people who have had a very successful working student experience and are now 3* event riders.

I’ve also known many who crashed and burned in bad gigs where they were not much more than slave labor.

If you know for certain you would like to go to a 4 year school, focus on that. Get a part time job if necessary to earn some money to put towards lessons. Or find a trainer who would be willing to let you work X hours in exchange for lessons of saddle time. Only do the latter if you can get everything in writing. Too often I see working students promised all sorts of opportunities that amount to nothing in the end.

You might also be able to find a barn that likes to hire college kids to help with exercising horses. There is at least one A level H/J barn in my area that does that.

[findeight]

If you are carrying a decent amount of credits, you aren’t going to be able to put in enough hours at the barn to swap for lessons and saddle time. Not in a decent trainers barn anyway, one that needs the most riding help in the daytime during the week, not evenings and weekends when clients are out if work or schoo, and ride their own.

Think you have to define working student too. Are you talking about swapping hours worked around the barn for “free” rides and lessons or are you talking about making a low wage plus getting rides/lessons? More of an apprentice position?

Either way, the best way to ensure a future with horses is to finish your degree or attend what we used to call a “trade school” and pick up a certificate for a decent paying specialty job that requires one.

That whole working student thing, either swap for for rides or skimpy wage apprentice style works better for younger people still getting parental support.

[JP60]

A college education and diploma will last you a lifetime. Horses will always be there when you are ready. Focus on the education and once you get that degree you will either decide it is better to apply it to life work or then take the time to see if being a full time working student if for you. 21, 22 years of age is the best time to figure out a life journey and since you are already in a college track…finish it.

I know of two young ladies who choose to do school and regular training (once a week with a very good trainer). Both got their degrees and still rode to 1*, before deciding they wanted a different path. I know another, from the same trainer, that finished four years, went with another trainer closer to the college, then decided to become a professional horse and human trainer running a success small business.

My own thought, ‘working student’ today is more like indentured servitude, not really a great experience other than ‘I worked for so and so’ and that can have baggage.

Focus on the degree.

[Mango20]

I think if your goal is to get into a 4-year school, you should not become a working student right now. Maybe you could do it over the summer.

[ACountingRider]

I’ve been there myself and through college had three different working student positions. Each was perfect for the season I was in, in my life, and I was able to keep logical and smart career decisions (let’s hope) while working in all three. It is really dependent on the type of position you take.

My first ws position was your local barn ws type gig. No money and not 4**** instruction, but lots of hands-on life experience. So valuable on a lot of levels both just hands-on experience with horses and gaining valuable people skills. This was over two summers over Senior year of HS and Freshman Year of college. I think this type of gig is very valuable if you’re at a point where you’re possibly still under your parents’ wings. I was pretty close to home. School wasn’t hindered because I only took this during my summer breaks. Would it have been smart to postpone school for this? Probably not, but very valuable again for a season.

The second gig did cut into school. I before-hand worked with my counselor to figure how I could take time off but still finish in four-years. Still had some parental-backing as far as insurance, phone, etc. The perks to this were with a very respected and successful 4**** rider, now 12 hours from home. Again no money, housing isn’t covered, board isn’t covered. I was blessed with two angels who sponsored my entire trip. At this point my riding needed to go to the next level, I knew about horse care and how to stick on a horse, but that was the extent. I would not change the six months I took with this this instructor for anything. I met so many upper-levels riders, I came back with a multitude of tools to actually start a program of my own. Would this have been a smart decision to take more than 6-months? I would’ve been broke, and while I was able to network it wouldn’t have actually ever become a paying job, yet still priceless lessons learned, lots of saddle time.

Finally the last position came right after graduation. This gig was paid, provided housing, and board. I wouldn’t have been ready for this position had I not taken the prior two. It had little to do with my major, but offered an opportunity to ride and stay sustainable now that I had no parental financial backing.
After a few months, I realized that for me personally, I didn’t want my lifestyle to long-term look like that of a professional rider/trainer. Financially, for me, I was still paycheck to paycheck. I would’ve had little options had my horse become hurt. Yet, I don’t regret the decision to take this job. It was my first time financial independent of my parents, I still gained a lot of lessons in the saddle, and can never say “what-if.”

In all three cases I am so grateful for those trainers who took me in, and I wouldn’t change the opportunities I took a bit. I really don’t believe it interfered with my career now as an Accountant! If anything, I learned a lot. I am so glad I took each position when I did, as I would not have been able to take the first two now after college without some kind of financial backing. It is really a per-position, per-life decision.

I do now, with my adult job trailer over to a great trainer. Because I had the lessons in my earlier positions, I’m not entirely dependent on her. I will say my riding hasn’t improved as efficiently up the ladder as during my ws positions, but there’s still upward progress in my twice-monthly lessons and competing. I’m satisfied with my single horse and the few babies.

There’s so many routes you can go, all have some risk involved. I do believe there is a trend that the only way to become a 4**** rider is to take on multi-year WS positions, and that’s just not true.

[AKB]

Working student positions look like slave labor to me. Most trainers work their WS very hard and teach them little. It is better to get a degree in something that pays well and has flexible hours.

If you have money, nice horses and top instruction are easily available. I be a friend who has money to spend on her horses. She has two very nice horses and gets lessons from anyone she wants. Her riding has progressed incredibly during the past 3 years.

[Rnichols]

I might get chewed out for saying this, but I think it also depends on what you are getting a degree in. 15 units of hard science classes tend to be more time consuming and require a larger amount of time devoted to studying than 15 units of social sciences or some other GE classes. Now I realize all CCs are different and people have different experiences, I am just speaking from my personal experience.

At one point when I was at my JC, I was taking a full load of classes, working part time at a hair salon, feeding/cleaning paddocks at one barn 2X (took about 1 hour total per week) a week in exchange for one lesson a week and riding whenever I wanted, and working about 18 hours (2.5 days a week) for a dressage trainer. I got all Cs that semester. I will say too I got burned out working for the dressage trainer. I would work varying hours every time I went out and our agreement was one"day" of work was one lesson. Towards the end my “lessons” turned into just riding his personal horse or certain clients horses with no instruction. To me, that wasn’t worth it. Meanwhile the other trainer I worked for is basically now like family to me. She also ended up giving me my first horse :).

I think you just have to figure out what works best for you. Maybe being a full time working student and full time college student won’t work, but if you’re able to find a trainer that can work around your school schedule, I’d say go for it. For me, not riding wasn’t an option and the on,y way I could ride at the time was to work for it.

You just have to find a situation that will be worth it for you :).

[Mia_Sorella]

I think to get the most out of a working student position, you need to be able to devote 100% of yourself to the endeavour and already be a pretty strong rider to begin with.

As a WS, you will live in a constant state of exhaustion: both mental and physical. I would not recommend trying to do school and a WS position at the same time. Both will suffer and you will really limit the value you gain from either experience.

In my opinion, the people who have the best WS student experiences we’re already pretty good riders to begin with. If you can’t get on a variety of horses and get good work out of them with minimal input from a trainer, you’re going to experience a whole lot more of the “slave labour” aspect and get a whole lot less of the saddle time.

My advice: decide what your #1 priority is right now (school or horses) and figure out what you need to do to excel at pursuing that.

[flyingchange]

As another poster mentioned, it may also depend on the types of classes that you are taking. There is no way most of us mere mortals could achieve A’s as a f/t STEM major and also commit to a working student situation at the same time.

[Halfpasser11]

Coming from a college professor of an equine program and someone who was a working student while in undergrad…

In my opinion, much of this really rests on your ability to manage your time effectively, set a personal schedule, prioritize, and your drive to succeed. Obviously, a lot depends on your WS position (the schedule, the trainers tolerance, ability to ride etc).

I have a few students who are doing this now (to get a BS in Equine Business Management). Three are handling it quite well although finals week was very hard for them. They all are very type “A” and don’t have the time to be hung over or spend an afternoon binging on Netflix. Instead they stick to their schedule to fit in working, studying, getting to classes, and riding and do not waiver from it. When they do I can tell very easily in their course work and attitude as it is quick to slip. I think it’s hard on them socially but they know what they want and are working hard to get there so for them it’s an easy trade off.

However, I have one student now (and several students in the past) who just can’t handle it. They want to sleep in, spend time with their friends, have easy days, and really just want to be a normal college student. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. However, many times it means that your coursework, working relationships, and riding all suffer which is, of course, not the point at all. Sometimes they get burned out and drop horses all together (including switching their major), some stop working at barns and get a ‘normal’ job, and some just stop coming to classes and generally drop out of college shortly after. But for these students something has to give.

Personally, I was a full time working student, college student, and worked part time at Burger King to help pay the bills for 3 years. It was very hard. I took 3 spring semesters off to travel to Wellington with my trainer and got credits for internships, took classes on-line those semesters (terrible idea) and during the summer. It took me 4.5 years to graduate because of that. I worked my butt off and didn’t get paid but I got room, training, board, daily lessons and got to ride client horses everyday. I’m incredibly grateful for that experience and I was lucky my trainer and I got along great and worked very well together (most of the time!). Ultimately, I got burned out on horses and left the industry for a few years while I attended grad school.

It sounds like you want to try this and I think you should. But you need to go in with your eyes wide open to what your life will look like for a few years. Be prepared to pull out of a WS gig if you can’t keep up in classes. My suggestion, during an “easy semester” (schedule and coursework wise) try it out and see how it goes. Having to bail on a WS position because of school is ALWAYS an acceptable excuse. But please, don’t choose horses over school! You will thank yourself when you’re 60.

[soloudinhere]

I would get your degree first and then work out what “working student” means for you.

I graduated with a STEM degree and I was burnt out. I took a job in Virginia, deferred my student loans, and worked a position that provided me housing, a stipend of $1000 a month, and use of a car. I was more groom than student but I was also paid staff and not a slave. I was able to board my horse at cost (not the full board rate) and was offered very affordable lessons. I paid for my lessons by working weekends grooming client horses at shows/braiding/hacking horses for $10 a ride, etc.

I did it for a year, learned a lot, and left to take a high paying consulting job that lets me enjoy horses on my own time. I ate a lot of peanut butter sandwiches and wore holes in my boots and got to live the dream for a year and that was enough. For some it might not be but I have to tell you, I really appreciate my current job after that year.

[twobaygals]

My experience

I was a “working student” while going to college full time. As others have said, your experience would depend tremendously on the barn. I was at a small barn (17 horses). I was able to physically do the work, but I was under a tremendous amount of stress. Sometimes I missed classes because doing a thorough job at the barn meant more to me. Even though the barn was 20 minutes from the college, I was always in a rush. The experience has led to other opportunities for me, but it was in no way the break through in my riding that I had hoped it would be, especially considering how much work and dedication I put in. Despite all of that, I still consider finding another working student position because I’ve heard people who have had excellent experiences. I would say make sure there is a very clear agreement about how much instruction you will receive, and when that will take place. Major bonus if there are many horses available to you to ride.

[merrygoround]

A Lot depends on where and with whom you are a working student. Some are excellent at making sure their wS get their lesson, sometimes daily others are just plain awful.

However, I would suggest that you finish school and get your degree, first. It is too easy to get side tracked until too late. And doing a worthwhile WS program while going to school is a very difficult prospect.