So my horse was put down six months ago and I’ve been working on leasing one. Im only a junior in highschool and my father told me he would lease me a horse for one year and then wouldn’t after that. Basically saying I would have to quit riding to focus more on school related activities for my college applications. I know this is true and I told him I could do both, but he says he will not pay for a horse after this year. Before I hear everyone telling me to get a job and work for it myself, I am already going to be working off part of my board, my lessons, and paying for show fees. I just don’t see how it will be possible for me to get a horse next year with no financial help from my dad. I want to be in the horse industry as my career and study it in college so I need to maintain it and keep riding/showing. I will do all in my power to make it happen as I’m very strong willed and work hard for everything I have. Do you think it’s worth leasing a horse this year in I’m going to have to quit next year? Or should I just quit now? Also any advice on how to help with finances would help majorly! Thanks everyone.
If you can balance your school work and horses then yes, I would take the lease for this year. Take advantage of the opportunity to lease and learn as much as you can. Talk to your trainer and let him or her know that after the year you will be on a much stricter budget (try to ball park a figure if you can) and ask them what type of plan can be worked out with that budget. If you are serious about riding then I highly suggest you look at colleges with equestrian teams. These will give you great opportunities to ride in college and continue learning. You will have to do some research as the programs vary in size and quality, but there are some very good ones out there (SCAD and Centenary are two that come to mind).
Also keep in mind that if you choose to ride in college, you will spend most of your time riding many different types of horses. See if you can work out some type of arrangement with your trainer where you work off lessons in exchange for barn work or maybe they have some sales horses you can lease for a smaller fee. Be open to riding anything and opportunities will come through with time and hard work. You don’t have to give up riding if you don’t want to.
Could you be a working student? That is what my daughter did her last two years as a junior. She got to show a wide variety of horses and ponies all over the country. Yard and Groom is a good place to look for opportunities. This only works if your parents are supportive of you being a working student and how you deal with school. My daughter traveled to another state and even though I missed her, it was a tremendous opportunity that my husband and I could not afford to give her.
I don’t see any advantage to turning down dad’s offer to lease a horse for a year. I would not just quit, try to work out a working student position. Use the year to start networking.
I will say, college applications with a totally riding based resume can be very tricky. You almost have to write an essay on riding, explain to them why you did more than just play around on ponies all day. I had my English teacher help me get past the “rich girl” feel that comes with the sport. But, during my freshman orientation, one of the speakers mentioned that they no longer just look for a well-rounded application, they look for students who have a passion and followed it. My GPA was fairly low for this school, but my essay was about riding, so I can only guess that helped.
Sorry for your loss.
Do the lease this year, but at the same time, focus on school. The better your grades, the more choice you’ll have for college, and you will want to go to college. Talk to your trainer about possibilities for riding next year, and look at colleges you’re interested in to see what sorts of things they’ll want to see on your application - riding is a sport that gets noticed on applications nowadays.
Arm yourself with facts, and then show your dad that riding consistently can look good to college admissions boards, especially if you hope to have a career in the industry.
Your dad is probably just wanting to make sure you get the best shot at a good college education, so it’s your job to show him how riding is a step on that path.
Good luck!
Very sorry for the loss of your horse.
As far as leasing a horse and perhaps not being able to ride the next year I think you maybe overreacting a bit. I would take your dad up on the lease and get the experience of this new horse. Your dad may or may not want to continue after that year. Yes parents do change their minds and dads have very soft spots for their children. Don’t freak out! Deal with this year for now.
Study really hard and get exceptional grades so your dad can see that riding did not take away from your school performance. The horse industry is tough so if you really want a career in horses you can’t possibly give up so easily. It’s not the end of the world if you can’t ride for a year. I’ve had several stints multiple years each time where I haven’t ridden throughout my life and I had no problem getting back to my prior level. Also if you are considering a horse industry career that has anything to do with riding then maybe you can find catch rides?? I had no financial support from my parents throughout my junior years and I catch rode multiple horses for multiple owners. It made me a better rider. The world is full of opportunities… keep your eyes on what you can do not what you feel are obstacles.
Very best of luck.
Thank your father and do the lease. You never know what the future may hold.
I agree – thank your father, take him up on the lease and then over the coming months think about what you could do to keep riding next year.
There are ways to continue riding such as working for a trainer, even if you don’t have your own horse.
Also give some serious thought to what you want to study in college. I know it sounds appealing to work in the horse industry, but it’s a very, very hard way to make a living. Try to pick something you can apply to other industries as well.
I bet your dad might be more supportive if you were not planning to study equine sciences in school. Honestly, you woud be better off getting a degree in something that will put you on a career path that will support your horse habit. If everything goes well you can always turn pro once you figure out that riding will support your real life expenses.
It is possible to keep up your grades and your riding career in thoselast two years of high school. You just need to be very organized and motivated. If you prove to your father junior year (which is usually harder/more important than senior) that you can handle he responsibility, you may find him more agreeable to helping you continue riding.
If you really are committed to making a career in horses, then you will need all the experience you can get. It seems silly to quit now just because you won’t have a situation you desire next year. Get as much experience and quality instruction as you can wherever you can.
Not owning a horse doesn’t mean you can’t continue to ride. If you are completely reliant on your parents to support your riding and they are telling you they will not continue paying, you have to respect that. One day soon you will be an adult on your own and then you will be in a position to manage your money as you see fit, but right now your parents are 100% within their rights to manage their money as they see fit.
Come up with a budget together with your parents. If you are working, do they expect that money to pay for a car, towards your college fund, etc.? What portion of the funds you take in are available to you to put towards lessons, etc.? Determine how much spending money you will have to put towards riding after you’ve satisfied your other commitments. Know what those other commitments are! Owning a horse and even taking riding lessons is a luxury that comes only after the essentials (car, food, education, etc.) are covered. When you have figured out a realistic budget, I’d have a talk with your trainer about your budget, your goals, and how you can get furthest given your budget. If there simply is no budget, then you table riding for now while you focus on school, and then resume once you are out on your own and have the funds. Money management is such important an important skill for any horse owner to have!
As others have mentioned, IHSA is a relatively low-cost way to stay involved during your college years. You never know what opportunities might present themselves. Looking into becoming a working student is another good suggestion. It doesn’t hurt to ask!
Good luck 
[QUOTE=Equitationbaby;7491052]
So my horse was put down six months ago and I’ve been working on leasing one. Im only a junior in highschool and my father told me he would lease me a horse for one year and then wouldn’t after that. Basically saying I would have to quit riding to focus more on school related activities for my college applications. I know this is true and I told him I could do both, but he says he will not pay for a horse after this year. Before I hear everyone telling me to get a job and work for it myself, I am already going to be working off part of my board, my lessons, and paying for show fees. I just don’t see how it will be possible for me to get a horse next year with no financial help from my dad. I want to be in the horse industry as my career and study it in college so I need to maintain it and keep riding/showing. I will do all in my power to make it happen as I’m very strong willed and work hard for everything I have. Do you think it’s worth leasing a horse this year in I’m going to have to quit next year? Or should I just quit now? Also any advice on how to help with finances would help majorly! Thanks everyone.[/QUOTE]
I would take the lease.
I don’t think he’s basically saying you’ll have to quit. It sounds more like he’s just not willing to pay for it. If you find a job in a barn, and are a decent rider, you’ll get opportunities to ride. You don’t necessarily have to quit riding altogether - just quit doing it the way you’re used to now (with dad’s help, that is).
If you can manage working around school, you might be able to find a barn job that will give you free board though you will still need to find a way to pay for the other things (vet, farrier, tack, etc).
If you’ll be in an equine program, I would be SHOCKED if you didn’t have opportunities to ride regularly.
Skip showing. It’s not necessary, and if your budget is already tight, that will help. You might have to cut back on lessons and talk to your trainer about giving you ‘homework’ to work on in between sessions.
Have you talked with your parents about the possibility of you being on an equestrian team in college and receiving a scholarship for that? I know several college students who were accomplished ridings, applied to and were accepted to ride for college equestrian teams and received a full or partial scholarship for their college tuition and fees. That might get your Dad’s attention! Also, could you manage to work at least part time to help pay for your horse’s expenses?
I bet your dad might be more supportive if you were not planning to study equine sciences in school. Honestly, you woud be better off getting a degree in something that will put you on a career path that will support your horse habit. If everything goes well you can always turn pro once you figure out that riding will support your real life expenses.
Agree. Equine studies is pretty much useless. If you’re one of the .02% of us that can actually make it as a pro, you will. If you have a degree in something like business, that will help you immensely in running your own business. If you want to learn about horses, take a working student position after college for a year or two.
Take the lease for now. If you can find an amateur that is pressed for time (like me!) and are talented enough, you’ll always find someone that needs a horse ridden every so often. That’s how I got my best rides ever. You can probably do that next year, or into college. I don’t know where you are, but if you’re anywhere near a city, you’ll find someone who wants a horse ridden, most likely.
I’m a bit confused - and admit I haven’t read all posts, but don’t see that you posted beyond the first.
You are a junior in HS. It’s March. What does your father consider “one year”? Do you mean ‘this show season’ - as in from now through the summer or early fall? Or is “one year” through next winter?
If you have dreams of making the equine industry your career, I’d take what I could get, if he’s talking about leasing a horse that will take you to shows, and offer you the opportunity to ride so people sit up and take notice.
I’d also talk with your trainer about next year. As others have suggested, if there are sale horses coming in and out, the more adaptable they are, the more saleable.
And I absolutely agree that an equine studies degree will get you a hefty student loan to repay - and not much opportunity to work in an industry that will allow you to do that. Take every opportunity to ride/work, but get your degree in business or accounting or ???
i think absolutely lease a horse this year - and often is the case that those that are horseless end up having something fall into their lap depending on the barn situation. There are plenty of trainers out there who recognize a talented, enthusiastic rider and will help them get additional time in the saddle.
You know college isn’t the end all, and you don’t have to go. Definitely take his offer, get as much out of this horse as you can. If in a year he is no longer funding, then you decide what you want to do with YOUR life. Do you want to go to college? Trade school? Or get a job at a nice barn and claw your way up the ladder?
A lot will depend on how much you progress with your lease horse, if you move up quickly and get some opportunities this year, and you are REALLY serious and focused, maybe consider trying to make a career of riding. If you decide you’d rather take an easy, non physical job, go to college and ride on the side (there will still be opportunities if you look for them). Decide how much it matters, how bad you want it.
I know its a tough situation but if you want to navigate it successfully you’re going to have to let go of the frustration that has you saying “Should I just quit now?” You need to show your dad that you appreciate everything he’s done and is willing to do to support your riding.
Ask dad if you can have a session with a college admissions counselor. Your school guidance office should be able to help you find a few options. If your realistic college riding track is IHSA, (not a definite NCAA slot or possible scholarship) the best approach to college applications might be to find something fun to half lease & show until college instead of the current lease and then nothing. The continuity and passion you have for horses may tell a better story to colleges than 10 activities that you started right before applying. An applications counselor can talk to you and your dad about how you can spend the leasing budget to best set you up for applications.
Start expanding on your activities immediately! Find things that build on your passion - volunteer with hippotherapy, humane society, etc. Seriously research horse related careers outside of an equine studies major. Think of all the people who run Dover, support the SmartPak website, keep Kentucky Horse Park running smoothly, etc. Go to some A & AA’s and talk to vendors. Find out what they studied, what their day to day job is like, how they got into it, etc. You’ll find a few people who you think are great and whose jobs sound amazing. There are so many career options that can keep you focused on horses without limiting yourself to an equine studies degree. Taking your passion for riding, facing adversity and making a serious exploration of career options could make a great application essay.
When I was 17 I wanted to pursue equine studies or ride professionally. My trainer insisted I get a degree first. He was a Cornell alum who became a trainer. As a result, I have a BA & MBA, 2 horses that I love dearly, the budget to show and I will never have to make a decision about their care based on cost. I’m sure it doesn’t feel like it right now, but I bet that’s what your dad is hoping for you.
Good luck!
