How should I maximize my time to get better at showing and compete in higher classes when I have no time?
I don’t want to downplay your amazing goals and work ethic, but I can tell you some tips for a horse girl going to college. My daughter was super busy in high school. Since she could win a number of scholarships, she focused on taking a lot of AP classes and more academic hours. She did win over $60,000 in scholarship monies and graduated in 4 years from a state University with “no” student loans. Things we learned that would be helpful for you is: you only need to take a few AP classes for your scholarship/college apps. We did more than necessary and I felt bad because she was working soooo hard. If you are a Fresh or Soph, wait until your Junior or Senior year to really concentrate on leadership positions. 4-H we found, was a club that every single scholarship foundation absolutely loved because in 4-H you are learning leadership-volunteerism-setting goals- etc, rather than belong to a million different clubs, 4-H was a 1 size fits all. Don’t waste time on school sports and student counsel org. These are the cookie cutter routes everyone takes. Concentrate your studies, leadership positions, volunteerism and college goals to be within the field of study that you plan to choose. You don’t have to work your tail off on these things because no one can quantify how much time you put in. And last but not least, if you know what you want to major in, leave something behind in your community, that translates to your career goals. I hope this info can help you choose a plan that isnt so hectic and allows you to continue showing you horses!!!
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OP I mean this kindly but I’m really not sure what advice you’re looking for here. If your parents are willing and able to lease you a competitive 3’ medal horse and pay for that much showing, and you have 3 hours of free time every day you could spend riding, then it really doesn’t seem like you have an issue. For most people, being genuinely committed to that many different activities is not feasible financially or time-wise, but you have the kind of resources and support most people can only fantasize about so that may not apply to you. I’m skeptical that you actually have that much time based on the activities you describe, but no one on this board can have any insight into that. Just keep in mind that even the best laid plans don’t always work out, and don’t be afraid to step back later if you find that it’s harder to balance all your different goals than you thought. You have a very ambitious set of plans which is likely to require some adjustment, that wouldn’t mean you failed or anything like that.
I’ll also just say that burnout is a real thing. I went to school with a lot of kids like you (and was one myself to some degree, but with way less parental support) and most of my friends hit a wall in a big way in or right after college. Going at the pace you’re going just isn’t sustainable for most people long-term. Make sure you aren’t putting unrealistic expectations on yourself, and are getting enough time to sleep and relax without constantly feeling like you need to be productive. I would also keep in mind that your current lifestyle is only possible because you have family support; after you move out you’ll likely have to start making some compromises on how you spend your finite time and money which can be a rough adjustment if it’s not a skill you learned as a teen. I don’t mean to imply that you’re spoiled or ungrateful at all, even kids with far fewer resources don’t really understand what it means to be on their own until it happens.
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Oh yeah definitely! I realize that I’m super lucky to have my parents support for everything I do, they are super passionate about my academics but also the sports and things I’m passionate about.
Youre right, I guess looking back I don’t have thattt much free time. Just yesterday I was working in coding project that I thought would take me from 4-6 but I ended up working in it from 4-10. I think I counted my homework time as free time. I can’t wait to get my lisence so my poor parents don’t have to drive me to the barn all the time!
Definitely helped with narrowing down the activities I want to do! I need to be more focused and have less tasks, but more valuable and impactful things I do.
Oh OP, this made me a little sad for you! It’s great that you’re so committed and making the most of the opportunities you have, but it’s ok to relax too. Even if you enjoy your activities and socializing and everything studies have shown there’s value in giving yourself time to just BE.
Since it sounds like time may be a factor after all, you’ve gotten good advice about prioritizing. In order to be really great at something it often means setting aside other things on the way. It’s also completely valid to decide that you’d rather enjoy multiple things than aim for the top level of any one pursuit. Don’t make any decisions just based on what you think will be most “impactful” or “valuable” especially for colleges. College admissions are so complex and there’s no single formula for success, plus a lot of it depends on the year and the school. You’re already way above the bar for getting into a great school, and trying to get into the most elite programs is largely luck anyway so don’t stress out about it. You’re allowed to do things just because you enjoy them without any expectation that you’ll get a return of some kind.
The only thing I really disagree with is this:
Not only are AP classes great for applications and can boost your GPA since many programs give you bonus points for APs, they’ll also translate into actual college credits in a lot of schools. I went into college as a sophomore off AP credits alone and saved myself a year of tuition. Having those credits also gave me a lot more flexibility in scheduling classes, which opened up time for work, riding, etc. I personally also found AP classes easier since they were more focused on exams and not busy work or group projects which suited me much better. If the workload is a factor then definitely cut back to make things doable, but if it’s manageable I would absolutely keep those above other things.
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OP, as someone who was also incredibly ambitious and accomplished and then flamed out spectacularly post-college after multiple nervous breakdowns - I am worried you are taking on too much. Why you doing all of these things? What are your goals? And what of these things truly makes you happy?
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I didn’t read all the responses…but I was the same type of student…did multiple AP classes, sports, horses, made it to NAYRC. Since then completed both a DPT and PhD and worked, sometimes up to 3 jobs and rode (so clearly I am not afraid of hard work and minimal free time).
What have I learned…the horses do not listen to what your goals are. They will give you a reality check and make you reset. Even when you think you’ve planned for every contingency…they will find a new and creative way to make you rethink plan A, B, C…and all the way to Z!
I say this as my 2 up and coming young horses…who I had nice plans all mapped out for both sit in my backyard, one in an EPM flare and the other lame from farrier changes. Yup…getting back out to show this fall has gone out the window. It will be a good fall if I can get either one of them back to work consistently…and even that might be pretty optimistic!
While goals and plans are great…make sure you can also roll with what happens along the way and be able to cope with those changes to the plans.
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Honestly I just love doing activities. I’ve been doing a lot of Ecs since I was 5 and it’s just what I’ve grown up with. I don’t feel like it’s too much right now sometimes but I wish I could prioritize my horses because it’s something I’m so so passionate about. I definitely have things I like better, and some activities I would be ok without for like a little break.
I just sometimes wish I could do sports and stuff like a normal teenager my age. I am super social and extroverted.
Showing literally every weekend for months is not a good plan.
Horses, not machines.
I would spend time with your trainer and parents and map out what a suitable schedule might look like, and figure out timing from there.
In addition to the horse welfare aspect, showing every weekend gives you no time to practice.
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This just kind of comes off as a humble brag. I’m really not sure what you’re looking for in terms of a response?
Good thing you don’t seem to care about horse welfare or burnout or anything, since that doesn’t seem to factor into the analysis the way you’ve posed it. Serious question-- do you think it’s good for a horse to show every single weekend for months on end?
The more you have time and money to throw at riding, the better off you’ll be regardless of your talent. Money, luck, and talent-- you need 2/3 to succeed and having all three helps. So do what you can to maximize your time. I would drop the plan to learn to become a pro quality braider and sleep in your car so you can braid at shows. That would be a waste of time given that you have $$$ to burn from your parents.
I guess if you have an unlimited purse here, get your parents to throw as much money as humanly possible so you can have the easiest mounts? Have them lease you the most foolproof horses ever. Maybe several.
I really don’t know what you’re looking for here? The only way to get better is to ride so that’s what I would do whenever feasible. Do that with the 3 hours a day you have free after school and all your activities. Three hours a day of focused riding is going to make anyone significantly better.
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Be careful what you wish for. That hour you spend in the car studying while your parents chauffeur you to the barn will have to be made up for later in the day.
When my friend’s daughter reached driving age, she got the use of a family car to drive herself to the stables four days a week and she found she really missed having that study time.
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Kindly - I’m not sure what you’re looking for here.
You say you do all these things and your parents will pay for a lease and drive you to the barn every day and fund as many rated shows as you want… what exactly are you asking for advice about? Just… do that. Lease the 3’ horse, ride on the weekends and once or twice a week, show up to your prepped medal horse at the ring and ride, then go home and do homework or hang out with friends.
Are you currently leasing and riding and showing as much as you think you will be with this plan? How are you managing that time? Or are you managing it fine and just wanted to tell us about it? I’m not trying to be snarky, I just want you to stop and think for a second.
Also, one horse can’t handle 6 months of showing every week. It can’t handle 6 months of showing every other week, usually. You’ll need a trainer who can make a plan to get you the time in the ring and the scores/qualifications needed to be successful and have a sound horse at the end.
I also am not sure how all this fits into the braiding gig you’d talked about. If you don’t have the time to ride, how will you also find the time to braid all night? That definitely doesn’t fit into the rest of your life as you describe it. Not to mention the time you’ll need to practice (hundreds of hours, seriously) to get good enough to be paid to braid.
My advice is to log your schedule and time your regular commitments - how much time do you spend at school, doing homework, practicing and competing with music, driving around between activities, hanging out, sleeping, riding, etc. Then look at how much time you actually have left in the week vs what your trainer says is needed to reach your goals.
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Blockquote Not only are AP classes great for applications and can boost your GPA since many programs give you bonus points for APs, they’ll also translate into actual college credits in a lot of schools. I went into college as a sophomore off AP credits alone and saved myself a year of tuition. Having those credits also gave me a lot more flexibility in scheduling classes, which opened up time for work, riding, etc. I personally also found AP classes easier since they were more focused on exams and not busy work or group projects which suited me much better. If the workload is a factor then definitely cut back to make things doable, but if it’s manageable I would absolutely keep those above other things.
Unfortunately this is becoming less true over time re: schools taking AP credits. Unless you are scoring 5’s on exams, a number of major universities are not taking the credits.
What I will say about AP courses–and why I’d still recommend them–is that it’s much more realistic to the work you’ll do in college. Your grade is based on one final test/project; lots of independent study time; big amounts of course work to cover and understand what’s most applicable.
OP, I, too, am a little lost on the ask.
I was someone who did 5 APs my junior year, 7 APs my senior year, volunteer work throughout all of high school, Latin Club (don’t knock it til you try it), choir, and honor society. This was all in addition to showing in the junior hunters. I recall not really having a social life (which was fine by me as more of an introvert) and not a ton of free time–but like you, that was also fine by me because I genuinely loved everything I was involved in. My goals were very academic focused (wanting to get full scholarship to top schools). My riding goals were there but less of the focal point. It all turned out OK, if my anecdote is at all helpful.
For those saying to narrow down activities, depending on the academic goals of the OP, I say don’t. Schools want to see well-rounded individuals. And if they do have a focus on something, I’m gonna be frank and state that equestrian sport carries a lot of bias in the review process unless your admissions team happens to have an equestrian on their team. I do not condone this; I am merely stating facts given that I have a parent who is deeply entrenched in this world and still very active helping high school students get into their top choice schools.
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My question is why are you so bent on showing, showing, showing? What do you get out of it? You can have just as close a relationship with your horse (probably even a better relationship) by taking it on a nice long trail ride several times a week - it’s less expensive and infinitely less stressful for both of you. Also, if your horse could talk, it would tell you it much prefers the trail rides to the near constant grind of training, trailering, living in cramped show stalls, competing, etc.
I have tried to find a gentle way to say this but I just keep coming back to this thought- folks who think nothing is more important in the world than pressuring their horse to show every darned weekend are sometimes (often?) regarded by the rest of the world as self-absorbed borderline narcissists with a constant need for self-aggrandizement. Do you really want to be thought of as that kind of person?
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I believe you need to think long and hard before you make continuing to show horses one of your priorities. Riding three days a week on a leased horse and going to shows on weekends and winning ribbons is not likely to make you a more desirable applicant at most universities. Concentrate on academics plus one other activity that will show your leadership abilities and your service to others.
Speaking as a university admissions committee member and chairman for thirty years.
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OP, could you elaborate on this? I naively don’t understand how someone can be “competitive” on an instrument they play 2 – 2.5 hours per week (I’m splitting the 4-5 hours between piano and oboe). Even as a teen, those achieving a level of proficiency are practicing an hour a day, which does not include the time spent in band/orchestra.
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FWIW, OP doesn’t own a horse.
More than that, showing and competing is a perfectly fine goal - there’s a lot you learn in the show ring that you don’t learn on the trail. And vice versa. One type of rider isn’t inherently better to their horses than the other, and some people have no interest in just puttering around. And that’s okay!
For OP, continuing to take lessons and show locally on a reasonable schedule might be a better suggestion in the same vein as your idea.
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Thank you. I didn’t mean to sound weird or bent on showing, I honestly just really like it. I came in kinda late into the game of showing, so I really want to get better. I feel like I learn a lot when I show.
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Definitely not a humble brag; I was just trying to show what I do so if people have recommendations for what I could maybe do more or do less if they could put that feedback.
The advice I’m looking for is if someone could tell me if the plan is ok for now, or if I should take a different approach. For example, if it would be more beneficial to just take lessons more instead of lease or if it would be good to show earlier in the year and not overload the practice during summer.
As far as horse wellness, I don’t mean literally showing every week. I mean showing as much as possible. I love horses and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt the horse.my wallet isn’t endless, I work two jobs to help my parents and the reason I can’t lease for a whole year is because I don’t have the funds or the time.
