Suggestions to make money as a junior

[Punkie]

I don’t necessarily think boarding school is a bad idea for this OP either, but I think this boarding school might be.

@LilahEquestrian, I went to a very well-known all girls boarding school with a stand out equestrian program in the very early 00’s. Tuition even then was over $48K/year and board was $1150 before lessons (we had to take a minimum of 2 per week). I was showing heavily on the AA circuit before going there and continued to show heavily after leaving and I can honestly say that the school did not make or break the riding careers of ANYONE I know. I do know that a few girls have since gone back and worked for my school as professionals, but their junior and amateur careers were far more extensive than showing school-owned horses. One had a whole string of hunters, jumpers, and Big Eq horses and the other was an incredibly successful Big Eq rider with a super nice high junior jumper. We had some lovely school horses, but those weren’t the horses that defined anyone’s junior career.

I am going to say this as someone who was lucky enough to have the funds and the familial support to go to boarding school and continue my riding career; it is simply not going to do for you what you think it will. At least not in terms of reaching your goal of being a professional rider. Now, if we’re talking academically, that may be an entirely different story, particularly given your current educational situation. But that said, you’d be FAR better off leasing/selling your horse and diving headlong into your academics and making that the focus of your time there. If you can ride and be on their varsity team and have some showing opportunities, that’s great! But having one 3’3" junior hunter is not going to get you on an NCAA team. But doing extremely well academically, applying to strong colleges, and choosing a major with a lucrative career path will afford you to do so much more in this sport than your current plan. Being a professional isn’t all its cracked up to be and for every BNT there are hundreds upon hundreds of struggling pros who can barely make ends meet each month.

If horses were out of the equation, what other things might you be interested in doing? Based on your answer to that question, then explore what possible career paths will most likely result in a solid financial future that will allow you to have the riding career you want. In that vein, is it too late to apply to other boarding/day schools with lower tuition and better academics? I feel like this would be your smartest move.

Best of luck!!

[forwardmarch]

LilahEquestrian,

You’ve gotten lots of great ideas to ponder. Thumbs up to the advice about creating a Plan B, Plan C and more as you wrestle with your plans. Lateral thinking skills are important for everything in life.

A path not yet mentioned in this thread … learn about equestrian professional certification programs. The British Horse Society offers many and I believe a couple other countries do as well. No, they aren’t a path to Eq competition. But they can be a path to an solid equestrian career and it’s much less costly than the boarding school fees you’re considering. A carefully choosen program offers an immersion experience with a great deal of riding and teaching time, commercial barn mgmt and professional connections. At the upper levels of the BHS programs, you’ve got the Fellowship level which includes many noted professionals and some Olympians.

Also be cautious about the statements of ‘million dollar horses’ at any school. I’ve got experience with an elite university, highly successful in collegiate competition. People who donate horses there can put any price tag they’d like on the donation. Some of the horses originally were big ticket H/J/Eq horses but they’re donated because they need to step down, have lameness issues, or provided a higher cash value through a tax donation than an outright sale. They’re jumped lightly at lower heights to preserve their ability to work a bit longer. While these horses can teach a lot, there are no ‘career starter’ horses in those situations.

While you’re figuring all of this out, ride all the horses you can. Don’t limit yourself to H/J. Horses in other disciplines (cutting, reining, ranch versatility, etc) have a lot to teach a future horse professional. Good luck!

[BellaFortuna]

OP. I applaud you in your efforts to raise money to fund your dreams. You’ve gotten a lot of wonderful advice. I’m assuming you would need to attend for multiple years? My concern is not just you being able to afford the cost of school in the fall, but also subsequent years. For example, if you/you’re family has to raise an extra 50,000 every year, that’s a lot of money! While leasing your horse could become a short term solution for the fall, it does not address the long term sustainability (assuming you are not going to be a senior in the fall).

[Doodlebug1]

Agree, I’ve been following this thread and not commenting - but from a European perspective, we would work it another way - that is potentially significantly cheaper.

During holidays look at the BHS stage exams and each summer perhaps travel overseas and train somewhere to achieve them - there are places in the USA that do this too. Experience loads of different barns and systems and get qualifications.

Here in Europe, many kids take a gap year between school and University/college. Leverage the connections you have built in the summers and the qualifications and spend a year with a top level rider in your chosen discipline training and riding.

Apply to uni with the qualifications, with your global perspective and with the get-up-and-go and initiative that you have demonstrated in doing all this - those are the soft/life skills a uni looks for when granting scholarships etc.

Many of these things you will need to pay for, but it will work out at substantially less than your school fees and your gap year could easily be a paid position.

Just throwing it out there, that you don’t HAVE to follow the USA conventional route. Other options are available that don’t in any way compromise your studies or budget.

[findeight]

Actually, what OP is wanting to do is not the “conventional route” to success as a riding professional in the USA. Sure, for some but they are in the minority and many, if not most, of those continue as wealthy Amateurs far into adulthood. They never depend on horses to fund their riding, never take orders from owners and never worry about losing the ride in a tiff with owners.

As a career, not what it looks like from outside. OP would do well to spend more time as a working student, intern or a paid groom position to see what it’s really like and how little a fancy boarding school means on a future resume for a rider, trainer or barn manager.

Would like to repeat the question what does OP want to do in life besides ride horses? I know shes young yet but it’s time to start being realistic.

Had a thought, if OP really wants a career as a Pro, selling her horse would be a good first step in the skills Pros need, few keep any personal horses if they are saleable. They can’t afford to keep and show it and/or just do not have time, client horses come first.

[pony_grandma]

Kind of like 4H. The reality of agriculture sinks in auction night.

[OverandOnward]

@Doodlebug1

Agree, I’ve been following this thread and not commenting - but from a European perspective, we would work it another way - that is potentially significantly cheaper.

During holidays look at the BHS stage exams and each summer perhaps travel overseas and train somewhere to achieve them - there are places in the USA that do this too. Experience loads of different barns and systems and get qualifications.

Here in Europe, many kids take a gap year between school and University/college. Leverage the connections you have built in the summers and the qualifications and spend a year with a top level rider in your chosen discipline training and riding.

Apply to uni with the qualifications, with your global perspective and with the get-up-and-go and initiative that you have demonstrated in doing all this - those are the soft/life skills a uni looks for when granting scholarships etc.

Many of these things you will need to pay for, but it will work out at substantially less than your school fees and your gap year could easily be a paid position.

Just throwing it out there, that you don’t HAVE to follow the USA conventional route. Other options are available that don’t in any way compromise your studies or budget.

For being on track to be a professional, this is the best plan I’ve seen so far in this thread.

With the caveat that it does not build a fall-back degree for other income opportunities. The truth is that the academics need to be the first priority for a good life with enough funds to ride and achieve competitively.

But both could be done in a high school chosen to allow the finances to pursue this overseas plan as well. Especially if you can be working in a horse-position of some kind while working toward British horse exams. A lot needs to be prepared re visas, etc., of course.

[Equibrit]

Have you looked into additional scholarships ?

10 Best Scholarships For Boarding Schools In USA - AzedNews

School Vouchers and Tax Relief

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/how-to-get-private-school-financial-aid

"School vouchers are state-funded programs that allow families to use public funds to attend private schools. There are currently 27 voucher programs operating in 16 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Education Commission of the States.

While programs operate differently in each state, voucher programs essentially use state funds to pay part of the cost of private school. Most programs target low-income families in an effort to provide parents with additional educational choices."

[OverandOnward]

@pony_grandma

Kind of like 4H. The reality of agriculture sinks in auction night.

Another great reality check. For those who don’t get the reference, the 4H kid puts their heart and soul into raising a young creature for a number of months, such as a lamb, pig or calf.

At the end of the project, the creature goes to the big fair show for judging, and is then taken from the young owner to be auctioned for slaughter.

The auction is a very big deal, sponsors put in big (hopefully) money that is supposed to go to a college fund. And sometimes they have a barbeque serving the animal on plates to the guests. That’s the agriculture business.

Trainers do something that is emotionally adjacent to this process. Putting their heart & soul into a nice young horse with potential. Only to sell it to someone who lets the horse rot in a stall with little turnout … or whatever becomes of it eventually. Sometimes it goes to an owner who really makes the most of the good start and treats the animal well. But not always.

Plus the trainer doesn’t always have access to the horses they would like for competition. It’s not easy to find a sponsor who keeps them going with a suitable horse.

That’s something for every future horse pro to think about. Is that the life you really want? A lot of people get a taste of it and decide ‘no’. Better to become a self-funded amateur and retain control over your horse’s quality of life, and your own competition career.

[findeight]

Have to agree taking a gap year between high school and college to actually work in the industry, even if you don’t go overseas, is a proven path. It could be towards or away from a Pro rider career but it can answer many questions and open doors within the industry.

Of course there is a cost, maybe a better use for the boarding school tuition and future college expenses should the D1 scholarship not materialize. Family here does have some wealth but there are limits and ROI is a consideration.

[DownYonder]

I haven’t seen this question asked yet - apologies if it was already answered.

But OP - are you an only child or the youngest child in the family? Or do you have younger siblings?

If the latter, how will your attendance at this school affect your parent’s ability to fund your siblings educations? Will those siblings expect the same kind of preferential treatment (i.e, attending an expensive private prep school)?

[poltroon]

@pony_grandma

Kind of like 4H. The reality of agriculture sinks in auction night.

The true reality of agriculture and 4H isn’t the sale and slaughter of the market animal, but the year after you age out and learn that in fact $10,000 (or more!) is not the market price of a steer (etc) in the real world.

[jvanrens]

@OverandOnward

Another great reality check. For those who don’t get the reference, the 4H kid puts their heart and soul into raising a young creature for a number of months, such as a lamb, pig or calf.

At the end of the project, the creature goes to the big fair show for judging, and is then taken from the young owner to be auctioned for slaughter.

Around here at least the females don’t. The steers and wethers etc., are. The females are usually kept for breeding stock.

[rothmpp]

@findeight

Have to agree taking a gap year between high school and college to actually work in the industry, even if you don’t go overseas, is a proven path. It could be towards or away from a Pro rider career but it can answer many questions and open doors within the industry.

Me, too. My gap year working at a horse farm was all it took for me to realize that I did not want to be a pro. Prior to that I could have sounded just like OP, less the parents that were willing to fund a private boarding high school even if they were able to. I’m perfectly happy as a AA. My day job funds my horses and showing. I probably own nicer horses as an AA, due to being able to fund them with my day job, than I would as a pro and have more time to ride and show that I would if I was answering to deep-pocketed clients all day and night long.

[hoopoe]

I have always hated the push for kids to know their futures and go right from HS to college. I went in to the job market and decided what it was I wanted to do. GAP years are a great way to truly maximize your education spend.

Getting real world experiences is going to result is a clearer view of what being in a profession is or isnt.

There are many educational opportunities which do not require leaving home.

There is much to be learned from a barn of any discipline as horsemanship does not just happen in the saddle.

truth to tell I would be impressed by a young person who put in time doing on line course work or Running State community college classes locally along with hands on work experiences.

[Doodlebug1]

@OverandOnward

With the caveat that it does not build a fall-back degree for other income opportunities. The truth is that the academics need to be the first priority for a good life with enough funds to ride and achieve competitively.

I’m absolutely suggesting continuing with studies (in a non-equine field). My point is it’s still cheaper to travel to training places for spring break/summer and gain qualifications, than join this fancy school. Plenty of places will allow you to board for a couple of weeks and assess your current understanding and give you missing info, allowing you to go home and backfill the info before taking exam in your next break.

I absolutely think that continuing studies, albeit graduating a year later than some peers, is essential. Chances are, if equestrianism doesn’t work out, the work ethic, improved language skills (if travelling to mainland Europe), world view, level of maturity; will ensure she is valued highly and that year of missed earning potential won’t matter at all.

Certainly it’ll be tough in its own way, but the difficulty will be offset by the experiences and global connections.

[OverandOnward]

Agreed!

Might be a strategic pivot from Plan A. But I agree that a Modified Plan A, as it were, even a full-on Plan B, could move the OP much more in the direction that she wants to go. And cover other bases as well.

[LilahEquestrian]

I have an update about going to the school, my parents talked to the admissions and they said if I scored 60% or high on an SSAT Test (middle school version of the SAT) I would be given 80% off of tuitions. I don’t know if my Riding Scholarship also contributes to this or if they would only offer the academic scholarship, but I’m going to take the test within the next few weeks. If all goes well and I score high enough, then I will be able to go to the school AND bring my horse!

[hillary_again]

That’s a new option! Thanks for the update. Good luck on your test!

[MHM]

Good luck!!