After 5 years of working 60+ hours a week as an instructor /working student / head girl / green horse rider / fix it person /whatever was needed, at a large and busy dressage barn, my current stable has decided to scale-back to just a few select clients. This has left me wondering what to do, and where to go next.
I have taught beginners, coached quadrille teams, handled stallions & young colts, managed working students, and groomed at shows. I can do body clip designs, leg wrapping, and I have managed the day to day care of 30+ horses, and so much more. I also have some experience with restarting ottbs, including training and competing my own ottb at the Thoroughbred Makeover.
I desperately want to improve my riding, as I have aspirations, but being stuck on mostly green horses for the last 5 years, means I have not progressed much. I also want to find a place where I can finally begin to event, and really take my riding education seriously.
The question is do I try the working student thing again? Or do I go for more of a barn manager, or groom position? Should I seek out top riders? Or would they find training someone who’s riding at the lower levels, unappealing?
Also, I am no trust fund baby. Is asking for a place to live (a bedroom will do), stall board for one horse and lessons (maybe 1 a week) and time for a second part time job -which keeps me insured-(assuming the pay is low) too much to ask for? Assuming I am working at the barn 30 - 40 hours a week? Or Am I living in dream land?
