Training in Europe - How to make it work?

[MsJump21]

I’m looking for suggestions and advice regarding traveling to Europe for ~3 months to learn, ride and train. I have enough saved up to where I could afford living for 3 months and have some financial help from my parents. With my job I’m able to take off either May-July 2022 or December 2022 - February 2023. I know Spanish but not quite fluent (yet) and am learning French but I don’t know any other languages.

How would I go about finding an opportunity to train in Europe? Would it be advisable to lease a horse there for 3 months and take lessons several times a week? Or should I find more of a WS position? Are there any stables that offer a sort of “training boot camp” of sorts or is that not a thing? What countries and/or areas would you recommend?

[Willesdon]

What a fine opportunity. Lucky you!

The “hunter” show doesn’t exist in Europe, it is all show jumping. The discipline is found across all of Europe, with the greatest density of FEI shows being in Belgium and The Netherlands: high level shows many days each week. SJ is also very big in Scandinavia, France, Germany, Ireland, UK, perhaps fewer opportunities in Italy and Switzerland, not so much in Spain or Portugal. Greece, Balkan states are outliers. That might help you focus a bit on a country. English is the common language across probably most of western Europe, though speaking the native tongue is definitely helpful and appreciated.

People employed as “riders” by stables tend to be young professionals or specialists in bringing on young stock, dedicated to their job. Grooms, similarly, are increasingly recognised as skilled professionals and are paid with a proper contract etc. A “working student” is a disappearing life form because Europe has tight labour laws. With that in mind, what discipline in particular are you looking to gain experience in? It will help people in offering suggestions.

PM if you wish: I’m in UK and know more about eventing but there are plenty of grooming jobs advertised at the moment.

[Jealoushe]

There are a LOAD of places hiring right now in the UK.

I suggest going that route over paying for a few months of training, you will handle and ride a lot more horses and learn more if you are there as a working student type thing. You can most likely get paid too while you do it in Europe.

I worked for a private owner in Scotland, had multiple lessons weekly, rode 5 horses a day and was also paid and had an apartment and a car. Gigs over there are way better than in NA.

[Ponyplusaninch]

I do not know the Europe scene well for riding, but I do know visas! Make sure you do your research on each country and their visa requirements! That ultimately may dictate where you go.

Some countries (Austria comes to mind) are a lot more persnickety than others about the length of the stay and the business of your stay. ESPECIALLY if you’re planning to work in any capacity, even it’s simply an internship of sorts.

[Bending_Line]

How about a stage (French for clinic/internship) at the Cadre Noir? I believe they have flexible programs where you could do a length of your choosing

[Pokerface]

@Jealoushe

I worked for a private owner in Scotland, had multiple lessons weekly, rode 5 horses a day and was also paid and had an apartment and a car. Gigs over there are way better than in NA.

That honestly sounds like a dream come true .

[MsJump21]

I’m a jumper so I’m ideally looking to immerse myself in the show jumping scene. I want to be able to ride frequently and learn as much as I canto further my riding abilities and build connections. I think part of where I’m struggling is determining whether I should go as a groom/“working student” or paying for all the training and a horse or two to lease for a short period of time. The “working student” stints I’ve participated here in the states haven’t included a whole lot of riding opportunities so I don’t know how that compares to working student gigs overseas.

[MsJump21]

When you were in Scotland, did you go over as a “working student”? Or where you a “rider”? Also, how did you find the opportunity to go over there?

[MsJump21]

Thank you for bringing up this point! That didn’t even cross my mind so I appreciate your advice and will definitely look into the visa requirements of each country I consider.

[MsJump21]

Do they teach show jumping? I’m not familiar with the Cadre Noir but the images that came up with a google search appear to be the horses jumping on a lunge line.

[Scribbler]

If I had the cash I would go somewhere and pay for lessons and riding, and then shadow the coach and watch everyone else school and then attend shows and watch.

But thinking about it, I start to wonder: why? What is it that you want to get out of the European experience that you can’t get in North America at an equivalent price?

What level are you currently competing at? My impression is that European jumpers are more likely to start at 3 feet, not spend whole junior and ammie careers at 2 foot 6.

I wonder if you can find actual structured riding schools or programs in either Britain or Germany, both of which have a system for training pro riders and coaches. A place with a pre existing program would have the horses and structure. Otherwise it might be hard for you to fill your time outside lessons.

Every country in Europe is delightful to tourist in, but if you are on a horse farm in a rural area with no car, you might not get much chance to sightsee. Plus it’s like that very local folks in the area may not have much English.

Britain and Ireland produce great jumpers and the language barrier is much less (there are still some pretty gnarly local accents though that might defeat a North American!).

[mroades]

Hunter Jumper Equitation Holland has introduced to the Netherlands. I also know that there is some hunter activity in France

[skip99]

@Scribbler

But thinking about it, I start to wonder: why? What is it that you want to get out of the European experience that you can’t get in North America at an equivalent price?

Not the OP but when I was studying abroad in England a little over a decade ago (gosh, that makes me feel like time is flying!) riding opportunities were pretty much thrown at me left and right, usually either free or with me being paid. I once went for a lesson at a pretty big eventing facility where a friend trained (a whopping 25 quid with an Olympian) and after the lesson I was asked if I had time to ride a few more and returned several times to ride very nice horses for free or a nominal lesson charge until I moved home. Here? That doesn’t happen unless trainers see a potential “client” in you (or are willing to “pay your dues” riding rank ones first, likely without insurance, see the working student thread ). Which I get, the cost of doing horses in the US is ridiculous.

I’ve been trying to get some extra ride time, in the form of paid lessons, on some more quality/broke horses (being that my horse is quality but a tad quirky and I’ve been solely riding the greenies or schoolies that need tune ups for friends the past couple of years, so I need a tune up myself!) and it’s hard to find that situation without either being a full-time client or very well connected. Such is life and why I’ve dialed back/adjusted my goals significantly. I’m not saying that to whine, I’m not a particularly great rider just until I went to the UK I never knew that it could be anything different to what I experienced in the US and it’s been a disheartening decade plus being back (there goes that time again ).

I bet the OP will get much more bang for their buck going abroad and I would do that in a heartbeat if I were in their shoes.

[Bending_Line]

Yes, it’s the French national riding school, so high school dressage, eventing, and show jumping. If you saw horses jumping on a longe line, I bet you saw some of the high school dressage movements, like at the Spanish Riding School. It is of a league with the Spanish Riding School but includes the jumping disciplines. 2016 Olympic gold medalist in eventing, etc.

[Scribbler]

@skip99

Ah that totally makes sense! But I bet you were a pretty good rider!

[Willesdon]

If you go onto the British Showjumping (BS www.britishshowjumping.co.uk) and look at the extensive “training” section, there is a good deal of information about the available resources to learn and develop. It might be worth contacting them directly for advice.

Alternatively, contact a BS registered coach who runs a yard or is competing and see what might be organised.

The British Grooms Association (BGA www.britishgrooms.org.uk ) has a job list but, as someone above noted, you will need to check visa requirements if seeking paid employment.

[Willesdon]

@mroades

Hunter Jumper Equitation Holland has introduced to the Netherlands. I also know that there is some hunter activity in France

Fascinating: “not about height or time”, founded by an American living in The Netherlands.

[mroades]

I judged one of their shows and gave the clinic in February of 2019. It was great fun and I met lots of folks that enjoyed fine tuning their riding a bit.

[BrendaJane]

you don’t want to tie yourself down with one horse when you can have the chance of riding so many different ones!

Many professionals do also speak some resemblance of English especially in regions with a strong export market (to the US).

[skip99]

A very good seat, bravery, and patience are definitely valuable and made up for other areas in which I was lacking