What to Consider When Looking for a WS Position

[kiwihill3000]

Hello all, beginning my search for a working student position. Besides the obvious things (like $$$$, housing, location), what are some things I should consider when looking for this sort of position? There seems like there are so many available, and I’m concerned with finding the right fit. My friend found a lovely one that she’s very happy with and she’s learning a ton, but I have also heard of some not going so well (essentially muck stalls for hours in exchange for an okay riding lesson on a not so well trained horse)

Being a pro rider just isn’t in the cards for me, but I’m not 100% sure what I want to do other than knowing that much! I would love an opportunity that teaches me about a variety of areas (barn and horse care management, medical care, grooming) as well as continuing to advance my riding/training skills. Bonus if there’s opportunity for advancement at that barn. Does this sort of thing exist? What did you wish you knew/considered before obtaining such a position? Any advice, etc. appreciated. I have the financial means to do this sort of thing for a bit without the expectation of a paycheck, although preparation/experience for a career is the goal here.

[OneTwoMany]

If being a pro rider is not in the cards for you, it would be useful to determine what you think might be a good career path. BM? Rider? Instructor? And focus on those opportunities. Make it clear to the employer what you hope to achieve with your W/S position so everyone is on the same page and goals are aligned from the start.

Based on the two paragraphs you wrote, I would think a W/S position wherein you are working directly under the BM might be a useful experience.

[Scribbler]

If you want to learn barn management skills, not riding or training, why not get hired as a groom on an hourly wage? You might even consider working at a race track which pays well and demands excellent care.

[PolestarFarm]

As someone who has a WS program, I can tell you some things that make the experience successful (in my opinion and my past students).
When you are applying, send an email that has correct punctuation, complete sentences and is thorough enough to show that you are serious, but not a novel. This email is an introduction to who you are - dont use slang, abbreviations or write like you are texting your best friend. Those generally goes straight to the trash for me.

Ask a lot of questions. Ask if there is a way you can talk to past working students for their experiences. If you dont hear from the trainer for a while, politely send another email with a question, stay on the radar! Send photos and video of you riding so that the trainer can get a sense of your riding level. Personally, I dont accept riders just because they ride at a certain level, I accept them because they want to do the job and are hungry for more education.

The trainer should be able to provide you with a coherent description of what an average day is like. They should also be able to answer your questions well and clearly. If they cannot, then maybe they are not organized, which could be a glimpse of what the WS program is like! If someone is about to commmit a big chunk of time with me, then I will give them my undivided attention to answer any and all concerns.

If you can, go visit. Lots can be learned in person that is difficult to see over email.
If you are junior, your parents should ask questions to the trainer as well. I always get a little suspicious when that doesnt happen.
I hope that helps and Best of luck!

[beowulf]

Talk to people. Ask those who have been a WS who they would suggest. When you talk to the BNT, ask for specifics: what kind of hours are you putting in, what is the daily routine, how often are you able to ride, and, what is expected of you/the BNT? Communicate clearly, and ask questions about what is important to you - last thing you want to do is commit to months of what is essentially slave labor, and get very little out of it in terms of your goals.

The window of appropriate BNTs to work under gets narrower and narrower, the more you talk to the people who have actually been a WS for those said BNTs. Don’t listen to what other professionals who haven’t been in the BNTs’ program say - listen to what the WS’s past and present say. And some will say a lot.

I think being a WS is a wonderful way to advance your knowledge and riding skills even if riding professionally is not your goal. It was never my goal, either, and I worked for three BNT riders throughout my teens and early 20s. For me, being a WS was a chance to ride quality horseflesh I could never afford, and I got that opportunity in all three programs. Make sure if riding is your goal, that you find a BNT that will expect you to exercise ride their horses (many don’t!!) as part of your job, as well as provide lesson[s] to you a few times a week on your own personal horse if you have one.

Most WS positions do not offer a paycheck. Some might offer a stipend, but I have found the better WS gigs (as in = fair, honest, and a good value for the WS) usually will trade the WS’s labor for free room & board, and one or two lessons a week. I would go for that kind of deal any day over a stipend, because there is significantly more value for most people in having a place they can bring their horse and learn, vs being “paid” a pittance monthly.

There is a big failure and burnout rate in the industry for WS positions. Some of it is on the fault of the BNT, who expects way more than fair labor – but some of it is at the fault of the WS – who finds out too late, that they do not want to work so hard for what is essentially the most laborious job they’ll ever have in their life.

My advice would be to do your homework – thoroughly. Talk to people that have worked under the BNT.

I have had many jobs, and several career paths. I have worked hard my entire live, and still, have never worked so hard in my life as I did as a WS.

[raave05]

agreed with the above. only thing i would add is if you have an opportunity to ride with the trainer before hand, try to do so. i was a working student for 2 different trainers, 1 a BNT, and the other a USPC National Examiner (who also competed Advanced). I rode with both of them before in clinics and a few private lessons, so we both had a good sense of what we were getting into riding wise and personality wise.

I had 2 very different experiences, and both were great. I rode primarily my horse with the BNT, and he taught me to be professional in my approach, how to interact with owners, and what goes into managing a barn at an international level. I mucked a lot of stalls, and I threw quite a few bales of hay…but that’s par for the course.

The USPC Examiner gave me waaaay more riding opportunities. I rode at least 3-4 horses a day, and she helped set up teaching opportunities for me to not only practice for my U/L ratings, but also to make a little income. For my own goals, I had much more fun getting experience on all of those horses.

It’s all trade offs typically…and you’ll work your behind off. I was lucky my parents could foot the bill for my experiences, and going either route, I am a much better horseman than I ever would have been without the experiences.

The other intangible is location. I did my WS positions in Southern Pines, which was more fashionable in the last 90’s than it may be today. There were big time trainers and horses everywhere, and there was a bit of a WS community in that area because of that concentration. That added to the comradery of the experience, and enhanced almost all of my opportunities to learn.

[Equisis]

You need to know what your end game is. Do you want to continue on to a paid position in the same program? Do you want to spend a year as a WS, then go on to manage/train/groom professionally? Identify your goals and then work to find a program that is suited to get you there, ideally with a proven track record of successful former students. I find that the people who are the least successful as WS are the ones who don’t have a clearly defined goal to work towards.

I have been a WS several times, in programs ranging from sales barns to a few of the top riders in the country, as well as run a small WS program. I would strongly caution you to examine what you are expected to give vs what you will get out of the situation. Talk about days off, financial compensation, lessons, and other opportunities. What happens if you get hurt, your horse gets hurt, something happens and the terms of employment change? I have seen all kinds of bad situations- housing falls through and WS are expected to live in their cars, someone got hurt badly enough to leave and was expected to “pay back” their compensation (board, lessons, housing) for not fulfilling their “contract”, trainer has a personal crisis and abandons farm for months while leaving WS to run the show unpaid. This is an industry without a “standard”, which begs caution when accepting this type of position. Talk to past WS, not just current ones. Take the time to visit, interview, and find a program that you will believe in. You should expect to work hard, but you also shouldn’t subsidize someone else’s business with undercompensated labor. If you’re working 90 hours a week and sleeping in a tack room- your boss better be helping make your dreams come true.

I don’t mean to sound dramatic or discouraging- there are fantastic programs out there that jumpstart careers and work as hard for their students as the students do for them. It’s hard work, as it should be, and horses are not the most forgiving of charges. But there is a difference between working hard and being taken advantage of, and I hate to see talented young riders chasing a dream without anyone invested in helping them get there. You are investing your time, your body, and your passion- make sure you are getting a good return.