When/if to go pro... thoughts wanted

[rockonxox]

@anicolle

If you accept any money for services you’re automatically considered a pro, right?

Can you keep your amateur status even if you ride other people’s horses (with out being paid) I would think that would be the route to go?

When I was a jr rider I was being paid x amount of money to hack certain client horses for my trainer. Started off as a working student, wasn’t paid. Eventually worked into a paid position. I started grooming for trainer / clients professionally. How does that work after you turn 18?

Can you get paid to groom and ride as an amateur if you aren’t getting paid to ride horses?

I haven’t shown USEF since I was a jr and I haven’t worked with horses (except mine) in the 4 years now.

Either way if you really want to go pro find a good trainer who’s looking for an assistant

The amateur rule is for those showing USEF. Any and all USEF shows follow the amateur rule. If you are getting paid to ride but not horses… what are you riding?! If you mean can you ride your own horse (absolutely) and get paid to groom then yes, you can (GR1306i). However, see rule GR1306-4c and you can see that if you accept remuneration AND groom AND ride/train/school horses for an employer (your trainer that you groom for and accept remuneration from)/employers family/business where employer has ownership interest [narrowed down from a long description to fit the situation you described] you are considered a pro.

For further explanation of the USEF Amateur rules please see https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/nT3T…rticipants-and - rule GR1306.

[Scribbler]

I think if you are riding horses for Trainer X, you can’t accept money for any paid work from Trainer X, not even babysitting or grooming. Because riders were hired to do other jobs through which the cash for training was funelled. At least that’s what I’ve read here on COTH.

[AskMyAccountant.17]

I think what we don’t know. We’re assuming the OP is a USEF member/desiring to compete at USEF competitions/or even a local circuit which follows USEF rules.

OP are you asking for advice on the stigma of declaring yourself a professional to the public or are you asking if it’s worth dropping “your amateur card” as a USEF member? From reading the question, I think she means the former. The only thing the latter, dropping your “amateur card” does is makes you ineligible for competing in certain classes. And in the future if you would like to compete in certain amateur classes, there can be a few hoops to jump to gain your amateur card back.

But if you are not competing in these classes anyways or not even a USEF member to begin with, it doesn’t matter either way, right?

The ineligibility from USEF classes would be my only hold up? I taught and took client rides during college quite a bit, and dropped mine. I added some sponsors, took pro rides, etc. etc.

If you are worried about a stigma of advertising yourself as a professional, and that others may not take you seriously, only offer yourself in situations that you know you are a master of. Make yourself open to teach beginners, tell local trainers, riders, anyone that will listen that you’re available for some training rides. Then word of mouth and good communication skills will go a long way.

[Scribbler]

I don’t know how you declare yourself a professional in any “official” way that people could track down other than by your USEF membership.

[gottagrey]

@anicolle

If you accept any money for services you’re automatically considered a pro, right?

Can you keep your amateur status even if you ride other people’s horses (with out being paid) I would think that would be the route to go? yes, I know plenty of amateurs who ride their barnmates horses when one of them has to work late, out of town etc. they’d have their barn pal ride on the nights they would usually ride. Now if you travel around riding other people’s horses regularly, that could cause a problem in that the horse world is small and rumors/gossip could start about your professional status

When I was a jr rider I was being paid x amount of money to hack certain client horses for my trainer. Started off as a working student, wasn’t paid. Eventually worked into a paid position. I started grooming for trainer / clients professionally. How does that work after you turn 18? After 18 this would make you a pro

Can you get paid to groom and ride as an amateur if you aren’t getting paid to ride horses? only if the horse you ride is your own, and you don’t do anything else that would deem you a professional

I haven’t shown USEF since I was a jr and I haven’t worked with horses (except mine) in the 4 years now.You would be an amateur

Either way if you really want to go pro find a good trainer who’s looking for an assistant

[touchstone]

I think it really depends on what your primary goals are. If you just want to get to ride and show a little without having your own horse, you may be better off just doing that as a catch rider in the amateur divisions. It’ll give you more flexibility and less pressure. You will need to pay your own entry fees.

If you really want to use your ability to ride as a way to supplement your income, and don’t really care about showing much, then a pro route may make more sense.

If you decide to go the pro route, I agree with other posters that I would change my USEF status as soon as you start taking money, but there’s no need to do so beforehand. But, of course, it’s important to be ethical about giving up your amateur card once appropriate.

If you want to just be paid for doing non-riding, non-teaching horse things, like grooming, the rules are more complicated. My advice would be to just find a similar paying non-horse job instead–grooming doesn’t pay that well! But if you are dead set on working in the horse industry, make sure you understand all the fine print of the amateur rule so you don’t break it. The second you get paid for anything, more restrictions apply.

[BeeHoney]

If you have resources to show (or will have the resources in a few years), I generally recommend to people against going pro because the $$ to be made as a young pro is very low and generally not worth giving up your amateur status. You could probably make more $$ doing just about anything else.

Back when I was in your shoes–young and broke but not sure about going pro–I aligned myself with a local pro. I rode horses for free for this pro, and in the process got some good rides on some VERY nice horses. I also paid out of pocket for a few lessons, and spent extra time grooming, wrapping, etc–for free–I could not accept any compensation or I would have been a pro. I felt that it was worth it to get to ride nice horses. If I had been a pro, I would have been riding green/crappy/dangerous horses for very little $$. Instead, I spent a little $$ and got to continue my own education and enjoy riding some very nice horses. I even was able to show a little under these circumstances. There were a few circumstances where I was asked to show horses (for free) in amateur classes.

As others have stated, you don’t need to declare yourself a pro in advance. As soon as you first advertise or accept $$ for riding, then it is the time to change your status.