Hello! I am looking into applying for a working student position for the following year and have thus far found two that sounded interesting-Bascule Farms and Penwick Eventing. I was wondering if anybody whom had worked at/for either of these stables might be able to share some insight with me? Level of care, education, your experience, would you recommend it etc?
Also open to suggestions of other stables with working student programs in Canada or Northern (ish) US, preferably jumping or eventing, where you are able to bring your own horse. Feel free to PM me instead of posting a comment.
Thanks!
Bascule is a nice. fairly big operation and the folks that run it are great, however, it’s not an upper level event barn - most of their riders are adult amateurs and Jr riders. It would be a great opportunity for someone with less experience but who wants to gain more knowledge and experience - it’s more of a grass roots type place and I mean that in a good way. It’s not necessarily a place where you would be on the road going with a BNT and riders with a string of novice to advanced level horses. That said they have had some good riders come up thru their facility - but moved on to work with BNT/BNR.
If you’re looking more for working with an upper level rider /trainer Bascule isn’t that place. Phyllis Dawson is in Virginia, not far from Bascule and I believe she has a working student program -hers would be sort of in between Bascule and working for a BNR.
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In Ontario, I’ve seen Holly Jacks-Smither and Selena O’Hanlon posting for working student positions.
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John Madden Sales’ Facebook page called out the need for a working student. I just about quit my day job, HA, but they are in NY.
I am not sure if you would be able to bring your own horse though.
I tried a sale horse at Bascule. The facility is huge and nice (but huge, like crazy huge) and they were kind and very well organized. Horses were in nice condition. The horse I tried had been a working student project and it sounded like the working students got a fair amount of riding/lessons as part of the program. I was left with a favorable impression. They were also quite honest about the horse (I would have bought it had the price tag matched the experience, it was exactly what I wanted but with no show record and it was too old for that and to be priced equivalent to those horses that had a show record IMHO). I don’t event so I am unfamiliar with how “high level” their clients and program are-- but I can tell you having been at a lot of fancy barns where I got major bad vibes-- I got entirely good vibes the two times I went there.
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Likely need to be proficient at 3’6" and guessing own horse would not get a free stall.
Riding was not guaranteed for this position… so it might still work out if OP was not capable at that height. Depends on the working student experience you want, of course!
Jane Sleeper frequently had openings for working students. No personal knowledge. In PA but I think winters in Aiken.
My very good friend rode with Chelsea until she moved out of state. She loved both Chelsea and Penwick as a client. I can’t speak to being a working student there, but I’ve also known Chelsea from afar for years and she seems like a very competent instructor and a generally nice person.
Whatever you do, just make sure you have adequate health insurance coverage, even if the place offers you WC, you should still have medical insurance
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Same “from afar” perception of Penwick/Chelsea as RacetrackReject. My aunt and I had a breeding program. After I was no longer a part of the business, Chelsea/her clients purchased a number of them. Some were sent on consignment. She seems nice/competent - we are Facebook friends and comment back and forth. I love watching the horses grow 
Lauren Billys appears to be looking for a working student, if you’re willing to look in Northern CA. Here’s her recent post:
Lauren Billys Eventing is looking for a hard working individual who is eager to further their riding and horse management skills while learning what it takes to compete and care for horses at the highest levels of the sport. This position is available as early as January 2019 and candidates must be able to stay on through the upcoming Spring competition season. LBE is located at Holman Ranch and Sycamore Farm in Carmel Valley widely known as one of the most beautiful places in California.
Job duties will include tacking and riding horses, cleaning stalls, cleaning tack, assisting in preparing for competitions, and grooming at competitions. Applicants should have prior experience caring for and riding horses and must list references. Pay is dependent upon experience and needs. Housing is NOT available and would need to be arranged off site. Option to bring own horse is available, all lessons, training, and trailering to competitions will be included when available. There will also be time to pick up another part-time job in the area if needed for additional income.
This is an excellent opportunity to train and work under Four-Star Rider and Olympian Eventer Lauren Billys.
If you are interested please contact Lauren directly by e-mail at laurenbillys@yahoo.com or by phone (559) 972-6014.
I feel like based on the businesses you’re looking at, this question might be better suited to the Eventing forum. That said, Buck Davidson is looking for a working student too. I have a friend who started working for Buck through this position, and has now been working for him full time for 2 years. Obviously I don’t have personal experience with the program, but happy to chat about what I know if you want to PM me.
Agree with this.
You’re totally right, my bad. I AM a jumper, and therefore very happy to hear about any other good WS spots, but both of the aforementioned are definitely eventing barns. My bad!
