Would anyone?

[TarheelJD]

Thanks for the reply Properetiquette1. Everyone has bad days, but be careful what you post on the internet when you are having one. Your words will be floating around in the ether forever. Thank God the internet wasn’t around when I was your age - it presents lots of opportunities to show your a** that you can’t erase, and I probably would have made more than my share of mistakes.

I hope you are able to find a way to keep working towards your goals and develop your riding. If you stay committed and keep a positive, grateful attitude I bet you will find some good opportunities. You mentioned you had not really gotten your trainer involved in your plans yet – maybe you should do so sooner rather than later so he/she can help you out.

Best of luck to you!

[OveroHunter]

[QUOTE=SunkenMeadow;5859694]
I love a good Monday Morning Trainwreck[/QUOTE]

It really gets me through my day!

OP - work hard and expect nothing in return. Try to think about what you have to offer and not what others have to offer you. If you keep that attitude, doors will open up for you.

[southernbell]

OP, I feel for you, I really do and good luck with your goals. However, I do think you need to have a better attitude and have a bit of a better understanding of how the business end works.

Most people/trainers don’t have unemployed 3’6" horses hanging around and often, even if they do, they are not made available to people who can’t pay the freight, regardless of how hard a poor student works or even how talented they are. Almost all the barns I know of, if you want to lesson or show above 2’6", you “have” to purchase or lease your own mount. NO exceptions.

I’m not saying this is for everyone, but maybe you could find an inexpensive boarding situation and purchase a green horse for yourself to make up. It’s a lot easier to find a trainer willing to work with a rider training up a horse than it is to find one that will hand you a made Big Eq ride for nothing… It will be frustrating and you may not get to the 3’6" in time but in general, people will take you a lot more seriously if you’ve put in the time.

Just my 2 cents…

[Carolinadreamin]

OP, if you are at all serious, you need to read Denny Emerson’s book “How Good Riders Get Good”. It discusses networking, decision making, sacrifices, life style choices, etc. in terms of your horse career. It showcases the stories of many successful riders in several disciplines and how they worked/achieved their way to the top of their game. It could help you map your course.

[Rel6]

[QUOTE=Properetiquette1;5859648]
Im at 2’6 after 7 years in the saddle because I havent had many opportunities. I was stuck on the older lesson horses. Sure I got annoyed sometimes that everyone around me was jumping and showing but I also spent that time perfecting my flat work.[/QUOTE]

This was me for years. I could afford to lease for maybe six months, but during the school year it was back to square one on the schoolies. Those schoolies teach out to ride every type of horse which is an invaluable lesson down the line.

@Properetiquette1;5859648

Now I realized im running out of time in my dream of the big eq. I also understand that I might have to do slave labor to work at the opportunity. Im fine with that I dont care if right after school I have to muck 20 stalls, or anything. If it means getting what I want. I would even groom at shows if thats what it took.

A working student position is not going to get you to the bigeq. It can get you in the saddle of some bigeq horses, but you won’t be the one showing them at regionals. What a working student position will do is teach you way more than the bigeq ever would.

[QUOTE=Properetiquette1;5859648]

My original post was only a mere suggestion to see what people are willing to do. Obviously that didnt blow over too well, sooo plan B slave labor.
If I could get money for cleaning saddles I would spend my whole day doing that if people wanted. I do have the posotive attitude to do so. If it comes down to it when I get to 3 feet ill see how that goes, if I handle it fine and have a good year on my partner than forward to 3’6. If we have a bad emotional year im not gonna put the horse or myself at danger by doing the bigger stuff im going to slow my roll and repeat again, sure i’ll want to go up. But whats worst doing terrible at the maclays or injuring a jorse. Thats just not acceptable at all.
If I have to do slave work for a BNT so be it “CHALLENGE ACCEPTED”. If I have to ride greenies “bring it on”. If I have to ride sale horses that might get sold out from underneath me, yeah ill cry when one gets sold but ill get over it and keep going.
Its not all selfish for me the horse always comes first. If one day I get on and the horse doesnt feel right (even at a show). Im not going to keep pushing it its not worth it. Id rather miss a show or a ride and find out its nothing than ride and have the horse come up lame.
I also am willing to take any orders a trainer or owner wants such as if they dont want spurs being used on the horse or a crop so be it. Ill work through that. Or if they dont want me to work on a certain thing im fine with that.
Just one last thing, kinda relevant. When it comes to jumps I dont like the kickers…ever…period.
All im trying to get across is that iv been stressed recently with school and such, hence attitude above. Im really not that kid thats the overlytired,overly stressed teen (you know how we can be) talking. And im honestly really truelly sorry to any people I offended,enraged ect. Im actually embarrassed about my behavior above.[/QUOTE]

This post sounds much more mature than your tone in others, and I think you’ll find that people will respond much better to that.

I was in your shoes for years. I’m only 20 now so it wasn’t too long ago for me. I spent two years working from the 2’6’’ to the 3’6’’ on my jumper. I filled the bigeq when needed. At one show at the end of my junior year a BNT approached my trainer and told him that when I was ready to do the bigeq, to send me and my mare to him. He didn’t realize I was off to college in a month.

Call it a reality check, call it raining on your parade, call it whatever you want. But I think you will be much happier and much more successful if you can shift you goal. Find a 3ft horse with problems. Make this your 2’6’’ year, next year your 3ft year, and then just see what happens.

[HenryisBlaisin]

If i had a horse to lease to a rider (and believe me, I know about not having the money to reach big dreams, I had the same dreams as the OP) I would look at the following criteria:

1. Ability: Not just to look pretty but to actually improve my horse. A 2’6" rider is generally not going to improve a 3’ horse, and a 3’ rider isn’t going to improve a 3’6" horse. The rider would have to be proven at the level of the horse, or, preferable, a level above the horse. In other words, if I had a 3’ horse to offer, I’d want a rider with proven ability at the 3’ level. OP would be better off finding a lesson barn that does have school horses capable of doing 3’ and learning to ride that height before looking for a free ride on a 3’ horse.

2. Willingness to work: I’m not talking about standing on the stairs and some no stirrup work here, I’m talking about spending as many hours a week as school would allow really working: cleaning stalls, cleaning tack, hand walking horses, feeding, attacking cobwebs, whatever in exchange for an extra lesson or a hack on a quiet horse.

3. Goals: If two riders of equal ability came to me wanting use of a horse and one said, “I want to show at 3’6” and qualify for Maclay finals" and the other said, “I want to learn to be the best rider I can be, but what I really want is to be a fine horseman (or woman) and learn everything I can about horses,” second rider is going to get the ride. Heck, second rider would probably get the ride with lesser ability provided he/she was a decent match for the horse and not overmounted. Showing is a fine PART of the end goal but to me is never, ever THE end goal. Showing is fancy icing; true horsemanship is the cake it’s spread on.

4. School. Personally, I would have an education requirement for a rider still in high school. I would expect good grades (at least a B average), and if they slipped, the ride would be gone until the grades come back. Lots of riders don’t make it as pros, and you need an education to fall back on. Plus, if a rider is slacking in school, the most important part of a teen’s life whether they think so or not, I’m going to wonder what else they’ll slack at if they don’t love it? Tack cleaning and safety check? Stalls? Waterers cleaned? There are things in life more important than riding, and I would want this rider to know that.

OP, I know you have dreams, and sometimes being realistic just sucks. But in order to reach your dreams, you HAVE to be realistic; they are not mutually exclusive. Your first step needs to be a sitdown with both your parents AND your trainer to discuss your goals and what you need to do to meet them. And that might mean altering your goals for the time being. If your trainer can’t take you to 3’ because of lack of available horses, your first step is to find a trainer (preferably with the help of current trainer) with horses you can learn that level on. THEN you can think about catch riding and showing at 3’. When you are successful at that, THEN you can, with your trainer, redefine your goals to 3’3" and then 3’6" and so on. 2’6"-3’ is a huge jump. If you set that as a goal for now, then redefine the goal as you improve, you have a much better shot at making it to 3’6" than if you just go at it with a “3’6” or nothing and anything lower is just lame" attitude. Lame isn’t a lower jump, it’s expecting to be able to somehow bypass the hard work and training it takes to get there, probably at the expense of a horse or two.

[Trixie]

Im not saying im going to do that for the owner for a horse I was saying to everyone that is what im willing to do to be able to free ride, show, ect. I wasn’t talking about someone handing me over a horse I was talking about what I would do to earn the priveledge of riding, getting as much saddle time as I can.

Yes - get a job, and pay for it. If not, work it off.

Either way, I’m not sure you realize how money works. A Maclay quality horse will generally be leased out for tens of thousands of dollars at least. A good 3’ horse will also not be cheap, particularly one you can move up on. So let’s say - strictly as an example - that A-Show quality move up 3’ horse would lease for a year for $20K, plus board, vet, and expenses.

Barn work, of the stall mucking/saddle cleaning variety, pays about ten dollars an hour, give or take.

You would have to do 2,000 hours of barn work to pay the $20K lease fee, never mind the board, vet, and expenses. That is a 40-hour work week for 50 weeks out of the year, aka, a 9-5 job.

A Maclay quality horse would lease for a lot more than that $20K.

I’m a little unclear about why someone is supposed to give you something that is worth so much more than you cleaning a few saddles or mucking a couple stalls. The economics of it don’t even start to make sense, since you’d need to work the equivalent of a full time job or greater to pay for it. So, you’re definitely still asking people for a really big favor.

[findeight]

OP, the thing you still have not made clear is do you really really love horses above all else? Have the passion to do what is best for them? Want to spend all your free time with and around them, riding or not? Or are you looking for them to advance you to your personal goal and/or think that goal is going to make you a better person?

I’d advise just focusing on your immediate needs…that would be more saddle time on whatever you can get. And, you indicated your parents would let you spend 20K on that other thread??? Spend that on lessons and a half lease on one of those 3’ers you seem to disdain. Build some real, recent experience to use instead of saying you have been riding 7 years and are now at 2’6"…really, the stuff when you were 9-12 doing way less then 2’6" doesn’t count.

Sit down and figure out what you will have to do to earn saddle time when most barns credit no more then 10 an hour towards the bill and charge 50-75 for lessons. Even a local show runs 400-500 with trainer charges, hauling, entry fees, stalls, grounds charges and USEF/USHJA fees and membership requirements. Assuming you will clean 20 stalls before school every day (if you can get to the barn and then on to school) will not even make a dent in those charges

You also seem to think you will qualify for Maclay Regionals off just a few local rateds? Might want to really examine that idea by speaking to actual Maclay riders and asking what it took them to qualify.

And you really, really need to involve your parents in your plans, they will be the ones supporting you at home while you chase your dream (and probably providing a good deal of the transportation involved.

Anyway, it’s not impossible to get a horse here…but it’s not going to be the one you seem to want. Not now. Later, maybe.

[foursocks]

Something the OP said earlier has stuck with me- s/he said that s/he is agitated at the attitude that one cannot get anywhere without money in the horse show world.

If one doesn’t have money for a competitive horse, one needs someone else to have money, and that person pays for the horse. This is the truth. Even the most diamond in the rough animal, sitting in a field waiting to be discovered, costs money to make up, board, get vet care for, shoes, etc. etc. etc. Someone has to have the money to have done these things, the access to good training and care to get them done, and to keep the winning, or at least now-ready-to-win horse maintained properly. This costs money. Someone is paying.

I have two horses, neither of whom would be appropriate for the OP (both green) but even if one was a good match for an aspiring eq rider, I don’t need someone to do stable work for me, clean my tack, etc. I pay others to do that (or I do it myself)- and therefore I would need someone to foot the bills in a lease situation. The lease fee would cover the possible injury and wear and tear to my horse, as well as the fact that I wouldn’t be able to use it during the lease, and the rest of the costs would have to be covered to make it worth it- board, shoes, vet. That is the stone cold truth, and the majority of horse owners who have show horses are in the exact same situation. I don’t need or want my horses to be shown by anyone but me (or one of my trainers), and most people with show horses, again, are in the same boat.

I think going after a working student position that includes riding and lessons will be your best path to becoming the sort of rider who has the skills to get where you want, and the connections to do so. You will still have to fork over a lot of your own cash to actually show, which is necessary to succeed at the finals, too, But if you can hook up with a trainer in need of a working student you are much closer than asking a bunch of (mostly) ammies to lend you their horses.

Oh- also- since many people on here show at 3’ or lower, you may want to change your tone about how stupid it is to compete at 3’, especially if you want their help. :lol:

[Properetiquette1]

[QUOTE=Trixie;5859759]
Yes - get a job, and pay for it. If not, work it off.

Either way, I’m not sure you realize how money works. A Maclay quality horse will generally be leased out for tens of thousands of dollars at least. A good 3’ horse will also not be cheap, particularly one you can move up on. So let’s say - strictly as an example - that A-Show quality move up 3’ horse would lease for a year for $20K, plus board, vet, and expenses.

Barn work, of the stall mucking/saddle cleaning variety, pays about ten dollars an hour, give or take.

You would have to do 2,000 hours of barn work to pay the $20K lease fee, never mind the board, vet, and expenses. That is a 40-hour work week for 50 weeks out of the year, aka, a 9-5 job.

A Maclay quality horse would lease for a lot more than that $20K.

I’m a little unclear about why someone is supposed to give you something that is worth so much more than you cleaning a few saddles or mucking a couple stalls. The economics of it don’t even start to make sense, since you’d need to work the equivalent of a full time job or greater to pay for it. So, you’re definitely still asking people for a really big favor.[/QUOTE]

so what your saying is basically to just give up because i will never be able to do anything with a big horse because i will never be able to afford it. What i’m saying is thatfor board i will do everything that the stable hands usually do that i’m paying for to elminate cost of board so that i will be able to pay for a lease maybe. Maybe even not a lease. At the moment with the help of other fellow COTHers i am just trying to get as much saddle time as i can, as much exposure as i can so that when i do need a horse i have connections. I am also not saying that this will guarantee me a horse im just saying that i will not be beggin anybody for a horse. Sure it would be totally awesome if someone on here would let me ride and show their horse a couple times. But like said by other people that isn’t too lucky. That would be a dime in a dozen type of situation. What i really want is to get good, really good and see where it takes me. If someone can’t make it to the barn to ride their horse, i’ll offer. If someone can’t bathe their horse before a show because they are busy, i’ll do it. If my trainer can’t get a groom short notice, i’ll step in. I’m just saying i want to establish good connections, good skills, good work ethic. And maybe it will get me the things i want in life such as a couple rides on some good horses. If i don’t get far so what i least i tried.

[Meliora]

Hi Op…I have read through the entire thread. My question is what are your goals after the Maclay (or Big Eq)? Do you want to be a professional in this industry (trainer/instructor or both?), or just have the experience of making it to the finals? You may be able to reach your goals, but make sure the Big Eq. is a venue for something bigger. For people that have to take the work path, the Big Eq. is mostly a stepping stone. Please speak with your trainer and your parents. None of this is possible without their support. Good Luck with your search:)

[goodlife]

OP, here’s my (relatively outlandish) suggestion of how you could possibly get there. It involves a lot of risk, work, ifs and maybes.

Sell your 4k saddle. Buy a 1k saddle and a 3k greenie. Make sure it looks like it may have some scope. Get a job at the barn to work off your board. Find someone more experienced than you who will help you put some training rides in on this horse. Show it as much as possible in 2012 and hope that it’s not a complete dud. You may also have to suck it up and pay for a show in which someone else with more experience shows the horse if you really want to better your chances of moving along.

If by some grace of God this horse is able to be shown at the 3’ jumper level by the end of 2012, you may be able to survive some one-day local Maclay qualifiers that don’t fill so they’re not built to height. This is where another small miracle needs to take place- you need to get enough points to qualify early. Once you’re qualified, put a sale ad on that horse. Hope to get 10-15k on it, depending on the horse. Use that 10-15k to lease the nicest possible Maclay horse you can find for that price for regionals and hope that it packs your ass around.

This is a risky, unlikely and relatively unhorsemanlike plan, but it’s about the only feasible way I can see you getting yourself to the Maclay without someone taking you under their wing. This is why people are telling you to be realistic, because the above plan really isn’t.

[Properetiquette1]

[QUOTE=Meliora;5859800]
Hi Op…I have read through the entire thread. My question is what are your goals after the Maclay (or Big Eq)? Do you want to be a professional in this industry (trainer/instructor or both?), or just have the experience of making it to the finals? You may be able to reach your goals, but make sure the Big Eq. is a venue for something bigger. For people that have to take the work path, the Big Eq. is mostly a stepping stone. Please speak with your trainer and your parents. None of this is possible without their support. Good Luck with your search:)[/QUOTE]

Yes my plan for the future is maybe combining being a trainer/Instructor and a professional. I want to be able to still ride out alot of my career but i also want to help others out. So yes in my plans the big eq is just a stepping stone.

[Trixie]

so what your saying is basically to just give up because i will never be able to do anything with a big horse because i will never be able to afford it.

For goodness sake, that’s NOT WHAT I SAID AT ALL. I would never tell you to “give up” because “you’ll never be able to do anything” – I would never say that, and I will thank you not to put words in my mouth.

I also don’t see how telling you to GET A JOB and pay for things is the same as telling you to give up. I am only saying to get REALISTIC about your goals.

If you want to be all “you against adversity” that’s all well and great but at some point you’re going to need to figure out how to apply reality to your situation. And the reality is that in exchange for barn work, you are very unlikely to find someone to lease you a Maclay quality animal because it’s not worth it to anyone financially, when that animal brings in more than you can pay. The other reality is that as a 2’6” rider, your goals are awfully lofty for your current abilities, and you should consider addressing that before anything else. This can be addressed through saddle time, and a fancy horse is not required for that.

If all you want is saddle time, that’s much easier to find. But your posts didn’t indicate that whatsoever.

FWIW, I am a long term catch rider who started riding other people’s horses when I was in high school – and have ridden for several COTHers. I can tell you that if I made it all about MY goals, and what they could do FOR ME, I would never have been so lucky as to get those rides.

Another thing that might help you is to learn to write coherently.

[Properetiquette1]

[QUOTE=goodlife;5859801]
OP, here’s my (relatively outlandish) suggestion of how you could possibly get there. It involves a lot of risk, work, ifs and maybes.

Sell your 4k saddle. Buy a 1k saddle and a 3k greenie. Make sure it looks like it may have some scope. Get a job at the barn to work off your board. Find someone more experienced than you who will help you put some training rides in on this horse. Show it as much as possible in 2012 and hope that it’s not a complete dud. You may also have to suck it up and pay for a show in which someone else with more experience shows the horse if you really want to better your chances of moving along.

If by some grace of God this horse is able to be shown at the 3’ jumper level by the end of 2012, you may be able to survive some one-day local Maclay qualifiers that don’t fill so they’re not built to height. This is where another small miracle needs to take place- you need to get enough points to qualify early. Once you’re qualified, put a sale ad on that horse. Hope to get 10-15k on it, depending on the horse. Use that 10-15k to lease the nicest possible Maclay horse you can find for that price for regionals and hope that it packs your ass around.

This is a risky, unlikely and relatively unhorsemanlike plan, but it’s about the only feasible way I can see you getting yourself to the Maclay without someone taking you under their wing. This is why people are telling you to be realistic, because the above plan really isn’t.[/QUOTE]

That actually sounds like it could work! i wouldn’t look at unhorseman like i would look at it like helping out another equestrian by giving them a cheapish horse to buy that will get them around somewhat nicely.

I actually know a big eq rider too that already agreed that if i get a horse to show it a couple times so that wouldn’t be a problem. I could probably buy a nice cheap 6-8 year old which would be good. Maybe if this big eq rider gets the horse out there enough i could sell it for 20-25k.

Thank you alot but that might actually help and work. I’m not just planning on going to finals and being done with riding though i plan on being a horse person for the rest of my life. Going to college for buisness management and Equine studies and living a life of Instuctor/Trainer while still riding myself. I will never be done with horses…ever.

[Anyplace_Farm]

Properetiquette -
I’ll start by saying I’m on your side. I know a lot of people’s comments are upsetting you but you have to understand where they are coming from. Experience.

I’d venture to say just about every chick on this board had a dream very similar to yours. We all romanticized about the horse world at one point or another. Then reality sets in. Reality doesn’t mean giving up, it simply means realigning goals.

The journey in the horse world is a long one. Think of it as exactly that, a huge planet. The opportunities to go all sorts of directions in the horse world are countless. You have to be willing, while keeping that same drive you have now, to keep pushing but take what comes. Then, you keep pushing some more.

Personally, I think aiming for the big Eqs is short-sighted. It’s a series for juniors. Done. Granted, it gives those riders a really great leg up in the industry and in some cases, some short-lived time in the spotlight and for hundreds of others, the road ends there. Seriously.

I will tell you what I told a student of mine years ago. She was crying in the back seat about not owning her own horse. She’d never owned her own horse but she had a decent Beval saddle, all the clothes - she completely looked the part. And, thanks to me and my very generous clients, we all kept a ride under her butt. I even nominated her for (and won) the VHSA scholarship which awarded her monies she could apply to riding with the trainer of her choice. I hooked her up with a very notable trainer in our area. Yet there she was, crying about how bad her situation was amongst the very people that had given her free rides on their horses. Yeah, I felt bad for the kid but we were all doing our best to keep her in the fold.

So, I explained to her that horses were always going to be different for her. She’d be getting rides and lessons and so forth, but she’d always have to go about it a different way. Differently than the other kids. Is that so bad? No. Pretty much same experience, different path to get there.

So, I like your spirit of going out on this board for help, but, you won’t get it here. These people are fierce, some helpful, some rude and relentless (which is why I sometimes refer to the COTH as The Circle of the Hyenas). But what they all share is the experience of following a completely different path to get to what they do with horses. So, underneath all that nipping and biting, they are right.

One thing that I don’t think I’ve seen anyone mention is, where are your parents in all of this? I assume they support you to a certain point if you’ve gotten this far but you really, really need a lot of support from parents if you want to do this as a young person.

There is one fact that you can be certain of - as long as you don’t go cuckoo and run off with boys… you’ll have horses in your life if you want them there. Keep them there.

Now, if I were you, here’s what I’d do. I’d take that $4000 saddle and I’d sell it. If it is a $4000 saddle, I’d imagine it is the sort that holds its value quite well. I’d sell it and hope to get between $2500 and $3000 for it. I’d also sell any other extra crap you can do without.

You take that money you make from your saddle and you start now, looking for a place near you where you can get excellent instruction. Trust me, they’ll have saddles you can ride in. You need to look at the Medals results and find the trainers that coached those people. Visit the barns, pick one. Forget about going as a working student. They almost NEVER hold up their end of the bargain. You begin taking lessons off of that money and then you work somehow and save to do some intensive training in the summer with them, and, if you trust them, you can consider a working student position with them if it is an option.

From there, you’ll have to count on luck, networking and drive. If you are a decent, hard-working rider and your trainer doesn’t help put something under your butt somehow, you need to consider finding another trainer or do more goal-realignment. But I know (and I wish I could remember her name) that the COTH did a story on a girl who won some medal or another and doesn’t even own a horse. She did it all through catch riding BUT, she had a connected trainer who kept horses under her butt.

The message here - you need to work through people you know. Not people you don’t know (like here). The foundation for getting rides is being a good rider. Plain and simple. So, make your goal to align yourself with a good, proven, top trainer in your area. You have to aim as high as possible in that area. And most of all, you really, really need the support of your parents. You’ll parent-provided transportation to get you there and you’ll need some monetary support from them.

Don’t strap yourself with a horse right now. Even if it is a loaner. There are tons of kids in the big eqs that go out on catch rides. The key is, how they got that catch ride. The owner of the horse trusts the trainer they loaned it to and they trust that the trainer stands behind the kid’s riding abilities.

This is really long, sorry - but again, don’t make the big eqs your end all be all. Think much farther past that. Another poster said it already (was it Bee Honey?) - focus on being a good rider first. That is your foundation. Not that horse.

[Go_Fish]

[QUOTE=Jsalem;5859471]
BNT’s are business people. They aren’t fairy godmothers for the less fortunate. [/QUOTE]

Well put.

I would add that owners of big eq horses aren’t fairy godmothers to the less fortunate, either.

I’m really trying to cut the OP some slack. She’s 15 years old and doesn’t have a clue. Since she doesn’t want to face reality from posters on this board, perhaps it’s time for a heart-to-heart with her parents and trainer. If her trainer sends kids to the finals, THAT trainer SHOULD have a clue.

[Anyplace_Farm]

@goodlife;5859801

OP, here’s my (relatively outlandish) suggestion of how you could possibly get there. It involves a lot of risk, work, ifs and maybes.

Sell your 4k saddle. Buy a 1k saddle and a 3k greenie. Make sure it looks like it may have some scope. Get a job at the barn to work off your board. Find someone more experienced than you who will help you put some training rides in on this horse. Show it as much as possible in 2012 and hope that it’s not a complete dud. You may also have to suck it up and pay for a show in which someone else with more experience shows the horse if you really want to better your chances of moving along.

If by some grace of God this horse is able to be shown at the 3’ jumper level by the end of 2012, you may be able to survive some one-day local Maclay qualifiers that don’t fill so they’re not built to height. This is where another small miracle needs to take place- you need to get enough points to qualify early. Once you’re qualified, put a sale ad on that horse. Hope to get 10-15k on it, depending on the horse. Use that 10-15k to lease the nicest possible Maclay horse you can find for that price for regionals and hope that it packs your ass around.

This is a risky, unlikely and relatively unhorsemanlike plan, but it’s about the only feasible way I can see you getting yourself to the Maclay without someone taking you under their wing. This is why people are telling you to be realistic, because the above plan really isn’t.

So funny. We think alike! I actually had the same idea but backspaced over it! I thought she could try to flip the horse as well and hopefully continue flipping some to get her the funds she needed - the lease didn’t dawn on me. Plus, all of a sudden, my vivid imagination showed me a horse that ends up with something kooky like a chip in its knee or some malady that renders it useless and then she’s strapped with a pasture pet. And all the vet bills! Ack! But, in a perfect world, which sometimes, the Fates allow, that’s a plan that could work.

[Properetiquette1]

[QUOTE=Trixie;5859804]
For goodness sake, that’s NOT WHAT I SAID AT ALL. I would never tell you to “give up” because “you’ll never be able to do anything” – I would never say that, and I will thank you not to put words in my mouth.

I also don’t see how telling you to GET A JOB and pay for things is the same as telling you to give up. I am only saying to get REALISTIC about your goals.

If you want to be all “you against adversity” that’s all well and great but at some point you’re going to need to figure out how to apply reality to your situation. And the reality is that in exchange for barn work, you are very unlikely to find someone to lease you a Maclay quality animal because it’s not worth it to anyone financially, when that animal brings in more than you can pay. The other reality is that as a 2’6" rider, your goals are awfully lofty for your current abilities, and you should consider addressing that before anything else. This can be addressed through saddle time, and a fancy horse is not required for that.

If all you want is saddle time, that’s much easier to find. But your posts didn’t indicate that whatsoever.

FWIW, I am a long term catch rider who started riding other people’s horses when I was in high school – and have ridden for several COTHers. I can tell you that if I made it all about MY goals, and what they could do FOR ME, I would never have been so lucky as to get those rides.

Another thing that might help you is to learn to write coherently.[/QUOTE]

I misinterpreted your previous post and i am sorry. Yes i am planning on doing what you did getting lots of saddle time, regardless of what expirience the horse has just to ride, and work too. But getting the saddle time and getting the exposure will both benefit me and other trainers. Their horses will get ridden and i will gain expirience. I’m not looking at what they can give me i’m looking at how life can be Equal for both trainer/owner and rider. I won’t be stuck up about these rides i’ll be thankfull that i’ll even get to ride the horses in the first place. hopefully this will lead to some nice big eq horses, but if it doesn’t i helped some people out. If it does maybe i can get a relationship with a tainer who will let me show their horse. If not i don’t get to go to the maclay, i wont be bitter i’ll just keep riding. Keep helping people out!

[Meliora]

[QUOTE=Properetiquette1;5859803]
Yes my plan for the future is maybe combining being a trainer/Instructor and a professional. I want to be able to still ride out alot of my career but i also want to help others out. So yes in my plans the big eq is just a stepping stone.[/QUOTE]

There have been a lot of good suggestions on here. My 2 cents (for what its worth)…Talk with your trainer about catch riding. Ride any horse with 4 legs that you can get your hands on. Always try to improve the horse with every ride. Read and educate yourself on Hunters, Jumpers, and Dressage (Dressage education comes in very handy when working through a problem sometimes). Go as a working student to every show your trainer attends (A rated is best, but any experience will add to your education (good or bad…good is best though:) Ride at the shows (even if it is just to hack the horse for the person showing it). Always have a smile, and see if your trainer has other trainer contacts at the shows. (ALWAYS GO THROUGH YOUR TRAINER, but see if the other trainers have anything for you to ride). I am a professional that had very little money to show as a junior. I had a great work ethic, a wonderful trainer that valued education (and had great contacts), and a lot of luck. I rode anything and everything. I never turned down a ride. I never blamed the horse (even if it WAS the horse), and always thanked the trainer and owner (and always cleaned everything till it was spotless even if they had grooms). You can have your goal as a trainer/ Pro-rider/ Instructor. What is most important is that you learn how to improve every horse (hopefully every ride). That is a trainer’s job. I’t may not happen with the path you want right now, but it can happen. Please just be open to other avenues to have the ultimate goal of Professional. Good Luck (and sorry for the long post)