Oh yeah and I work. Forgot that.
Terri
Of course, you meant to say, âgrammarâ.
For what it is worth, OP, McLain Ward, while very articulate in person, came on this board awhile back and did some posting and made so many grammatical errors, I was embarrassed for him. Not a soul said a word, of course, because he is McLain Ward, after all. And everyone was all a dither that they got to chat with him. While we realize you are no McLain Ward (and neither are we), having good grammar, punctuation and writing skills wonât improve your station in the riding world in the least.
Carry onâŠ
[QUOTE=over the moon;5860051]
I just have to say - I find it remarkable that Properetiquette (ironic name, ha) and GingerJumper are the same age. Their posts are of incredibly different calibre, and even if GJ is an usually gifted English student or mature for her age, PE, you could take a tip or two from that. Especially since youâre essentially posting here looking for opportunities, presentation is key. Thatâs both attitude and taking the extra 2 minutes to type out full words, and use proper punctuation, capitilization, and paragraphing.
Now, on to my âreality checkâ storyâŠ
Iâm 23. When I was your age, I also had dreams of competing in the eqs. My goal was more CET than Maclay (Iâm Canadian), but essentially the same idea. Problem was, while my parents were great about paying for my lessons, they couldnât afford to buy me a horse or lease one suitable.
At no point did I whine or complain or ask that someone give me horse because I was the poor broke girl who had potential and talent but no means to get herself to the top. I worked my butt off for opportunities.
Opportunities - purposefully vague. When I left my PC-type, draft/TB schoolie lesson barn and started being a âworking studentâ for a local BNT/breeder, I didnât go in there saying. âIâll do xyz to ride in the CET.â I went in there saying, âIâll do xyz to ride, at all. To be coached by a superior trainer. To observe the kind of training and riding I want to attain. To be near the kind horseflesh I would like to someday own.â
For years I worked for him. I watched, listened, learned, and rode. I shovelled shit. I set jumps. I tacked up, I cooled out. I rarely showed, because I would typically ride babies and when they were show-ready, more often than not they either sold or were passed off to someone who happened to have parents who were better able to pave their way financially. I saw riders equally - and even less - talented than myself go much, much further in the show ring than I was ever able to because they had the means financially.
So what did I get out of it? Invaluable lessons, to start. And my mare.
After all was said and done, my (still current) coach offered me a yearling that he bred at literally half the price heâd ask anyone else. AND the option to pay for her over time, at my own rate.
Sheâs three now, and I couldnât ask for a better mount. He allowed me to own the kind of horse I wouldnât be able to afford for years, and Iâm forever thankful for that.
So, OP⊠when everyone is telling you to be realistic, they arenât trying to be mean. Theyâre speaking from experience. You will find many more opportunities by saying, âI will do xyz to rideâ than by saying, âI will do xyz to get a free ride on a horse who can do the Maclayâ.[/QUOTE]
My grammer sucked because i was typing most of this off my android all day long
[QUOTE=SGray;5860198]
I predict some jointed stirrups hidden in the closet in OPs future[/QUOTE]
already have them actually haha
[QUOTE=Properetiquette1;5860302]
My grammer sucked because i was typing most of this off my android all day long[/QUOTE]
Read Anyplace Farmâs post immediately above.
ask your parents if you can trade in the fancy phone and data plan for an extra lesson a month.
[QUOTE=Properetiquette1;5860305]
already have them actually haha[/QUOTE]
Thatâs not what she meant. http://www.ebay.com/itm/230671123515
[QUOTE=fordtraktor;5860317]
ask your parents if you can trade in the fancy phone and data plan for an extra lesson a month.[/QUOTE]
A+!
HeyâŠwhat about me?
Been at a show the last couple of days and missed this thread, butâŠ
I want a FREE horse too. Bay. Gelding. Four white socks. Must do at least the âlameâ 3â. Must be the hack winner. Must have good health. Must be 17 hands. Must need no maintainence.
Iâll pay some of the show fees, but you pay ALL of the rest of his expenses.
What isnât my in-box full??
[QUOTE=Anyplace Farm;5860285]
Of course, you meant to say, âgrammarâ.
For what it is worth, OP, McLain Ward, while very articulate in person, came on this board awhile back and did some posting and made so many grammatical errors, I was embarrassed for him. Not a soul said a word, of course, because he is McLain Ward, after all. And everyone was all a dither that they got to chat with him. While we realize you are no McLain Ward (and neither are we), having good grammar, punctuation and writing skills wonât improve your station in the riding world in the least.
Carry onâŠ[/QUOTE]
Iâd hazard to say Mclain Ward has a few more things going for him than the OP and can afford a few grammar slip-ups.
OP, remember than unlike gymnastics or football, riding is a sport you can do your whole life. And yet, somehow, juniors across most disciplines feel immense pressure to do as much as they can before aging out. I was the same way, though I showed AQHA. Thought it would be the end of the world if I didnât accomplish all the goals I had as a youth. But now that Iâm an adult re-rider, I feel a sense of relief. I can start over at my current ability and progress at my own rate. I can take my time choosing the horse thatâs best for me. I can buy a greenie and enjoy the training process, enjoy watching it learn and learning with it. And if I donât accomplish whatever goal I have this year? Thereâs always next year!
Take some pressure off of yourself. The juniors who qualify for Maclay finals got there through some perfect combination of talent, hard work, money, and luck. We donât all have to be superhuman. Set manageable goals along the way, and if you donât get there, set some new âadultâ goals that youâll have your whole riding career to achieve.
Sweet, I might still be able to qualify for the Olympics! :winkgrin:
You are so right there.
I am guessing if you are that good of a rider and have even half the work ethic you claim you will undertake to get there if required your trainer and the owners at your barn would have already been giving you extra rides.
[quote=Everythingbutwings;5859618]I respectfully submit: Mr. Wonderful!
[/quote]
Perfect mount I say.
[quote=Properetiquette1;5859648]Im at 2â6 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]
There comes a time in life that you have to make opportunities for yourself.
If you are the kid at the barn that everyone sees going above and beyond and being nice the whole time, you will be the kid that the owners think of when they need someone. Ya know, the kid who sweeps the aisle with out being asked. The kid who offers to help with chores with out being asked. the kid who helps move jumps, or offers their painting services on a weekend. Not the kid who thinks they are doing the owner of the horse some favor by hacking it.
No one wants to deal with a kid who thinks they are entitled to things.
Read what the brilliant people here have told you. Really read it.
As stated in my post, neither she (nor we) are McLain Ward. I think thatâs an obvious. One need not even hazard a guess.
[QUOTE=Properetiquette1;5860302]
My grammer sucked because i was typing most of this off my android all day long[/QUOTE]
If youâre on your Android because you donât have access to a computer due to being in school, I would like to point out that excellent scholastic achievement will take you much farther in life than even winning the Maclay.
[QUOTE=findeight;5860243]
YeahâŠsometimes I would like to see, just once, somebody like this suddenly thrown up top of a real, live Biq EQ horse thinking 2â6" skills would suffice even on the flatâŠthat would be worth watching. But Iâm not that mean.[/QUOTE]
Sometimes a reality check is the only thing that will work, just sayinâ.
Iâm with youâŠIâm trying to figure out how in the world a 15-year-old lesson student on lesson horses, occasionally cruising around at 2â6" thinks that someone will hand over their big eq horse AND pay all the expenses. What in the world would be in it for them? Thatâs the reality check.
Iâm not saying a 15-year-old shouldnât shoot for the stars. However, expecting someone else to pay the road expenses along the way is just plain unrealistic.
Op - This board has given you a lot of great information. One of the best things everyone here has said is that there is more to riding than just the Maclay. Riding is a life long sport and if you have the passion you will spend many years beyond your junior years riding.
My D has one more junior year after this one. And my husband and I have sacrificed so that she has been able to do the big eq. D has a horse more suited to hunters, but he has been able to qualify D for some eq finals. This year was not her year to make it to Maclay regionals. Maybe next year will be, but if she doesnât make it she knows it is not the âendâ for her. D was beyond excited this year to participate in a 3â6" and a 3â3" medal final and to place well on her horse at junior hunter finals. She also did very well in her first two hunter derbies.
D has a fabulous trainer and we feel so fortunate to have D and her wonderful horse with this person. D spent the entire summer at the barn riding 1 to 6 horses a day. Some days were only on the flat, sometimes she got an extra jumping lesson on a horse. D was just as happy to ride the old horse that doesnât do much of anything as she was to ride a nice eq horse while someone was on vacation. Others at the barn asked why D gets to ride as many as she does and the answer from the trainer was because she always rides whatever I ask her to. D works hard in school and rides horses. These have been her priorities for many years. She does not ask her parents for anything extra and is so appreciative of the opportunities she has.
My H and I work very hard to be able to provide D with the horse and trainer she has and to be able to let her show at the large âAAâ shows here in the west. It has been a sacrifice for our family, but the time we have spent watching D become the talented rider she is as well as getting to spend almost every weekend with this wonderful 17 year old who will be off to college in a year has been well worth it!
No but we can form an opinion of MW off his riding and public persona instead of depending on impressions he creates via his grammar and use of language. His record speaks for him.
A total unknown with no experience asking for and claiming to be worthy of a free ride at an elite level has to depend on the way she comes off via internet postings. That SHOULD demonstrate good communication skills, including using the written word properly, not necessarily perfectly, just well enough to give a sense of herself to a reader. She has to sell herself with no record.
Right now, it is very hard to read her postsâŠand using the Android excuse (while sitting in class?) in no excuse at all if she really wants help.
âRight now, it is very hard to read her postsâŠand using the Android excuse (while sitting in class?) in no excuse at all if she really wants help.â
I do agree. I am just trying to figure out how much time I spent reading this thread all day. Luckily I have the day off. I canât imagine doing this IN school, and responding in school.
OPâŠdo this at night! 
Spend your time in school focused on school. The horses will still be there when you get home.
[QUOTE=Properetiquette1;5859351]
To start yes I do have my own saddle, a 4,000 one to be exact. [/QUOTE]
Ooopsie. You turned the corner from âdreamerâ to âsurlyâ awful quick. My advice? Sell the saddle and put it toward lessons. Or a lease. Or board.
EDIT: Ok, I just read your more detailed explanation and subsequent replies. I am relieved to see a post with a better attitude! Youâve gotten some great suggestions for others. Donât let anyone convince you to abandon your dreams, but do allow them to help you formulate a plan that is more likely to result in success. You DO have to be realistic in the way you go about it, but you donât have to limit yourself to othersâ reality.
