An eventing related what would you do!

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little_pink_piggies

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Its just dawned on me, as I send of my UCAS (Oh God scary stuff
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) that I dont actually know what I want to do during my deferred year (apart from something horse related!)

Ive evented up to intermediate/pony 2*teams and really want to have a go at some adult 2*s next year provided boy horse stays sound, and cowbaggage mare stops napping! So my question is what to do between late summer 09/Sept 10??

I thought about the whole working pupil thing, but if I'm never going to be good enough to do it professionally, and to be honest I don't want to do it for a living, because I don't want to ever feel like I have to do it, I love eventing but I don't want to be in the situation where I'm working so hard to break even that I'm so tired I lose the enjoyment factor! Also if it's going to be my year off to play with my own, I don't want to not have the time in the summer, so it would only be for the winter, when most eventers aren't doing a great deal anyway?

As far as the three phases go, Im fairly average in all three... Dressage my marks are always middle of the road, I dont do anything majorly wrong but I dont ride enough on the flat (its boooorrrrring
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) to have enough "feel".

I havent had a sj pole down since June, but my horses do stop alot sj, and someone whos taught me on the flat for about a year watched me jump last night and pointed out how unconfident I am in my own ability and that I'm not good at sitting and waiting for a fence, I fiddle and either hook or get a big steeplechase like into the fence!

XC I have an average position, never really that stylish but I wouldnt say (apart from always yanking on the left rein!) I interfere too much.. I wasn't really fit enough this year
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But I do always get timefaults from wanting to balance them too much around corners/wanting to set them up too much!

Ive got my BHS stages 1,2,3 but can't sit any more until next summer due to my age... So I would love to have my PTT and stage 4 HC&K and Riding at the end of my gap year too...
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So I dont really know what I want to do! I want to spend the summer at home (well February onwards
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) to enjoy eventing my own! But what would you do throughout the winter if you were me? A few months at an eventing yard? Or a dressage yard? or a SJ yard? Or try and find somewhere to let me ride a few rachorses out? or any other suggestions!!!

Sorry, just need some opinions/ideas as time flies by... I just want to do whats best for my riding throughout the winter, but equally something enjoyable
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You not gonna like this but I'd strongly suggest you get a part-time job and save the money for uni (what I did was only at local pub about 4 evenings a week as I have to pay most horsey stuff myself so needed a "reserve". I took a gap year as didn't know what to do but wanted to "play" with horses for the year and achieved my goal I set).
I also taught at pony club rallys which is great fun. I had little ones which were so cute but always got at least one to fall off
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and older ones which I really enjoyed teaching.
The winter "somewhere" would be good. You just need to find someone to "take" you (prob easier at SJ yard I would think)
Good luck anyways
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i ahev ridden at a racing horse yard- sooooooooooo mcuh fun, it was awesome! i loved it so much! if i had to reccomend one thing out of all the disciplines it would be that or something you may not have though of is polo, althhuogh that is predomenatnly a summer thing there is arena polo in the winter which is great fun and the horses do need to be kept fit.
 
Thanks
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I did some waitressing last summer, and they said I can go back after my A levels so I was planning on picking that back up again anyway. The mothers agreed to fund the horses provided that I get into uni, so all money will be saved for uni
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Theres nowhere round here that I think I cold teach is the only problem... this area is so cliquey and the local pony clubs (well we have two, but fell out majorly with one when they spread some particularly nasty rumours about me & my riding..!) but the other one only really does games, so I don't think I'd be able too :/
Thanks
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I would try for a dressage yard. If you find the right place you will learn SO much about riding your horses on the flat. Which will take you on in your jumping also.
The dressage yard we go to... they are always VERY pleased to have someone who is competent enough to do some polework and small jumping with their (very precious) horses too... as it keeps them interested... so you would be able to make yourself useful.
Personally, I think if you really got to grips with 'the feel' for dressage... it will stand you in good stead for your event season ... and a couple of months proper dressage would be 'like money in the bank'.
But Good luck... whatever you decide
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i wish i'd got my dressage sorted out years ago, so much comes from that. if i had my time again i'd go to a dressage yard where they promised to teach me feel... i didn't find a trainer who could teach me it until i was in my late 20s, to my regret... i would have gotten a lot more out of some really great horses if i'd been a better rider then.
just my two penneth worth... if you go to the right person, they'll get you loving dressage!
 
Trust me, thats alot more positive than I was talking to Islay yesterday!!!

"M, If I were to believe everything you just said, I should just tell you to get off and go home now and not bother because you would have just done irrepairable damage to the horse because you are so awful"

And then everytime she asked me to do something it was followed by "Oh wait, you can't do that, you ride too badly and you'll wreck you're horse, do you want to get off and untack now sorry?"

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What about going to America / Oz and working on a ranch for a while? Great experience if you can get it (I would love to do that).

In terms of where to work in the UK, what about a decent producer / dealer's yard - you will get experience of riding all sorts of horses and might get to compete a bit.

I regret not taking a year off before Uni - was too desperate to get a job and make some money afterwards! If I had the chance now, I would want to travel and see as much of the world as possible (not necessarily doing horse-related jobs the whole time).

If you can save some money for Uni, that is a bonus. To be honest most people don't have any money at Uni though. Definitely avoid starting Uni with debt if you possibly can though!
 
If it had been a year later and I'd definately got my yard you could have come and worked for me, with your horses if you wanted, and learnt French and Dutch whilst working with horses, plus business side of yard. You're exactly the kind of person I'd like to have on a rolling basis once I've got the place. Trouble is late 09 is the very earliest I'll have it, and mid '10 is more likely. You're a year too soon! I'd thoroughly recommend trying to find work abroad for the winter, and making a concerted effort to learn the language whilst there, languages are brilliant on a cv, I got interviews I never would have had when I left uni without the languages.
 
Have a part time job.
Go for the winter, take your two horses and do a month at a bhs centre to get those examsm, or however long it takes
 
I would go and ride out for a race horse trainer, best experience ever and it improves your riding and stickerbility brilliantly plus it so much fun!
 
I second perdy- have a go at a polo yard! Yards will normally be on the look out for competent exercise riders to keep them ticking over til summer season starts. Although it might not seem like a natural step from eventing, it's sooo useful for your riding! Because they're normally pretty sharp (particularly higher goal) and keen, they really keep you on your toes, and getting in some practice on a crafty polo pony up to tricks could well help you with your napping baggage...
I've been polo grooming for several years, and when riding English have had remarks on light hands and good balance- i am absolutely certain i would have neither if i didn't polo groom! Go for it- and i guarantee you will learn something new as well...
 
I choose not to do riding for my gap year, which was fortunate cos it was foot and mouth and I'd have been most cheesed off.

Can you not relate it to your degree in some way? and kill several birds with one stone. So for example, if you want to do marketing, contact and equine tourism company or saddler, if you want to teach err teach, if you are doping languages go abroad, if its english see if you can do some journalism.. it probably seems a long time off but in the long run it'll help you earn more when you graduate as well..
 
What about doing Camp America? If you go to the right camp you would ride lots of horses and do a fair bit of teaching. Some camps will add it to PTT hours so you could build up a portfolio. It will also give you a chance to travel and meet lots of people. Camp America is only for 8-12 weeks as well.
 
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I havent had a sj pole down since June, but my horses do stop alot sj, and someone whos taught me on the flat for about a year watched me jump last night and pointed out how unconfident I am in my own ability and that I'm not good at sitting and waiting for a fence, I fiddle and either hook or get a big steeplechase like into the fence!


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Gosh that is so like me it's untrue. You and I should both go somewhere and get shouted at for 6 months!

Seriously if it's winter you're interested in I'd seriously consider a racing yard - most NH/PTP yards are crying out for spare bums to put on saddles. Other than that definitely work part time and either go somewhere to concentrate on dressage or SJ - or like Sillymare says a good sports horse dealing/producing yard where you can do both.

The other good winter job is hunt grooming - SERIOUSLY hard work, but if it's only for a season it'll be character building
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and can be fairly sociable too.

Good luck!
 
What about going to Heath and Rozzie Ryans in Australia for the winter? They take pupils and I would think it would be a highly entertaining environment (if hard work!) And they are very good on the flat side - Heath rides Grand Prix dressage now as well as eventing to 4*. Just a thought?
 
If your interested in Oz then pm Millbrooksong - shes just come back from Melbourne having spent time on a stud farm (that breeds event horses) hard work but brilliant I think!
 
Hi,
I feel for you as I have a daughter in exactly the same position!

She has ridden from Intro, through Pony trials, Jrn and Champs(twice) and Intermediate. Is doing A levels now and wants to keep eventing, but probably not to make it her eventual career.

She will event summer 09 but I am encouraging her to go off during the winter to see a bit of the world, and get a job - not necessarily to do with horses - perhaps in Africa - and then decide how keen she is.

There is always time to come back to it later! I evented til I was 23, and then had a 17 year break, until I had my life organised, and happily evented for many years after that, until I had to bow to the fact that my children were much better than me. I am now the groom and love it!!
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