Going back to working with horses??

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Pinkpeeper

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Can anyone offer any advice please?

Bit of background:
I left school at 16 to train as an instructor, did my stage 2 and teaching but had my daughter at 19 so never got around to my stage 3, allthough continued to train towards it.

From this point i worked (mainly part time) in several yards and roles but mostly riding schools as an instructor (which i was always told i was very good at).

About 9years ago i gave it up for a nice warm office job, which is what I am still doing now. For the first 5 years i taught freelance and at pony club etc, but for the last few years i have only taught my daughter. I have tried to keep my hand in, but am very aware that my riding and general knowlage/skills are not what it used to be, although to be fair its proberly not that bad.

Now im in my mid 30s and i cant shake the feeling that i made a mistake giving it up and want to go back.

But will i be able to do it after so many years out of it? Am i to old now? What if i cant take the cold (iv always hated it), or my back hurts to much? What if i find working weekends to much again? Or what if i simply can not do what i used to be able to do? And then if it dosnt work, currently i will struggle to find another job doing what i do now.

Thanks for reading, any advice very gratefully received.
 
Maybe ask a local riding centre if you can help out a bit on weekends, i know it might not be ideal but at least you might get back into the swing of things and see how you feel about it then?
If you get back into it and enjoy it why not give it a shot!? you only live once, why not enjoy doing what you do. :D
 
Riding schools often employ part time instructors to do evening lessons or weekends, why not try that or freelancing part time on the side rather than jumping in the deep end and giving up your job. I'm about your age and my last full time job with horses ( hunters ) ended in the spring. I liked the job but the very long hours put pay to any sort of social life, I didn't have time or the inclination to ride my own horse and of course the pay was the bare minimum.
 
Def get back into it, but remember it is hard work, you have to be prepared to work 7 days a week and you get paid a pitance. Not sure why i do it now! :rolleyes:

When you did your ptt did you finish your hours. if you didnt i think you have to retake? I am sure you only had 2 years to complete all the hours.

Definatley contact riding schools so you can get a tsate for what it is like again. Although if you havent got your stage 3 be prepared for some to turn you down. Most riding schools in my area will not take anyone on unless they are an AI as insurance is tricky these days. And make sure you work at a repectable place! They are more difficult to find. I will not work anywhere that i dont feel meet my standards. I have seen some pretty awful places and have worked my given hours on that day and then not gone back. Your reputation is very valuable in the equestrian world!

Also go and do your first aid and child protection.
 
Hmm, some interesting thourghts. Thank you.

Trot on, when i took my ptt it was before you had to do 500 hours.

Just one more question, can anyone give me an idea of the going rate for instructors/grooms these days?
 
Pinkpeeper said:
Hmm, some interesting thourghts. Thank you.

Trot on, when i took my ptt it was before you had to do 500 hours.

Just one more question, can anyone give me an idea of the going rate for instructors/grooms these days?
Click to expand...

Bonus!

I think it depends from place to place. Min wage is more the norm. I only do a few hours at a couple of local riding schools and then mainly freelance but i am an AI so get £10 an hour and then charge £20 an hour for a freelance lesson.

May be less for a PTC but you may get lucky.
 
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