Has anyone been a working pupil at a yard?

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chestnut12

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Hi everyone!

Is anyone/has anyone been a working pupil at an Eventers or just any yard?
Did you enjoy it, have time for your own horse?
What did you have to do etc..

Sorry for all the questions, considering whether I should do this or not :)
thanks!
 
I worked at an Event yard for 3 years and did my BHS AI, while I was there.
I rode 3 different horses a day and think more people should learn on the job.
It was a great experience and I made good friends.:) If you can put in as much as you can you'll get if all back with your own horse. This was 15 years ago I think the colleges have changed it all a lot.

Mucking out and making tea is part of working with horses I would give some one that could muck out fast and ride anything a job first, before someone with a Degree in horse behaviour that wants to 'Work Shadow' what ever that means.;)
 
Thanksfor the reply :)
I really think that I would really enjoy it but a lot people also say working at a yard is like slave labour!
And I can muck out fast and am pretty fearless riding ;) I also mak a daaamn good cup of tea... Sounds perfect!
 
I have!

I have been a WP at riding schools and event yards. Desperately want to get back into working with horses again but it seems my age is against me - they all want school leavers! I'm several years past that age now.
I didn't have my own horse at the time I was doing some of them then when I did buy my horse she was on loan for a year while I worked away as they was no room for me to have her with me.
So if you look carefully and find the right yard for you then go for it!
 
I've had a horrible experience myself which involved our 'training' rides/lectures being cancelled as they didn't have the staff/needed us to lead ect.

On more than one occasion I only got too ride once a week due to having to lead for 5/6 hours a day, occasionally up to 4 hours without a break.

My old hours were 7.30am/6am on exam days, til anywhere up to 9.30pm/10pm at night, often with only a 10 minute lunch hour.

For £50 a week, plus £30 live out if you didn't live in.

Not all yards are like this, and I wish you all the best
 
I am in my second year of a levels and really can't take much more so am leaving. An really want to do this!
I have found a yard, emailed the yard and hope they get back to me!
I will have to work a lot but can take my horse there!
Really hoping this works out and that I can finally do something that I enjoy
x
 
If you want to work with horses you will always be a slave to them.:D

The other option is to get rich and pay some to look after your horse while you work to pay them. :confused:

If you want to get good the road ahead will not be easy, do not start asking people that are not as good as you want to be, for advice because they won't know or they would be as good as they could be.

I have a very rich self made man friend he said to me 'I will tell you how to get rich, but you will go away and ask people that are not rich how to do it and believe them as there are so many more of them out there and it will be easy to listen to them as they will make you feel better, about not being as rich as me'.
 
It's not a riding school, it's an eventers yard where Owners bring there horse to be trained up/rehabilitated/sold, whenever I have been there seems to be a really relaxed atmosphere, not busy etc, and get an hour lunch break and ten min breaks..

That's what I am worried about as i do know some people who have had bad experiences!
 
i have worked as a WP on dressage and eventing yards before going on to be a head girl at an eventing yard (before i got sensible, a mortage and a proper job! :))

it is a fabulous, not to be missed experience- depending hugely on the yard you are at!!!
some people are renouned for being absolute sods to WP's, some are excellent.

make sure you know exactly how much training you will be receiving and in what format as lots of yards get slack on their side of the bargain after a while.
 
Better half- your post confused me a lot I had to read it many times before getting it! Dippy moment!
Thanks for that good advice I see exactly what your saying and will take it on board ;)
p.s your rich man friend speaks a lot of sense!
 
Good advice is often hard to hear;)

He always make's sense but I have not done what he said as I am not rich, by his standards.

The last time I wanted some great advice I rang him said I was having trouble and he just said ' Life is full of ups and downs' It took me ages to live with that one.:eek:
 
c12-ifyoua re in your 2nd year then stick it out-it's only really another 6/8 months of school and will stand you in much better stead than having no a levels
 
I was a WP, I worked bloody hard but loved it! I got livery for my mare and accommodation, I had to do my pony before work but then she was skipped as part of the yard.
You will work hard but that is the nature of horses - it's not a career for lazy people! I guess it's just a case of finding the right yard/employer. :)
 
I wasn't a WP, but worked on an Equestrian Centre, in the small yard that had the owner's daughter's showjumpers, visiting very nice horses, and some of the well off livery ponies. The Centre had WP, but having seen what they had to do, even compared to us, I didn't see the point :).

I rode between three and seven horses a day, give or take. A wide variety of sizes, skills and abilities. We worked seven 'till seven for six days a week, for the princely sum of £25 a week :).

I think that if it's what you want to try, you should give it a go. If it doesn't work out what have you lost?
 
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