Riding full time...

[Jess91]

Hi
I was just wondering how anyone who rides (events particularly!) full time makes it work and how they set up or started initially? Sorry to be a pain just would dearly love to and any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[connie1288]

I am just setting up on my own, atm it doesnt work, I am incredibly lucky to have full support of my parents and have a yard at home.

 

[LEC]

I have a friend who wants to do this and has no money/facilities. She is slogging her guts out working for a pro where she has been for 3 seasons. In return she gets experience and also gets a horse to compete where all the costs are paid. I think she lives in and probably just gets pocket money. A lot of riders have done it this way in the hope they can build a good reputation and find owners willing to take a chance.
A friend who has taken horses to 3 and 4* makes a living out of teaching which then pays and offers the flexibility for eventing. All the youngsters get sold to pay for the big boy. She is lucky as has a yard at home.

 

[hannahkirkhill]

I was lucky enough to grow up with-in a very horsy group of people in P2Ping, mum has always worked with horses so there are lots of contacts!!
I started off renting stables per box for £15 per stable on a large yard owned by a friend of a friend, this was brill as it gave me chance to see if I could do it with out any major out lay!!
Managed ok for 2 years and then moved to where we are now, we have a flat and cottage here so mum has moved here as well and rents her house out so she has a income from that so can help and guide me all the time

I can pay all bills from my liverys but have to keep selling horses for the rent, its sssooooo much hard work but amazing to do

 

[Jess91]

Ok thanks! So its sounding like hard work but hopefully not impossible? I am guessing one of the hardest things is getting owners initially?

 

[Stoxx]

A friend of mine rides/ teaches full time now. She does have a small yard at home which belongs to her mum's partner, they used to have a few liveries there as income for him as well as my friend's horses. Ever since we left college she had a job 4 days a week for income and then used to back and school horses/ teach around that. She did that for quite a few years and it was hard work during the busy periods when she had 7 or 8 at home and also worked 9-5.30 as obviously they all needed mucking out/ leg stretching/ turning out before work.
During this time she had absolutely no life apart from on the yard and at work and was permanently knackered. However it did mean she managed to build a name for herself in our local area which again meant a steady trickle of work.
At the beginning of last year she gave up her job and tried going it alone. So far so good. She has horses in at home to back, school, compete, plus she has other clients that keep their horses at their own yards but she goes to ride them and competes them also. She also fits in teaching at pony club and some freelancing. She is now doing well enough that she can afford to pay a groom to come in for a couple of hours a day to get most of the mucking out done, this way she can concentrate on the riding.
She doesn't actually have 'owners' so to speak but the horses come in on a schooling livery basis.

If you are a good enough, consistant enough rider with lots of experience behind you then it is possible, but it is hard work.