Work experience question

greenlivery

greenlivery

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If you were a teenager mid bhs exams doing work experience on a showjumping yard, what would you want to be doing? I have a lovely young girl doing some work experience for me and don't want her to end up feeling like a slave. Any ideas?
 
Is she allowed to exercise any of the horses? That's what I'd like to be doing! Or perhaps let her watch some of the horses being schooled and ask her to make notes on how well they were going, and evaluate the rider's performance? Sounds like fun to me, anyway!
 
You sound a nice, caring yard owner, how nice of you to ask what your work experience pupil could be doing...I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't think twice about using her as unpaid help and getting her to muck out constantly! Some reading and time spent observing and reporting back on the horses behaviours, safely from a distance , might be interesting, and will be useful for her future work. Observing the horses in training, from groundwork up, and why things are done in the order they are..and seeing horses at different levels in their training, and seeing how they mature and muscle up at different ages and stages? Lucky girl having work experience at your yard, that's for sure :)
 
Leah3horses said:
You sound a nice, caring yard owner, how nice of you to ask what your work experience pupil could be doing...I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't think twice about using her as unpaid help and getting her to muck out constantly! Some reading and time spent observing and reporting back on the horses behaviours, safely from a distance , might be interesting, and will be useful for her future work. Observing the horses in training, from groundwork up, and why things are done in the order they are..and seeing horses at different levels in their training, and seeing how they mature and muscle up at different ages and stages? Lucky girl having work experience at your yard, that's for sure :)
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Thank you Leah :)
I want to show her that having a yard full is hard work, but at the same time don't want to put her off for life or treat her like a slave! I'm going to give her lessons with the aim to take her to a local show with one of the more steady horses at the end of the two weeks, but unfortunately with the fun also comes lots of mucking out and tack cleaning and endless lunging and grooming - I hope she enjoys it and doesn't decide horses are too much work!
Thanks for the advice guys x
 
I am so so so impressed with your positive atttiude towards this young'un!!! We run a EC and a riding school and are shocked by how some youngsters are worked to death at our local centres and they coe to us asking after jobs saying they hate teaching! Simply been over worked and under supported! Yes it is tough but scaring away our future staff helps noone so medal deserved to you!

I would do an appraisal! Try and help her plan a future with short term and long term aims and plot how she needs to progress if she is serious! There is info on internet about SMART planning and there are great apprenticeships out there is they just look and ask about.

My equine mentor was a family friend/neighbour who helped guide me and was a huge influence on my life. I miss her dearly and will always remember the impact she made. Crikes, getting all tearful!
 
GGRider said:
I am so so so impressed with your positive atttiude towards this young'un!!! We run a EC and a riding school and are shocked by how some youngsters are worked to death at our local centres and they coe to us asking after jobs saying they hate teaching! Simply been over worked and under supported! Yes it is tough but scaring away our future staff helps noone so medal deserved to you!

I would do an appraisal! Try and help her plan a future with short term and long term aims and plot how she needs to progress if she is serious! There is info on internet about SMART planning and there are great apprenticeships out there is they just look and ask about.

My equine mentor was a family friend/neighbour who helped guide me and was a huge influence on my life. I miss her dearly and will always remember the impact she made. Crikes, getting all tearful!
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Thank you for that, really helpful stuff :) x
 
I am afraid reality is you have to sweep the yard, you have to poo pick, you have to clean tack, you have to muck out its part of horsey jobs.

But what I think makes its worthwhile is the lessons and travelling to shows to help out. Learning how to clip, plait and show prep.
 
i often have W exp pupils. they have to help out with the mucking out/pooh picking/tack cleaning/general every day jobs in the routine of the yard. they then get to exercise, help to trim/pull/clip under supervision, hacking out, lunging, riding and jumping. generally they get the chance to be involved. going to shows/events when we do (though this involves early starts/late finishes) etc etc. Some are really good and really muck in and get involved, some need some encouragement, some are only doing W Exp as it is part of the course. and sadly some are not interested.
 
ofcourseyoucan said:
i often have W exp pupils. they have to help out with the mucking out/pooh picking/tack cleaning/general every day jobs in the routine of the yard. they then get to exercise, help to trim/pull/clip under supervision, hacking out, lunging, riding and jumping. generally they get the chance to be involved. going to shows/events when we do (though this involves early starts/late finishes) etc etc. Some are really good and really muck in and get involved, some need some encouragement, some are only doing W Exp as it is part of the course. and sadly some are not interested.
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Ah fingers crossed I get one who is keen to get stuck in!
 
I'd say that whilst you don't want to put her off, you probably also don't want to give her an easy time of it! As other people have mentioned, the reality is a lot of physical work (whatever the conditions), and constantly fitting your own schedule around that of a yard.
However, having been a working pupil myself for a few weeks, I personally found that the amount of physical work that I had to put in around the yard didn't matter (hey, I even enjoyed it), so long as I felt that I was also learning during my time there (through guidance, lessons, etc). Sure, there were occasional days that were simply so busy that I just had to get down to it and work with no lessons/riding, etcetera, but a) it was enjoyable nonetheless and all valuable experience, and b) I always knew that the yard manager was doing her utmost to fit everything in.
So I'd say that your plan of giving her lessons with the possibility of a show at the end of the two weeks is a good one as it adds a little extra motivation. Also, depending on how much experience she has with horses, perhaps also give her little pointers on lunging technique, quality turn-out of horses, etcetera. Admittedly, you also have to try and fit her around your schedule, so don't compromise too much, just make her feel... appreciated if she pulls her weight. Hope it goes well ;)


ETA: I was also allowed to sit in on workshops/courses/lessons that were run at the EC, which I personally found incredibly helpful and revealing. So, as others have mentioned, if they have the odd spare minute allow them some time to watch the horses being worked, etc, pick up on techniques and possibly feed back to you?
 
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greenlivery said:
I want to show her that having a yard full is hard work, but at the same time don't want to put her off for life or treat her like a slave!
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I work on an SJ yard and my boss regularly says the same thing. OK so I'm an adult and I've already been a groom for 6 years, but the principle is the same... it means a lot to her that I'm happy and get something out of my job! As well as regular lessons, she takes me out competing unaffiliated on her most experienced jumper. She also gives me plenty of opportunities to learn more about the showjumping circuit, producing youngsters etc - such as taking me along when she goes to training sessions so that I can benefit from hearing advice from the pros. She and her mother have also just bought me a young pony for my upcoming 26th birthday... but I assume for a 2wk work experience girl you may consider that to be a bit much :p :D

greenlivery said:
unfortunately with the fun also comes lots of mucking out and tack cleaning and endless lunging and grooming - I hope she enjoys it and doesn't decide horses are too much work!
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But horses ARE a lot of work. That's the reality of it. Of course "work experience" is just that - it's a taster of that career, it's not the real thing - and of course it should be enjoyable and they should get something out of it. But on the other hand, it should also give them a clear and honest impression of what WILL be required of them should they choose that career for real. IMO she will benefit far greater from knowing the truth - some of it IS monotonous and yes it IS very hard work - than coming away from her time there thinking that working with horses is all about riding ;)

Oh - and this is totally irrelevant to your thread, but I find it interesting that you don't put tack cleaning, lunging and grooming in the "fun" category - they are all things that I really enjoy :p
 
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