Working abroad with horses - whos done it ?

O

OliviaSJ

Active Member
Joined
23 January 2012
Messages
40
Location
Nottingham
Visit site
Hi just wondering who out there has previously gone and worked abroad with horses. Am considering it again as I did try last year , was amazing opportunity and was riding loads but nobody spoke english and felt so isolated and lonely I had to come home. Just seems like theres so much more opportunity out there and maybe I just need to toughen up and do it. Just wondering if anyone had done it and there opinions on it and how they coped with being a bit of an outsider? Thanks :)
 
I did it a long time ago, but worked for a half english family and my best friend came too to work on the yard, so I wasn't isolated! The language part is always an issue. Could you make a bit of effort and learn some of the language before you go? I sometimes think that you're better off on your own. I au paired abroad and taught in French schools too on other years, and got much further on my own - you have to learn the language more.

Perhaps that just wasn't the right job. Anyone employing foreigners should try and make them welcome in my opinion. Although its not easy to understand how lonely it can get unless you have experienced it.

I still say go for it. Twenty years on I look back on my 4 years abroad as some of the best experiences of my life..
 
I really want to do it but scared to go alone! If you come across a position where they want 2 folk give me a shout.

I've been looking for the past few months now....
 
I worked in Italy for a showjumper. I spoke no Italian and him no English but we both spoke enough French to get by. I was working and living on my own and hated it as was very isolated so came home after about 3 months.

However, I also worked for 2 summers in America teaching horse riding and loved it. I landed on my feet and got a brilliant all girls very posh camp where no expense was spared. If you want the details of the camp PM me. I loved both summers, met loads of great people, got to travel etc
 
I spent five years in ireland riding racehorses and LOVED it, learnt do much and met so many amazing people.
If you have the chance go......checkout where you are going make sure your boss is nice!
I had never lived away from home was 22 and fairly wet behing the ears, I packed my life into my little car and off I went!!!!!!:D:D
As for being an outsider, I got called the Blowin (in a nice way)but I never felt like an outsider, I was taken in as part of the family.
 
Last edited:
Worked in Spain for a summer and loved it I did have my moments but there were other working students and most people spoke some English and I learnt some Spanish pretty fast so we muddled through would love to go again :D
 
I worked in America at a couple of camps- didn't get on with the first one at all, but the second was fab- two intermediate event horses for staff use only and we could have early morning/lunchtime/evening lessons on them. Wonderful place, magical atmosphere and great staff and kids. Pm me if you want the details!
 
Hope you don't mind OP, can I join in with some more questions?

Do people like to stay long term abroad? We would love to find a rider/groom who wouldn't mind helping out with the baby but I can't see how it would work for just a few months. By the time he/she had gotten used to the horses/baby it would be time to leave again. Would anyone be interested in such a position for a few years do you think? (south of France, so not the worst place in the world to live in!!!!)
 
I worked in Denmark on a big dressage and jump yard. Was amazing but I struggled with the language barrier. Also there were 5 other grooms and only 2 were approachable and pleasant to work aside. So also felt lonely and isolated. So left after a short spell. But the plus side is I still go and visit my old boss and ride some stunning horses :)
 
Booboos said:
Hope you don't mind OP, can I join in with some more questions?

Do people like to stay long term abroad? We would love to find a rider/groom who wouldn't mind helping out with the baby but I can't see how it would work for just a few months. By the time he/she had gotten used to the horses/baby it would be time to leave again. Would anyone be interested in such a position for a few years do you think? (south of France, so not the worst place in the world to live in!!!!)
Click to expand...

I did a year on a yard in Italy. They asked me to stay on for another year but I had a boyfriend and wanted to go home. Looking back, I had no holidays and only one day off (it was a fantastic job though - riding school and two eventers that we competed on). Had the family given me the odd week where I could have gone home for a visit, I don't think that I'd have got so homesick. I want to kick myself now that I came home for a boyfriend who turned out hopeless and who I split up with six months later!

So I'd say make the job a good job and they will stay. I wouldn't think you'd have much trouble - you already speak English too, which is one of the problems people struggle with..
 
I did 2 summers in USA on a girls camp - I did horse riding, tennis and basketball. I am pretty sporty so the whole lifestyle suited me down to the ground as think just riding would have driven me crazy. I went to uni very tanned and fit after a whole summer doing that!
 
I’ve done a hunt season in NZ and station work on horseback:D NZ was my favourite because of a practical approach to horses and stunning landscapes to ride in. I’ve also worked on competition yards and and in the outback in Oz on horses. Also ranching in Canada. Cheeky me sticking to English speaking countries. But I had a ball wherever I was and would recommend it to anyone
 
I worked in Oz for a few months, riding eventers and riding anything that came in for quarantine purposes.
I still look back on it as one of the best experiences of my life and am still in touch with the family I stayed with.
 
I went to Italy for supposedly a few months, ended up meeting my now OH and got my own yard, been here over 4 years now :) I think travelling is a wonderful thing but I do miss my family a lot, first year I didnt mind!
 
I worked at a us summer camp for 3summers it was a baptism of fire I was supposed to be assisting the riding programme director but when she never turned up I was given her job. 14 horses, 2 Shetland ponies , 4 donkeys and 6 buffalo.... I knew and still know next to nothing about buffalo! The camp was affiliated with the salvation army although totally non religious ( now a privately owned non-profit non religious camp) it had a real mix of kids that were from SA homes very poor parents either gone, jail or with serious addictions, and local kids who were from very affluent upper middle class families, it was a real mix but very rewarding. The horses were a total mix bag too, some gorgeous tb's abd imported wb' on loan from the local boarding school and some wild 'just broken' mustangs from the government round ups, to a couple of appys and quarter horses and the most beautiful but vicious morgan. Not one of them was suitable for a kid from downtown D.C who has never seen a horse before, but we got there in the end.
It was the hardest 8weeks of my life, but I loved it. I fell totally in love with a black mustang mare, who was totally wild, but I taught her to jump and she went to the boarding school on the winter and ended up pointing and hunting then coming back to camp on the summers. I made a lot of friends, went back for several summers and even went back to visit last year when I went over for a friends wedding, my mare came straight over to me in the field (although I know its because I had mints in my pocket) it still made my heart sore!
 
I trained with Volker Brodhecker in Germany for 2 years after leaving college at 18. Prepped the elite youngsters for auction and travelled to comps with him.

Was riding up to 7 horses per day at varying levels and rode some very talented horses - had to really push to get training as you are just viewed as being there to work though.

Went with a friend who was also offered the job, wasn't the same after she came home so I then did another year with a show jumper also in Germany.

Was an amazing experience which opened a lot of doors for me when I came back here in terms of training. If you can find the opportuninty - go for it! :)
 
Working abroad is a wonderful opportunity and an education. You'll see other, different methods and approaches which may surprise you. You may find that the English way isn't the only (or even the best) way.
 
I spent 6 months working as a back up rider / guide at equine safari operations in south africa and botswana. They were both 3 month stints and amazing experiences. The botswana operation was particularly fab, there was a lot of wild camping and fast riding whilst on safari itself but as there were a couple of guides and back ups i would go out on alternate safaris and spent plenty of time at base too. The owner was a saumur trained ex event rider so those horses who were not on safari would be schooled on the flat and over poles back at base and were really nice to ride, neither ploddy nor oiky. It was very remote though, we would travel 100km to get to a town with a few shops and an internet cafe about once every 4 weeks!

Like a few others I also did a summer as a riding instructor at an american summer camp whilst at uni. Had great fun but put on a stone and a half due to lack of self restraint when faced with the american idea of what constitutes a portion (and dunkin donuts for breakfast!)

What sort of work abroad are you looking for? A new and different experience for the short term or serious training in a particular discipline?
 
This may not be an issue for you but if you are not 21 then I would think twice about going to the USA. A girl who worked with me was only 20, having been at Uni for 2 years and going to pubs and clubs she found it tough not being allowed into bars. She missed out on a lot of the social life as most bars where we were would not let you in for even a soft drink if you were under 21.
 
went to germany a few years ago to work at a large stud. Unfortunately personal reasons - also known as the horse at home damaged itself meant I couldnt stay as long as planned. Really wish I had stayed longer!! Brilliant experience but research where you are going!! I have heard some horror stories.
 
I worked on a cattle station in the Northern Territory. No language barrier but it was a completely different way of life.

Had more hours in the saddle that I'd have gotten anywhere else and it was a fantastic experience. The best parts were backing the feral horses we mustered. It was a steep learning curve as nearly everything went from unhandled to riding away quietly within 2 sessions! Very different from my previous experiences of BHS breaking and backing!

Highly recommend it.
 
Have had a few stints in Ireland with Sports Horses and Thoroughbreds, but my main overseas experience was 8 months in Australia. It was totally the best the thing I ever did and turned me into a much better person both horse wise and personally. Getting a job is very easy, I had one sorted before I went and then picked up my second job while I was out there as the first job was just for 4 months.
 
I've just come back from what would barely count - a weeks horse sitting in the Netherlands.

I don't speak any dutch and was in the middle of no where. It felt incredibly isolated and was not a fun experience. I personally wouldn't go somewhere I didn't have a grasp of the language.
 
Do people like to stay long term abroad? We would love to find a rider/groom who wouldn't mind helping out with the baby but I can't see how it would work for just a few months. By the time he/she had gotten used to the horses/baby it would be time to leave again. Would anyone be interested in such a position for a few years do you think? (south of France, so not the worst place in the world to live in!!!!)[/QUOTE]

Aww, and I was properly thinking about moving to South of France last year! Can't now, for the moment, but if you live anywhere near Frejus, hmmm!

What about advertising on AngloInfo- must be plenty of wives out there sick of boats/yachting! :)
 
Honey08 said:
I did a year on a yard in Italy. They asked me to stay on for another year but I had a boyfriend and wanted to go home. Looking back, I had no holidays and only one day off (it was a fantastic job though - riding school and two eventers that we competed on). Had the family given me the odd week where I could have gone home for a visit, I don't think that I'd have got so homesick. I want to kick myself now that I came home for a boyfriend who turned out hopeless and who I split up with six months later!

So I'd say make the job a good job and they will stay. I wouldn't think you'd have much trouble - you already speak English too, which is one of the problems people struggle with..
Click to expand...

Gosh they sound very very mean! I would definitely include holidays in the arrangement, I don't expect a slave!
 
paisley said:
Aww, and I was properly thinking about moving to South of France last year! Can't now, for the moment, but if you live anywhere near Frejus, hmmm!

What about advertising on AngloInfo- must be plenty of wives out there sick of boats/yachting! :)
Click to expand...

He, he, he! Almost perfect!

Nowhere near Frejus I am afraid! We're in the Languedoc-Roussilion side...the cheap side of the south of France! :D

We have a lovely groom who is local and was looking for a few hours now that her kids have left home, but with the baby becoming more and more active I was thinking it might work well to have a live in groom/nanny who would be willing to be flexible, e.g. bring in, ride one, keep the baby while I rode another, etc. But OH and I both work from home so it would need to be someone we all got on with, so I am not quite ready to 'take the plunge' and start looking! Just a thought for the future really!

Sorry OP, hope you don't mind me piggy-backing your thread!
 
Booboos said:
Gosh they sound very very mean! I would definitely include holidays in the arrangement, I don't expect a slave!
Click to expand...

Lol . We loved it though! A gorgeous place, lovely horses...

I had a year abroad in Tarascon teaching English - love Languedoc R. especially Montpellier. Much nicer than Provence - less attutude!
 
Ah well Booboos- still, if you fancy a beach trip ;)

And for the OP- I did spend a year in Italy and it was brilliant. But I went to an event yard with amazing facilities, with one other English groom. Plus there was a show jumping yard very near by, so the socialising was er, well, constant!

It wasnt a breeze by any means, it was very rural and isolated, still had to learn Italian, but I was paid very well, treated very well and had loads of fun.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top