Working pupil/Rider

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rideedit

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Hi everyone!!
I am 18 years old and have finished school this year, Im looking for a working pupil/rider position!!
Im currently competing in BS at 1.20. I know everyone will tell me this is unrealistic but I dont care!! I want to be a professional rider.
Any advice would be appreciated!! Thanks so much x
 
Have you thought of going down the apprenticeship route? Haddon training usually have several options of yards to approach - you’d end up with a qualification and you’d have support from your mentor. You’re unlikely to get a position as a full-time rider straight away but most yards will need you to ride as well as stable duties and if you’re good you’ll eventually get more of the riding and less mucking out.
 
ihatework said:
Go to dealer/producers … you are more likely to get the riding mileage/chances than going straight to a pro showjumper
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This. You will learn so much more and ride so much variety. Then if you dont make it as a pro rider, youve got a career to fall back on breaking and schooling or dealing. You'll always be in demand if you can get on any horse and get a tune out of it
 
I used to hack from a yard where young staff took the BHS exams both riding and stable management. After Stage 2 when it came to specialisation my escort left to work and train at a jumping yard.
 
Muddy unicorn said:
Have you thought of going down the apprenticeship route? Haddon training usually have several options of yards to approach - you’d end up with a qualification and you’d have support from your mentor. You’re unlikely to get a position as a full-time rider straight away but most yards will need you to ride as well as stable duties and if you’re good you’ll eventually get more of the riding and less mucking out.
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If you tried this you'd get a wage as well as a qualification. Haddon always had some good professional yards under their scheme.
 
Our eventing yard offers BHS qualifications alongside CAFRE (we are in NI) it is a block day release type thing so it works OK for us - as long as the block isn't the week of a home international, we had to get them to change it one time and now they check!
To be honest having seen many many young people come through the yard, those who do it this way have a much more realistic all round equine education than the poor souls who go to a full time college course.
Students get accommodation, livery for a horse, and a wage as well as the college course.

One thing I would say is - by all means contact via email / social media or whatever at first- but be prepared to actually speak to someone on the phone if you really want a job. The amount of enquiries we get and when we ask them to call they just don't, or they send millions more messages.
Also get a few decent videos of your riding and be prepared to send those too. Ideally on different horses.
 
Hi guys thanks so much!! I was actually speaking to Haddon but for this year's intake they told me I'd have to be set up somewhere by the end of October. However this isnt possible for me as I'm looking to start in January as I have other commitments until then. If anyone has any suggestions of who I should be contacting that would be appreciated! I have emailed and called quite a lot of people and had little/no response.
 
rideedit said:
Hi guys thanks so much!! I was actually speaking to Haddon but for this year's intake they told me I'd have to be set up somewhere by the end of October. However this isnt possible for me as I'm looking to start in January as I have other commitments until then. If anyone has any suggestions of who I should be contacting that would be appreciated! I have emailed and called quite a lot of people and had little/no response.
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I wanted some SJ experience when I was going to take my BHS stage 4. I went to a SJ yard and simply asked if they needed a rider to work horses in return for being able to have lessons and jump up to a 1.15 course (which is what I had to do on the exam). I didn't do much stable work but would ride anything. I even got to ride a horse that was in the top 10 BS rankings (although not jump him). I don't think I would have got that by emailing, it was the fact that I went to the yard so was a real person who could be talked to and ride.

Obviously, I started by only riding the novices. Later on, I would have got some show experience, but I took my exam and didn't really need to do it any more. I rode some smashing horses, some promising youngsters and those in for re-schooling.

As a much younger person, I would ride for a dealer. Again, it was for free but I got some lessons on her horses. I got to ride up to advanced eventers, as well. as the dealer horses fresh over from Ireland.

I did that whilst establishing a well paid career, so I could then have my own horses to compete in time. That was a successful tactic for me.
 
Thanks so much!! I have been emailing people as I have found there is usually only a contact email on their websites expect for the bigger yards which also have phone numbers which I have called. Is there any dealers/producers anyone recommends. I'm based around the Oxford area (doesnt matter as I will go anywhere for the right job) but just in case there is anyone local x
 
I admire your determination, the fact you are picking up the phone to speak to people is very refreshing!

Are you on Facebook? I would put some adverts up there looking for work, there are always lots of places looking! Hunt yards might also be an option as they are just starting their season now. I assume you’ve contacted any of the professional yards in your area too? Do you have an instructor yourself who can also put some feelers out for you?
 
Another option might be asking the ‘fancier’ riding schools. Somewhere like Wellington for example, that has a wide range of horses (not just RS plods).
 
Try Brendon Stud at Pyecombe in sussex - they often take on trainee riders. Just be aware that those jobs are highly soght after and you will do yard work as welll as ride
 
Thanks so much everyone! To be honest I'm feeling a bit disheartened I have called/messaged/emailed every show jumper/yard/producers that I would like to work for and only 2 people have got back to me! I'm at a bit of a loss of what to do as I feel like I've done everything I possibly can. I mean if I see someone at a show I will go and speak to them. To be honest I just have no idea what else I can do!! I thought everyone would be looking for staff! I definitely wont give up as I know the right opportunity is out there. Any ideas at all would be hugely appreciated xx
 
I know it seems like an age away but if you really want to work with horses why don’t you try to set up an apprenticeship placement for next year? You are still very young and will be working for many years so there’s no rush to get everything sorted immediately. You are unlikely to get a position solely as a rider to start out with, even if you go to a dealing yard. Maybe widen your search parameters and see if you could get experience in different areas of the sector - more experience will always stand you in good stead.
 
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