"You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't.."

[BEUnderTheInfluence]

Today I left school....and I felt like I'd been released from my safety net!

I'm not going to college or Uni (despite all B- A* grades) because, after long and hard deliberation, I decided that if Eventing is what I'm going to dedicate my life to, I need to go now and learn as much as I can.
I'm 16 and will be moving away from home in Sept time to a working pupil placement. Wow.

My parents have come round to the idea that I'm not a completely useless rider and that if I want to give riding proffesionally a go, I can't do it half heartedly. I need to thow myself in at the deep end and learn how to swim....fast!

So....slightly reflective....leaving all the friends I have made, family I love and my wonderful yard soon to go graft for an idol doing stupid hours! I know how much hard work and dedication this needs and I know there will be moments where I have to dig deep and ask myself serious questions.

Its a big risk but I'd rather throw myself into it with everything i have and pull it off and be who I want to be, or bow out respectfully; rather than 20 years from now..sat in an office miserabley staring at the chewing-gum grey ceillng wondering what could have been....had i taken that chance....

 

[Ilovefoals]

Good on you!!! And good luck. I hope it all works out and I wish I could have been so brave at your age. x

 

[MrsMozart]

An interesting one

Brought up so many thoughts and memories and ideas - too many to get down on paper and make any sense.

Enjoy yourself hunny.

I raise a glass to you

 

[doratheexplorer]

Go for it, life is far too short to not realise your dreams x

 

[buntybaby]

Good for you!
I wish i'd done that, went straight to college at 16! I'm 22 now and run around here there and everywhere freelancing and not being pushed or getting the training i could and want to get!!
Good luck

 

[jessamess]

Good luck in your quest!!!

Although I *hope* to go pro (showing) my parents have made sure I have something to 'fall back on' and I'm currently in my second year of college completing a ND in Graphic Design and off to uni in September (staying at home though) (my grandparent were VERY disappointed that I didn't do A levels and follow a career in medicine but I decided it wasn't for me!!!) And at college/uni it's only 2 and a half days even though it's full time so have plenty of time for horsey!!!

And I'm happy that I have something else I'm good at and fall back on and I don't think it's a bad decision to have something else and something else I enjoy too as I do love my design and college life!!! But horses always 100% come first in my book

Good luck I wish you all the best and I'm sure you'll have fun at your working pupil I'm sure you'll hate it at times, long hard days but sure it will be worth it!!!

Are you taking horses?!?!

I'm sure you'll settle in quickly where are you off too?!

xxx

 

[jules89]

good on you, but wrap yourself up in cotton wool, one injury can make all the difference, believe me. I did what u did, got offered a travelling groom's job at one of the best yards in glos after my GCSE's and did my a levels then got an even better job as a rider then got squashed against a tree which ended that. My horse is now with a best mate as I can't ride competitively. Gutted. I really hope it works out for you, you have some serious balls I'm rooting for u

 

[BEUnderTheInfluence]

Thankyou for the advice and comments guys! Its a little bit scary at times but what the heck, they say scare yourself once a day so thats me sorted for the next 6 months!

 

[sazzle44]

Thankyou for the advice and comments guys! Its a little bit scary at times but what the heck, they say scare yourself once a day so thats me sorted for the next 6 months!

Thats exactly what I've been thinking. Sent my CV out to a few people, getting in touch with trainers next week about a working pupil placement. I am soo hyped. and so so so scared! I'm heading off into the show-jumping world and really hoping I get somewhere.
As I keep tell my mum, I've got to get it out of my system, and best to do it now and then settle down for a 'proper' job
Best of luck to you, it's all a bit daunting isn't it?

 

[Trolt]

Good luck

You can go to uni at any age (one gentleman on my course is 71!), so there is no harm in trying other views first. Especially with the hike in fees, it isn't really worth going now (imo) unless there is something you know you want to do. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking on a working pupil placement.
There will be no shame if it doesn't work out in starting something else later in life anyway.

You sound like you have your head screwed on, understand the hard work, so wishing you all the best

 

[TarrSteps]

good on you, but wrap yourself up in cotton wool, one injury can make all the difference, believe me. I did what u did, got offered a travelling groom's job at one of the best yards in glos after my GCSE's and did my a levels then got an even better job as a rider then got squashed against a tree which ended that. My horse is now with a best mate as I can't ride competitively. Gutted. I really hope it works out for you, you have some serious balls I'm rooting for u

This is actually VERY good advice and, much as it's not what horse people (or young people) want to hear, keep it in mind.

Riding is dangerous. End of. And proving yourself means taking risks. After all, one of the reasons people have working students and even stable jockeys it to save wear and tear on more experienced and therefore more valuable people. But be careful about what you let yourself get talked into and take precautions when you can. At the very least, try to understand situations before you get into them. Lasting long enough to become a proper grown up professional is a large part dumb luck but there's no harm in being smart about it. Remember, your body and your brain are the tools of your trade so look after them.

(And before you think I'm some annoying old person, I'm probably almost three times your age and still make my money riding horses. And I even went to University. So it's worth listening to the voices of experience, Jules and me. )

Best of luck. Work hard, learn lots and enjoy the journey. 'Cause it's all journey.

 

[kerilli]

That is excellent advice. Within reason, don't let other people take ridiculous risks with your neck, basically. Sorry to point out the obvious, but for e.g. before getting on a youngster, a quick lunge will usually show what side of bed it got out of, and any explosions it might have are much better watched from 20' away than felt from underneath you! Getting decked does not have to be part of the deal.

Very very best of luck, it sounds as though you have a great attitude, I hope you are going to someone really good and will learn oodles to get you on your way.

 

[Baggybreeches]

As I keep tell my mum, I've got to get it out of my system, and best to do it now and then settle down for a 'proper' job
Best of luck to you, it's all a bit daunting isn't it?

Thats a really good way of looking at it. I always had a proper job (did A levels but not uni) from leaving school and then after 4 years had a sudden urge to work with horses, so I did. I lasted 6 months (and that was in the summer!) due to a) having a husband who was pee'd off with me never having a day off, b) being pee'd off at never having a day off and c) I actually couldn't afford to petrol in my car by the end of the week!

Although what I learnt in that short time was invaluable and I now know that 'having a bash' with horses is best done when you are young and carefree.

Good luck to all of you and remember that you never stop learning

 

[seabsicuit2]

Good luck!! Work for the best people possible!!

 

[bigboyrocky]

really hope it works out for you im doing similar to you... leave school on 23rd June, then off to be a WP on the 1st July im only going for a couple of months at the moment but i might decide to stay... who knows (ive loved it there in the past) Im going to do a course in accounting sometime soon as we literally have no money so absoloutly nothing to fall back on if i get injured or at a later date decide its not for me... however, if you are brave enough/have enough backing to take that risk.. then go for it and keep determined good luck

 

[foxy1]

Live the dream! Very best of luck; the harder you work, the luckier you will get

 

[kirstie]

Good luck, be prepared to work very hard!

The one thing I would say from my experience of working with horses is get yourself some really good personal accident insurance. It is expensive, but so worth it. I had it, decided that I couldn't afford it and within 6 months had an awful accident and broke my back and was left with no money at all! If I'd kept my insurance going my wages would have been paid, I would have got a lump sum and £100 for every brokn bone and night spent in hospital. Would have been fine financially!

Enjoy it, make sure you aren't taken advantage of and don't be the crash test dummy!

 

[Harriett310]

I wish i could be that brave!
I am doing GCSEs and want to do vet med or competitive riding; but i can't do either half heartedly, so i am going to throw myself into the vet med as riding can always be a hobby! It would be so much different if i had the bravery to pack it all in and just ride.
Good luck!

 

[CaleruxShearer]

Good luck! I'm leaving school on tuesday after doing my first year of A levels! Got a couple of months to chill and then going to be an eventing WP in august/september. Best of luck to you!

 

[woodtiger]

You have more courage than I did at sixteen. Good luck! Be sensible - ditto the above - maybe in a years time think about working in a yard in Europe for a different perspective and to get a language under your belt. You can always fall back on this in the future.... wow, you brave lucky thing!

 

[TallyHo123]

Good luck! Remember to keep us all informed x

 

[shorexhorse]

well done for being such a brave and sensible young person, i wish you all the luck in the world.

This may or may not be helpful to you, but I struggled throughout A levels and ended up with crap grades because I couldn't apply myself to it. The crap grades wont really get me into uni,and my only chance is to look for a job or move on to college - I wish I had your attitude when it came to being brave. What I'm trying to say is, if its not how you expected or doesn't work for you, of course persevere with it for a bit, but after that if its not right, dont force yourself to be there because you think you 'have to be'.

 

[kir90]

Well done you!! I left school at 16, and went straight into working with horses, didnt go to college or uni! I am nearly 21 and have never looked back! I am living the dream! Yes sometimes the days are hard and the hours are long but i wouldn't change my job for any thing in the world! I am eventing at the minute then hunt all winter long! Love it. When we are in the lorry either going hunting or competing i feel sorry for people stuck in thier offices 9 - 5! You just have to go and dont look back the first few months will be hard as your away from everything and everyone you know, but in a few years time you will look back and not regret a thing.

Best of luck. xx

 

[Blaise]

Just wanted to add i wish you the very best of luck and hope you have a great time! I wish i'd have been brave enough to do what you're doing at 16. I've been in & out of the industry several times (i'm 24 now) and would love to be working full time with them again. I enjoy my job now but it's just not the same as doing something you really love. Keep us updated on how you're getting on

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Like many I left school as soon as I could but I had no clear intentions of what I wanted to do I just didn't want to go back to school! So I got a job in a racing yard. I had originally intended it to be a gap year before going to Uni and it's a good thing that I am rubbish at maths as 1 year has turned into 6. At the moment it is still very much a paid hobby for me, there are some days that it turns into a job and fewer days that it turns into a chore but the good days far outweight the bad. I have no intentions of becoming a jockey, I never wanted to be a trainer but I am now starting to think about it. I still show my own horses and ponies and in an ideal world I would produce show horses for the summer and racehorses in the winter. I have never gone down the route of BHS levels or NVQ's as I never intended to stay in horses for long.

I do intend to remedy my lack of qualifications and apply to do an Uni correspondence course later this year in something that has nothing to do with horses. If it works out then hopefully horses can return to being my hobby. Whilst you should go out and enjoy yourself always keep at the back of your mind that you may not last forever in horses due to one thing or another and consider doing a college or uni course.

Working with horses is definitely a life but it's not a living.

 

[brown tack]

Well done you!

I had the chance of following my dreams of pro riding but stuffed them up, don't get me wrong I would never the gb teams but i was good enough to have a small career out of it.

I however was pushed into uni, dropped out after second year, but in this time, my mare broke down, no money to buy a new one, now I've no horse or horse I click aswell as my mare. I keep on ending up with nutters. And also got uni dept to pay.

On top of all that I've got a really bad back due to a car act so now can't ride to good and need to bring up a horse thorough the ranks, but nutters not do my back much good.

Ok I may never of made it, but the dreams now gone, so I'll stick to local shows it I can get anything sane enough.

You can always do uni later, and your neves tend to weaken as you get older

Good luck

 

[diggerbez]

good luck! as others have said- you can always do college/uni at a later date or through correspondance courses/open university etc whereas its hard to do horses professionally once you are tied down to an OH/house etc etc.
would definitely sort out some personal accident insurance just in case and don't be pushed into doing blatantly dangerous things if you don't feel happy with it. but if you are working for someone good sure this won't happen!