Looking for Eventing/Dressage Working Student Program

Hey guys. I am a 24 year old living in North Carolina. For the last several years I have worked to pay the bills waitressing and have gone in and out of college classes. My passions are and will always be in the equine industry, and the longer I go without horses in my life, the more incomplete I am beginning to feel! I have decided time is running out for me to be able to utilize these opportunities, and already leaving life is absolutely more difficult then it was even a year ago. I would love a career with horses, however I need more education and experience and I feel a working student position is the way to go. I have a great interest in training, and possibly retraining of OTTBs for dressage and eventing, and would love to learn enough to be able to share my knowledge with other students.

I have loved horses my entire life and began riding at 11. Eventually, I discovered three-day eventing and purchased my first horse, a gutsy thoroughbred gelding and took him through the lower levels in eventing. We trained to prelim and competed at novice quite successfully. I rode, trained, and competed several other horses in both dressage and show jumping. Sadly, like many girls, I became distracted by boys and allowed my competition horse to be sold when I set off for college. Though I quickly realized my mistake, it was a bit too late at that point. After 2.5 years off from everyday riding I leased a lovely green Friesian cross mare for about 8 months and brought her to about first-level dressage. Finances became an issue so we sadly decided to move her to another owner. So thus, I have been horseless for 6 months now.

Anyway, I have checked out yardandgroom and various other websites, however I feel a bit trapped between my current life and the opportunities I wish to pursue. I have a live-in, long term boyfriend, a dog, a cat (I guess the man can go, haha)... so thus I feel unable to set off for a long term program in which I am required to stay on site. I was really wondering if anyone has heard of a solid program where I could live off site (or bring the attachments), possibly even part time so I could hold a part-time job to pay the other bills. I would even consider a shorter term live-in program. I am willing to wait for a great opportunity. Currently, I do not own a horse, though I could purchase one if accepted into a program with board included.

If anybody has ideas, or suggestions to programs that would fit me, I would be in your debt.

I would be interested in talking with you about a working student position. We own a dressage barn in Wellington, Fl. If you are interested in possibly relocating, please contact me 817-648-5630 or email kendra@hpnc.com.
Our website is Caballo Ranch Sporthorses - Home
Kendra

Have you found a working student position? I'm the barn manager and working student at a dressage barn in north Austin Texas. There may be an opening this summer. It can be a live in opportunity and you can probably bring your horse, boyfriend and pets! Let me know and I'll get you in contact with the owners.