offered a job in exchange for lessons what should i do

Well if anyone has read my previous posts i'm having a serious confidence wobble right now ridng wise! I have spoken to my western instructor today about this and her solution was to offer me a job! Now by job I mean while she is away from home teaching at the weekends she would like me to go to her yard and muck out (poo pick) stables (3) and feed up twice a day. Also I am free to groom or do groundwork etc if I feel like it also I think ride if my confidence picks up. In exchange for this she will provide me with free sessions. Either ridden, groundwork or with my own mare. I am paying £30.00 for a session once a week at the moment and feel I would greatly benefit from the extra sessions I would get. Although she won't be there at the weekends there will be someone that I can turn to for help if I need it. I am passionate about horses and although way in the future I would like to make it pay (not as a trainer), it is just that way in the future. Now my feeling is that by doing this 'job' and gaining the extra sessions, I could get the basic foundation I would need. I am not inexperienced with horses but am self taught so to learn things properly would by fantastic. My instructor is obviously willing to put her horses in my care inlcuding her lesson horses so I feel really lucky to be even asked to do this. Do you guys agree and should I be full steam ahead.

Go for it, netty.

Many people would love to be offered just such an arrangement, and I think it's great that your trainer thinks enough of you to give you lessons in exchange for work.

Thanks speed racer. Is this arrangements pretty common? Where i'm from it's only really the riding schools that offer this and the students are usually working towards exams.

I think it used to be more common, but it's certainly not unheard of even in this day and age. In fact, I know a young lady right now who's doing the exact same thing.

I like the idea, because it will give you a chance to get experience with all aspects of horses, not just the riding part. I think far too many young people today don't want to deal with the messy, 'not fun' part of horses, but unless you do it, you'll never be completely rounded as a horse person.

What a wonderful opportunity!

totally agree speed racer. I'm a returning rider although haven't ridden for many years and find I get really anxious and nervous so i'm hoping by taking this opportunity I will be able to feel more confident on the ground with these horses and it will transfer into my riding.

i think so too. I'm actually really excited and agreed to go down on Saturday and learn about the weighing of the feed etc. nutrition for horses is something that interests me and I was considering a nutrition short course. Sometimes when you hear the word mucking out you immediately think oh heck you just want me to do it so you don't have to, but my instructor is really nice although her lesson horse does insist on testing my confidence right now so i'm hoping working with him more will help. I wish i'd done this kind of thing when I was younger instead of the line of work I do now as horses is where my passion lays and when i'm at my 'real' job my head tends to be at home with the horses. You'd think at 27 i'd be able to cope with not seeing my horse for two days but I can't

Mine are at home with me, so I exactly what you're saying about it being difficult if you can't see yours for a day or two.

I think it's a very good exchange of interests. You get more experience, she gets cleaned stall, and you get a lesson. If I'd get such an offer I'd definitely go for something like this!

I'm thinking I might start a journal after Saturday so I can document my time there and my progress with my confidence and handling etc might be good to look back on and see how i'm developing. Also I have the very exciting prospect of a foal due march so there will be photo's and getting back into riding my mare and handling foal etc.