My amazing opportunity :)

I thought I would start a thread on my work at the place I ride at. I have been taking lessons there once a week (on Friday) for about 6mo now. Yesterday before my lesson I was offered to work on Saturdays in order to get a free ride (non lesson). The first thing I did was muck a paddock of a pony named Gemma, who I think is a aged welsh mare, with a girl called Jade. Then Jade brought in a pony for a girl who was booked in to have a lesson, whilst I got all the gear out and grooming tools. I helped the girl, who was about 5, teaching her how to unrug and rug her pony, grooming, where to stand and also how to tack up her pony. She was very focued and did very well!! I then helped clean the paddocks with another girl, Nat. I mucked another paddock alone and took all the heavy rugs off the horses, just leaving their cotton ones on.

Around 12pm I brought in Pepe ( the horse I am riding in my avatar ) and got him ready for his lesson with a teenage girl, then went and helped a girl who was volunteering, with one of the ponys (welsh cob). She was scared of him but trying to be brave, I held him as she followed my instructions of how to untack him, and how to lift the saddle from his back with her stirrups ran up.
All was going well, until she was finding his rug (which someone had dumped amongst all the others) and he spooked and broke free from the twine I had safety tied his lead rope to, luckily was able to grab his rope and calm him down..... where he prompty went to sleep . Got the girl to rug him, and taught her how to do the leg straps up properly, with some encouragment she pushed through her fears and got him rugged .Took him back to his paddock.

Walked a girl (10?) around to cool her horse out (she was being led as she isnt confident right now, otherwise would have been able to go off on her own to cool him out) which went well, we had a chat and she told me about how she had lessons every two weeks and had friends with horses and how she loved the horse she was riding. She was shy, but we had fun - im generally shy too, except around horses .

My payment was meant to be a free ride (a bonus really, got to spend the whole day at a place I love, helping out!), but instead the lady who owns the place has offered me a free private lesson in exchange for the work I did for her today and has offered for me to be paid to help the instructors with the kids lessons so happy!!


Will be blogging every Saturday!

Sounds like a very wonderful day for you!

It sure was a great day, enjoyed every bit of it!

Crazy how things most ppl call a chore can be so enjoyable! Stick with it! I can promise you 2 things about the horse world its going to be hard and your not always going to enjoy it (when it becomes a job you can sometimes just want to throw up your hands and walk away from the horse world) but if you can get on and ride away from the crazy barn for awhile it makes it worthwhile. It will get frustrating not owning as well it will all come in time you have a lot to learn and your in a position you can take every opportunity to be a nurse to the injured and sick. Even dyeing horses. I've been riding in lessons since I was nine and have managed one horse ranch (witch nearly drove me off the edge) but it was all worth it. After 11 years of working towards it on Oct 10th I got my first horse given to me by a freind who lives 8hrs away (10hrs towing horses). She has made all the hard times well worth the effort all the crazy owners allnighters with other people's colicy horses it makes me appreciate her all the more because I worked or her. Congratulations on your opportunity the second thing I can promise you is the good will out weigh the bad seeing foals born, breaking your first horse, and the first time someone comes to you with injured horse and you know what to do it makes everything worthwhile!

Emailed admins on HorseForum, stating I would like my account (Sommsama09) deleted as I was going to join under the account I am using now, but seems not to have been deactivated as of yet.

Thanks for your kind words Horsecrazed09, I am looking forward to all the new skills I shall learn and all new experiences. Im sorry you went through the death of a horse, but I am sure you learnt a great many things. The birth of foals is amazing to watch isn't it? I witnessed my first birth in December of last year, it was a easy birth, however mare viciously rejected the colt, and I helped bottle raise him - that was a wonderful/tiring experience I will never forget. Its amazing how things can work out, and either way you usually learn from them! Congratulations on your first horse, I am very happy for you! I would love to manage a ranch oneday - good on you!!

I've been through many deaths of horses I'm just saying don't shy away from them its part of life every thing has an end. It's not pretty to see them go down but if you want to be in a management position your probably the one who gets to handle it. It's a dirty job LOL but someone has to do it I like being able to see them through to their new life :)

Just got back from my normal lesson on friday's, went really well! Worked on lateral movement and side passing, did a bit of on ground work - it went great! Saw my normal instructor back up at the house, she had asked to see me she's still resting and trying to get back into the rythm of things, which is great - she hasnt lost her smile that's for sure! My current instructor, who is looking after me atm since my normal instructor isnt well, said I am doing very well and she is impressed - means alot to me considering she owns the place and is a very good rider!! I am now going to be going there and helping with the horses/lessons on Sundays instead of Saturdays, too.

Horsecrazed09 I agree completly, and its reassuring for the horse to be with someone they trust, through to the end - good on you - that is what I will be doing with any of my horses, be there for them when they need us most.

Had a great day today - even though it reached a high of 36 degrees!! Got horses in and ready for all the lessons, and taught their riders how to wash the horses after their ride, how to tack/untack rug/unrug etc. Met a nice girl called Laine, who also helped me today - she was a very nice girl!

Had a bit of a ride on the welsh cob from my first post - Was GREAT even though he is a bit green.... I was able to canter on him - something I havent done since my accident and I was grinning so much it hurt I can't canter on Pepe atm, learning as he is a OTTB, but im glad I can canter the ponies!

Lead a girl around today on above cob, got stepped on twice by him , but otherthan that we had a bit of a laugh and a giggle. Very nice girl also, just starting to ride again after 2 years of not riding after riding friends horses (sad story, they 'accidently' were always out when the girl came over to ride, and then sold the hoorse and said she was WAY to fat to ride - how HORRIBLE is that?!) She is the nicest girl, and tries her hardest, she's going to make a good rider when she starts taking lessons -today was only a meet and greet kind of thing for her.

Got told I can be Team Manager, for when they start it up again . Really happy that she is happy with my work there, considering it is only my second time working there (only riding before).

Taught a 5yo girl how to do everything with her pony -went well, except she nicked off and put the pony away with the halter on and no summer rug - all good, got that done and she helped me after I had caught up with her and said pony in the pony's paddock .

SMART me grabbed ankle socks this morning... Now have two BIG oozy blisters from my riding boots rubbing all day and a big blue and purple bruise from where one of the ponies was tied to some twine, where I was leaning on the rail she was tied to - twine slid right across and somehow rippled and yanked my arm don't ask ...i don't really understand what happened...


Pepe pulled up lame after one of his lessons, might not be riding him next week, so might be riding one of the other horses if he is not feeling better by then.

Just got home from my ride, had a awesome time, did a bit more leg yeilding, my instructor is VERY happy with my riding means alot to me! We started a introduction to jumping today, did a bit of trot pole work, then she let me practise my two-point position over a little tyre/pole jump, and lastly over a cross rail jump. Had alot of fun doing that today, we are going to do mre jumping next week - I can't wait! Always wanted to learn jumping, and now I am. My instructor/owner of place, offered me the offical role of Team Manager today, after talking to me about it last week - I have accepted! .

Put pepe away, after giving him some carrots for being such a good boy putting up with my jumping attempts today. Put him in his paddock with another TB, did up the gateway, and started walking away - he whinnied and stood there looking at me like "Hey mum, come back here" . He's a cute little booger.

Only mishap today... was my bra strap kept sliding down as I was jumping. Great keeping the TB I ride, on course, lining him up for jumping, readying my position and fixing up my bra strap... I've got this two thing at once...er.. 4 thing at once woman thing down pat.

Sports bras are your best friend they have some designed for equestrians that are awesome!!! I'm jellous your jumping I have at least 2 years before I can start jumping w/ Bebe (8 months before we even start riding :( if she comes up sound from her splint) and have no trainers to ride or school atm. The one thing I miss about managing the ranch is I don't always have a horse on hand haha. Have fun being a team manager! Sounds awesome haha!!