06/08/2024
Years ago as a kid - (don't do the math) I lived at the barn all summer long. Got dropped off before sunrise and started getting the barn ready for the day. Lessons learned, priceless. Sure we paid for lessons and training but not for all and certainly never would have advanced as fast without working in the barn as well. Taking up horses for lessons, taking care of them after lessons, stalls, aisle, first aid board, cobwebs, feeding, and even teaching foals and steers how to lead. At one point we figured I made .25 per hour. But, I gained knowledge and experience at the same time, honed my riding skills in different horses, and knew how to do hard work.
Today- I can't get anyone interested in coming to work with horses and learn while doing so. I either need to pay them a wage of at least $15/hr and decide if that's for horses or just stalls since max time available is 2 hrs! Then listen to them complain that they can't afford lessons. Ok...... then work them off! Learn more than how to sit and steer!
Summer meant 12+ hr days and most spent working and riding all day. If ppl would realize the benefit of job shadow and practice does far more than taking one lesson a week, riding maybe a couple times outside of that, creates a much stronger foundation! I want to share my years of experience and 3rd generation horse person with others. I have a great group of young horses coming up and some may be sold but a future show horse will be coming up!
If anyone is interested in working off while learning let me know.
