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“BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!!” the 5:30 a.m. alarm sounds. Begrudgingly, I scramble out of bed, stager across the bedroom carpet, drop to all fours and climb under my desk to search for the source of the hideous alarm and silence it (such distant placement of the alarm clock forces my arousal). “Uhhh,” I groan, after the noise ceases, and lay under the desk allowing my cheek to press into the prickly carpet for a moment longer. The snoozer sounds, I open my eyes and climb out from under the desk, tired but excited for another full day as a working student.
From forcing myself to work on through exhaustion as a working student to obtaining a summer internship with USEA, life is an endless compiling of learning experiences. My high school biology teacher preached the importance of reflection to aid in the development of mind, body and soul throughout our life’s journey. With each year his advice holds increasing significance, particularly when reflecting on my working student adventures.
Besides hard work and self-motivation, I was clueless as to what awaited me that first summer. My mistakes were endless and days were often long and hot, but a desire for a future involving horses kept me going. The knowledge gained from my summers as a working student altered my future aspirations. Through encounters with successful persons, such as John Nunn, revealing the various careers available within the equine industry, and fellow working students, who became friends and great forms of inspiration. Comrade working students, Lauren Billys, Molly Gasiewicz and Hannah Hassinger gave me their perspectives, providing advice and inspiration for anyone contemplating a working student position. Each working student’s story is unique but at the core share an incredibly educational and life changing experience.
Expectations and Advice
Ready, set, go! Hit the ground running and ready to learn every aspect of horse care. The roll of a working student is most affective when the student asks questions and takes initiative. He or she becomes a team member who learns, while training and maintaining sport horses.
The right mindset can make or break the experience. Expect hard work and have a willing heart to trust your instructor even if you think you know better. Lauren Billys studies at California State University – Fresno, double majoring in Chemistry and Enology (the study of wine making) and events at the intermediate level with her mount, Ballingowan Ginger. Billys says, “As a working student you have to be in the mindset that you are on the other person’s agenda. It can be a humbling experience but if you can learn to be in that position you can really learn a lot.” As important as a willing and humble mentality is, so too, is having, “all your ducks in a row,” meaning finances and a proper understanding of the work that lies ahead.
Communication is key to ensure that both student and instructor understand what is expected from the experience. Molly Gasiewicz, a graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a BS in Journalism and an emphasis in Public Relations recently moved to work under Molly Rosin, founder of Havarah Equestrian, based at Principia Farm in Kirkwood, PA. Gasiewicz stresses the importance of questioning the instructor to know expectations from the daily grind to living conditions and expected expenses. She says, “The first thing is to look into a few programs. See what is right for you and be active in your decision. I was really lucky, Molly let me come check out her program and made clear what was expected.”
What do working students do?
Each program varies depending on the instructor but generally working students
- Muck and reset stalls, which includs scrubbing and refilling buckets
- Feed
- Learn to know each horses legs, notice changes that indicate injuries or illness
- Groom and tack horses - this invovles learning each horses tack
- Ride
- Bath horses applying appropiate soaps and ointments as needed
- Clean tack
- Take active roll in every aspect of horse care
- Groom at horse trials, which includes total care of numerous horses
Learn to go with the flow. Take it from Gasiewicz who says, “You don’t know where you will be in six months. I’ve aged myself by trying to micromanage.” From the daily plan to the “long” term plan things change and change fast so be ready to go with it and then the fun begins. Hannah Hassinger says, “I’ve learned how to have a good eye for a horse and be a good horse women. My riding has improved so much. I learned to teach my horse to jump!” But all the students agree that big changes begin with what seems like small aimless tasks. Gasiewicz says, “Learning tiny little things add up to the whole picture. It seems super aimless at the time but give it time and then you will say, oh wow I’m glad I got my stirrups taken away at prelim so I could relearn how to sit the trot!”
Wrap up
The time will most likely come when it is necessary to end your working student experience with a particular trainer. Reasons vary from returning to school or you feel it is time to experience learning under new instruction. I’ve witnessed and experienced the difficulties of communicating the desire to move-on. My best advice is approach the situation with honesty, time for the instructor to replace you, and most importantly aim to never burn a bridge. Of course spending lengthy amounts of time with anyone, day in and out, can lead to heated moments. But hold onto the big picture, your love for riding and advancing your skills. If you leave with nothing else than a greater understanding of conducting yourself in a mature fashion during stressful situations with humans, horses and the mix, then you’ve gained a valuable tool. The networking of the horse world reflects the reality of the real world – who you know matters. So never forget to say “please and thank you” and stay in contact with the people you sweated beside for a summer or maybe longer. It’s all a learning experience, whether you’re six or 65; student or instructor, with an open mind and willing heart each day can bring an enlightening experience.
