So... I am going to be a working student for Jessica Wisdom soon. Jessica is a dressage trainer that comes to Spokane and gives clinics, and every time I've watched her teach someone else I've learned something. I think she is a really amazing teacher and told her I'd like to work for her since I can't afford to ride with her. 6 months later I got a call, and committed two and a half months, starting mid-April and ending at the end of June. It's kind of a no-pay no-expense deal, I get room and board for me and my horse in exchange for working for her. There's no stall cleaning, just working with babies, lunging, riding... I'm taking Jasper with me and am really grateful to get him started the RIGHT way, so I don't have to go back and fix all the mistakes I made later. I have had a total of one lesson in the last 4 years and to have eyes on the ground is going to be amazing. Plus her assistant trainer wants to event, so loading 6 horses up in the 6-horse trailer and heading to the local cross country course will be part of the experience. The great thing is that she's near most of the big events for Area VII, so at least I'll be able to go watch!
Then she called me up a few days ago and said her current working student has a chance to go overseas sooner than expected. Could I come 2 weeks earlier and go to California with her? Um, yes. So today an awesome family that has another horse at the barn agreed to lease Alexandre for the next 3 months minimum (By "leasing" I mean paying his board). And Jackie, who is one of Mindy's (my first horse) other "moms" agreed to stay at my house and take care of the yard.
In local news we've been having unbelievably warm, sunny, dry weather for the past few weeks and Jasper and Alexandre have been spending a LOT of time on the trails. Jasper may not be in arena shape by the time we leave, but he'll have some trail muscles. He's also -finally- begun to gain some weight and his hip bones don't stick out so far. Some of the divots are starting to fill in. Everyone remarks on how tall he is, but with his baby head and... slenderness... he just looks like a tall gangly baby to me. He'll be 5 in June, aren't they supposed to know a lot of stuff by then? Maybe by June he will. :)
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8 comments:
Sounds like a great opportunity - let us know how it goes!
That sounds amazing! Good luck!
My horse is turning 5 in June as well I am always reminding him that he has a deadline for all his baby antics :)
Wow! Sounds like a great opportunity to learn...And maybe it will develop into a paying gig, if not with Jessica, perhaps you'll make some other contacts.
don't you love it when great opportunities turn up like this!
- The Equestrian Vagabond
Awesome! Im envious. Some days I wish I could walk out of my life and ride, ride, ride. Enjoy the adventure.
That is so fantastic!! What an incredible opportunity! Will you be posting details about your experience to your blog? I'm actually writing a novel about a girl who will be a working student, but I've never done it myself so I don't know the details on how it all works. Anyway I wouldn't be stealing anything you write, just getting ideas on how the whole process works. :)
Oh and Alexandre can come stay with me for as long as he likes. I'll care for all his needs and love him like my own. :D
Congrats! Enjoy!!
I hope you have time to keep us POSTED!
My plan is to blog about it! At the very least how Jasper handles it, baby antics and all.
a1d- feel free to use anything you want, I don't mind. And... where exactly do you live? You may wake up someday to an extremely large pony tied to your doorstep... :)
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