From backyard ponies to European Olympic horses
First off, I titled this article “From backyard ponies to European Olympic horses” not because there is anything negative about backyard ponies (In fact, they are so important to our industry, and I LOVE great all-around ponies and what they can teach young riders!) but to point out the fact that my beginnings were humble…
Yet, I eventually ended up working and riding in Europe for Belgium Olympian, Karin Donckers. That experience, along with many others, helped shape me as a professional and bring a really valuable perspective to my program and clients.
I’m going to give you practical tips on how you could ride and work for a top rider in Europe too, but first, let me tell you about my story.
My story:
I was in college at Penn State University while also continuing to compete my main horse, as well as re-school and sell OTTBs.
But at the same time, I wanted to see the world and decided to study abroad for a semester in the UK. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t very strategic about where I studied in the UK… which left me painfully horseless for a few months.
But during that time, I had an idea.
After my spring semester, I would stay in Europe for the summer and work with horses. I mean, I was already ‘across the pond’ anyway, right?
But where? With whom? What about the fact that I had no extra finances? I started digging.
I wanted to work for a top rider, but no one knew me in Europe. And I didn’t know anyone either.
I sent a lot of “cold” emails (i.e., an intro email to a pro I didn’t know) asking if they would consider taking me on and received a lot of… nothing. I explored sites like Yard and Groom but found it really difficult to know if I could trust if some of the programs were good fits for me.
Here’s where the horse world gets really small.
I eventually found an ad to work with Belgium Olympic rider, Karin Donckers, and applied. To my surprise, she responded and said she knew of one of the US-based trainers I had worked for! Because of this, Karin had no problem giving that trainer a call to get a recommendation (she had to make sure I was a good working student to bring on!). Fortunately, I also had some riding videos on hand to send her too… and I was in!
It was a great opportunity, but now, I want to give you some tangible tips to seek out a similar experience.
You don’t need to be a top rider to get international riding and work experience, but you do need solid basics and generally need strong recommendations from a previous or current employer.
Use your network to find opportunities. If you work for a bigger name pro in the US, it’s very likely they have a network of co-professionals they trust internationally. Side note, if you are a great employee, they might have a hard time letting you go (they may want you to stay and keep working for them!) so navigate this carefully… but a good mentor will support your continued education.
Have some nice videos handy of you riding multiple horses, even videos of you doing non-riding activities (such as lungeing or bandaging) to show strong horsemanship.
Use your network to check opportunities. Not all ‘opportunities’ are good opportunities. Use your contacts to ensure you are going to a reputable program. Do your homework. This is important. There are plenty of reputable programs in the US and beyond, so find one! Feel free to reach out to me as well.
“Cold” emails or DMs to pros you would love to work for are acceptable. You may receive silence or “No, thanks”, but at some point, you may get a “Yes!” Just keep it simple and professional. A clear resume or intro with links to videos is great, for example.
Cheers to chasing the dream,
Emily
