If I Could Tell You Just One Thing

If I was to give you one piece of advice, tell you one thing, it would be this: you will work hard. You will be tired and dirty virtually every day. You will not get to do things your way, that is not what you are here for. You are here to embrace someone else’s way. You are going to learn, without even realizing it, you are going to learn. Their way of doing things will become your way of doing things. You will use the same saddle soap, you will use the same saddle pads, and you will become accustomed to the orderliness. You will pick up the same habits, the same desires, the same way of understanding the horse business. The effect is not immediate. It seeps in over time, you will marinate in it, drink it in, and in the blink of a few years, you will hardly remember any other way of being or doing. 

Pick someone good. Someone you trust, and that is trusted by others. Look at their horses, look at their barn, their life, their person, do you like what you see? Are the horses happy and well kept? Are they sleek and shiny? Is that barn neat, clean, and safe? How do they ride? Do you want to ride like they do? How do they treat others? Are they kind to the horses? Do you agree with how and why they train horses and people? These are essential points. If you answered no to any of these, reconsider working for them, for you will be shaped in their image. 

In the beginning keep your thoughts to yourself, do not assume your own importance or position. Do ask honest questions and listen carefully. Watch everything and think about what you have seen. Be polite, always and without exception. Be humble. Say thank you, often. Find things to do, do not wait for others to tell you. But if in doubt, always ask. Care about what you do. Take pride in your work. No matter what it is you are doing, whether that be cleaning a stall, tacking a horse, cleaning a bridle, or riding; make it so that can you stand up to even the strictest scrutiny. You are building an image every day. Over time you can take on responsibility, ask to be part of the decision making process. Show up and show your ability to lead or manage. Find ways to do it better, more efficiently. Always leave things better than you found them. Dress and act professionally, even if you aren’t a professional yet. Make a good impression, its all you have to start off with.