littlemissfillintheblank:

Moneymonemoney. I always wanted to show but never had the money, then never had the money for a horse, then my lack of show experience translated into a “well then you must not know anything” and people didn’t take me seriously. I didn’t have any have money for lessons or gas money to drive to a…

I have to agree with you. Money is, without a doubt, the biggest challenge I’ve faced in this sport. Money was always tight and I never really got lessons when I had my horse because it was always a case of, pay board or take a lesson, go to a show or feed the horse for another week. I never minded at the time, but looking back, it really held back my riding. Even the decision to put my horse down was partially influenced by money, though it wasn’t the main reason. Now I’m finding that even working a full-time job during the summers and several jobs during the school year, I can only afford lessons once a week at a local barn. Our college equstrian team all rides at a different barn and I can’t join because of money. No money to travel to this other barn, no money for show clothes, no money for the additional lessons. It drove me nuts to only have horse contact only once a week for an hour, so I’ve done everything I can for free, from accepting a local working student position to heading over to a friend’s house to hang out whenever I can afford the gas(she keeps her horses at her house). Never made me consider changing disciplines, but I’ve never had the opportunity to switch and try another discipline because I’m currently do the cheapest, most minimal ‘discipline’ possible. Never makes me want to quit, but it has forced me to when I couldn’t afford to do anything.