Working Student Program
Classical Horsemanship is always interviewing well qualified individuals to become working students. Working students pay for lessons by working around the barn. Barn work includes feeding horses, tacking and untacking horses for trainers, basic property maintenance, helping younger students with horse handling and, eventually, if interested, helping with teaching and training.
Qualifications
Anyone over 16 years old that can commit at least 10 hours a week can become a working student. Horse handling experience is appreciated, but not required.
Possible candidates for the working student program include anyone that wants to work off riding lessons and gain horse handling experience. We have had many veterinary students that have been in our working student program as they find the knowledge gained from feeding, handling horses and learning work-in-hand is a great supplement to their education. Anyone else who finds that riding lessons are not in their budget but would like to be around horses and participate in equestrian activities, can also make a great working student.
This program can be especially beneficial for riders that want to develop into instructors and trainers. Experience gained from being in a barn setting and teaching under more experienced instructors is invaluable.
If you are interested in becoming a working student, please contact us today.
“This semester I was able to work for Megan Sorentino at Classical Horsemanship as a working student. I was able to build skills necessary to work for a 14-horse boarding/training facility. Before this semester I hadn’t had any experience in horse care- never fed a horse, never cleaned a paddock or stall, never groomed a horse. I feel that through this internship, I have developed the skills to be able to be successful in the equine industry.”
-Katarina Wallace
“During my time as an intern at Classical Horsemanship I have learned a new way of riding, training and even interacting with horses. The head trainer, Megan Sorentino, puts great emphasis on working with horses in hand. She explained to me that there are aids that can be taught from the ground that cannot be exactly replicated under saddle. Megan has taught me many exercises that allow me to develop the training of horses. She described a trained horse as being able to have even and rhythmical steps. One way I was taught to work on rhythm was through facing the horse and getting them to match your pace on the ground. I did this by half halting and drawing the horse forward until they matched my own steps. This exercise was great because It taught me not to pull back on the horse to get them to slow down because it would just result in the horse using their weight to lean forward and result in them moving even faster, Instead “vibrating” my hand up to get the horse to raise their head which would result in a half halt. My experience at Classical Horsemanship has been incredibly valuable and I will continue to work with horses in this manner as I have found that developing a conversation with the horses works a lot more effectively than just telling them what to do.”
-Annika Schneider
“The working student program was an opportunity for me not only to learn a lot but to be surrounded by good people. Very greatful to Joe and Megan for giving me a headstart in the horse industry as someone who grew up outside that world.”
-Will Metz