Balancing School and Riding

Balancing School and Riding

By Caitlyn Bennett

There are many wonderful things about July: cookouts on Independence Day, warm days on the beach, and sunshine. It is also the season of choice to compete and ride. But with the end of the month comes the return of school for many young riders. Balancing schoolwork and riding during the school year can be tough, but there are a few things young riders can do to make the load a little easier. With homework almost every night for students, it makes it hard for kids to get out to barn to ride after school.

First, put your competition and lesson dates into the calendar on your phone. It is helpful to know when you need to be at the barn or out of town so you can cross examine riding dates with dates that are important for school. For example, if you have a project due the week of a horse show, then you can use your calendar to plan ahead and finish the project early, which allows you to focus on preparing yourself and your horse for the show ahead.

Managing school and riding is all about managing your time. If you are aware of when you will be busy with equestrian events, then you are capable of allowing for other time to prepare for school deadlines that coincide with horse shows. By having a calendar at your fingertips, you can easily make a study schedule to balance the load and take the pressure off, when able.

Next, set aside a day or two of the week to catch up on homework or work on a project early. That is a great strategy because it allows you to get your schoolwork done while also giving yourself and your horse a day off from work. I like to do this when I can, because it makes me feel better about going to ride the next day, and knowing that my schoolwork is already done.

If you cannot set aside a specific day, just try to get done a little earlier one of the days you ride so that you are not staying up late to study.

Also, look for ways that you can use your time at the barn to benefit your schoolwork. Take advantage of the knowledge you acquire at the barn to shine in the classroom. If your teacher assigns a project, brainstorm how you can combine schoolwork with working with horses. The possibilities are endless!

Lastly, don’t forget to just have fun! It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the burden of school and riding, but don’t let riding just become part of the daily monotony. When you are riding, enjoy it, and worry about schoolwork when you get home.

As a high school student and dressage rider, I can attest to the fact that it is hard to stay balanced, but I follow all of these steps to make sure that I get my work done and still compete on the weekends. It is so helpful to be organized and prepared during the week, especially right before a show, because everything just falls into place. Enjoy the ride!