New Years 2020 e-news: A HorseWorks participant tells about her decision to go to Uni after HorseWorks and how her experience helped her get in.

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE:

Tallulah tells about her decision to go to Uni after HorseWorks and how her experience helped her get in.

I came to Horseworks from the UK after finishing my A levels. I had always wanted to learn how to do western riding but there wasn’t anywhere near me that did western lessons so I went to Horseworks. It was my first time travelling alone as I’m 17! 

During my last week on the ranch, when it was too rainy to ride outdoors. I helped work with four horses. This helped me a lot as I learnt lots of tips and exercises to do with the horse that I’ve recently started to back, an eight-year old mare with a few problems that had never been ridden.  This was the first horse I’ve ever started and each time I encounter a problem I message MaeCile and she gives me advice on what to do with her next. We’re getting on really well and have gone from nothing to me being able to sit on her and long rein her with the bridle and saddle.

What we did with the four horses at HorseWorks was really helpful. I saw what to do step by step when starting a new horse. I got to practice doing everything as well so I knew what to do when I got home. Although I was the youngest, I was the first person to lie over and sit on Maddie and by the end of the week, I was riding them around the barn with just a halter and rope. I helped Missy get over her fear of people getting off too. I got to ride Phoenix, a lovely 4-year-old, twice as well. He helped me realize how different it is riding a horse that is still learning the basics to riding a horse that has been ridden for years. I now know that you have to be very consistent with your cues and not let them learn bad habits. This will help me in the future with my horse.

Seeing lots of different ways to do the same thing helped so when one thing doesn’t work with my mare, I can just try different ways until we find one that works with her. It’s helped me to think outside the box and find lots of different ways to solve a problem. I also really enjoyed learning different training and massage techniques that Laura taught us! This helped me decide what to do at uni.

So when I got home I had five days to apply to university. Before going to Horseworks, I had no idea what I wanted to do and didn’t think that I would even go to uni. But I looked at unis on the internet and wrote my personal statement. I got sent a conditional offer from Hartpury University (one of the top equine unis in England) three days after applying. I wrote about Horseworks in my personal statement and what I learnt when I was there and how I was using that knowledge to train my own horse, I think that helped with their decision a lot!

So now I’m still working with my mare and hoping to get her ridden properly next year and I’m going to redo two A levels to get better grades so I can go to my dream university to study equine science and therapy.  HorseWorks, thank you for helping me make my mind up!