Working Student Program

I have been a working student at All Round Equine for the past five months, & it has been an incredibly meaningful experience for me. I have always had a deep love & admiration for horses & horsemanship, but have not always had the opportunity or means to fully pursue that passion. The All Round Working Student Program provided the perfect opportunity for me to become immersed in the equine world while learning from knowledgeable, dedicated horse people.

​

Through this program I have gained hands-on experience & learned an immense amount about horses, & horsemanship. I have also learned what a life centered around horses can teach you about responsibility, patience, & the joy horses can bring to your life. The Working Student position has given me a clearer understanding of what it truly means to care for horses & to be committed to their well-being.

​

One of the greatest perks of the program has been the people. Being part of an animal-loving community & building relationships with the hardworking people at All Round has been both a privilege & a joy. Their knowledge & shared passion have made this experience even more rewarding. I am extremely grateful to be part of the team & for the opportunity to spend so much time learning from the wonderful horses & people at All Round.

I have been in the working student program for about 3 months now. I chose to reach out about participating in the program because after a couple of good falls and then going off to college and taking time off, I’d lost most of my confidence and I needed a refresher and exposure to some things I had never got to do before.

​

From the first day, we will get the work done that needs to get done and then either Holly or her assistant will lead the student workers through what we are going to learn with the horses that day, whether that be obstacle course work or round pen work, learning about pressure and connection between the horse and person. Most days Holly comes up to us asking us what WE need that day with the horses to grow or to feel some happiness.

Holly will teach you things that push and challenge what you thought you knew about horses and there are things that will blow your mind. In this short time that I have been here I have learned and seen things I will never forget. I feel very fortunate to have the relationship I have with a trainer and a training center that I do- it is something that you will have to just come experience for yourself to see.

​

One of the biggest perks of the program is that it brings together a group of individuals with similar mindsets and goals while allowing each student to work within their individual strengths and weaknesses. My goals as a horse person are to be safe and confident around familiar and new horses. I want to be able to confidently ride with the skills that I need both within myself and as an equestrian when things go perfectly, and even when they don’t. Holly makes herself aware of everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and works with them while pushing her students, checking in every step to make sure they're not lost or left behind. I have already grown and learned in this short time and I can’t wait to keep going!

​I was in the working student program for over 6 months, and loved every second of it. I was a riding student of Holly’s for close to a year before committing to the working student program. Growing up, my grandparents had a horse, and I was able to do pony rides a couple of times a year and lessons when my parents could afford it. Most of my riding experience was bits of information here and there. I used to say I could stay on and turn, but that was the extent of it. I did not have much experience with groundwork or the day-to-day care of horses.

I jumped at the chance of more horse experience and the discounted lessons. Being in this program, I learned so much beyond horse training, including day-to-day care, pasture management, first aid, stall care for different situations, and even obstacle course maintenance.  I was able to develop my skills and work my way up to Holly's assistant trainer, and now I get to help build others' skills too.

Everyday, everyone jumps into helping with the daily chores, once they are done, you might be grooming and tacking up horses, warming up horses with ground work, building new themed obstacle challenges, learning how to clean a variety of tack, and more. I loved that every day was different and I was constantly learning new things. Holly is a great teacher and will walk you through many different skills, from liberty work and in-depth ground skills to working with untouched mustangs. I am always working to improve as an equestrian and build my skill base and knowledge to work and ride any horse I come into contact with. This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to get their foot in the door of the horse world or to learn about all aspects of horsemanship. From discounted lessons to auditing clinics and so many opportunities for learning outside of normal riding, it can be hard work, but so worth it, especially with a great team that makes it fun!