By Olivia Ferro
Homework: most likely to be voted “Inconveniently Horrible” by many young riders; especially on trips across the country where you could be missing weeks, even months of school. Homework must be squeezed into our busy lifestyle as riders, but it must be taken care of.
Doing schoolwork from far away when your only connection to teachers is by email or even video chat is extremely difficult. Homework must be done even though you would much rather be out riding in the sun. There are many ways to handle being in a situation like being at WEF or Ocala for long periods of time in the winter.
Things as simple as finding the right place to work on it. Finding a quiet, open space is very helpful. Try not to be in a main room where people will be walking by often. Also, if you like a certain space, try to consistently use it; changing spaces could be distracting. I’ve heard my teachers say “find the right space,” and I think they are right; it really can change everything about your studies.
Riding is very hard work too, and you should never forget to focus on that too. Balancing work and riding is very important. Doing homework for a certain amount of time and then going to ride can be very helpful towards less stress. Never dedicate full days to one or the other, that can lead to stress and your work could become messy.
Setting a time to do homework is important too. Doing homework in the morning before riding can be helpful because you are not as tired as you might be after a long day of riding. On the flipside, it may cause you to rush through it, which is why doing some after riding is good too. Choose the way that works best for you and once again, try not to change your schedule too drastically.
Try not to study at the horse show too often. It can be very distracting to be in a public place around so many people and horses. Working at the show can cause you to easily put your books down and watch the grand prix or another class. Also, if you’re at the horse show, there is probably something you should be doing to help your trainers and barn friends. The horse world is much too busy to be attempting to finish your homework.
Taking breaks is just as important as working. Of course you should not have more break time than work time per day, but taking breaks can help clear your mind and relieve stress. Finishing one or two subjects and then taking a short break to go outside or read a book can help you prepare for the next subject. Even though it seems like that would only make things harder, it helps to clear your mind from the subject before.
Working hard during your trips across the country is important to keep grades up and heels down, but never forget to spend some time with friends when you can.
