Dear 22 Year Old Barn Rat,
5 Things About Adulting, “Real Jobs”, and Horse Life from Your Aunt Jenny
Dear 22-Year-Old Barn Rat,
You spent years learning to ride without stirrups, doing the hard, unglamorous work that built your strength, your discipline, and your confidence, and you discovered that horses were and are your sanctuary. Then you graduated, got a job, and suddenly felt like a beginner again. Nobody warned you about that part.
This is the letter I wish someone had handed me when I left the horses and the show life to pursue a “real” career. It's for anyone who grew up in the horse world and is figuring out their next chapter, whether you're 22 right now or 22 feels like yesterday, still riding, or just dreaming about getting back. If you've ever tried to make sense of adulting with a horse-sized hole in your heart and a student loan statement on your kitchen table, you're in the right place.
You handled a 17-hand warmblood at 16 years old. You were stepped on. Bitten. Dumped. Runaway with.
I’m here to tell you: You've got this! Let's go.