SCAD rider completes internship at Beaver River Farm
As the end of the school year approaches and the class of 2016 prepares to don their caps and gowns, underclassmen are reminded that their turn to enter the professional world is approaching soon. SCAD has always sought to provide internship and professional opportunities for students in all majors. Mariel Cooper, an equestrian studies major, shared her recent internship experience to provide insight into the equine job market.
Mariel took winter quarter 2016 off, temporarily leaving her studies and position as the co-captain of the equestrian team to work at Beaver River Farm in Wellington, Florida, with Ron Danta and Danny Robertshaw.
Danta and Robertshaw are well-known hunter trainers who also serve as judges and committee members for the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) and the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF). Mariel’s trainer, Lauren Flexon Marcinkoski of Swamp Fox Farms, rode with Ron and Danny as a part of her own riding education and helped Mariel make the connection. After a personal recommendation from Lauren and a brief interview, Danta and Robertshaw welcomed Mariel to their team as a working student.
Mariel detailed her daily routine, saying, “My duties weren’t those of a usual working student position, meaning that there was little to no grooming involved. Ron and Danny’s grooms have been with them for a very long time and I would be likely to get in the way of their fluid routines. Instead, I rode between 5-8 horses daily, cleaned all tack, ran errands for the barn and took care of other odds and ends jobs that needed doing.”
Mariel and her horse, Abe
Mariel said she’d hoped this position would give her insight into the equine industry on a larger
scale than her previous experiences. “Not only was I immersed in the crazy environment that is Wellington, but I also had a chance to learn from R & D’s clients,” she said. “A couple of them have ridden for or with R & D for more than fifteen years and the advice they had for my riding and future plans was priceless.”
In addition to critique on her riding, Mariel also got advice on managing an equine business. She said, “The care of the horses and honesty with the clients are what leads to happy clientele. If the clients feel their horses will be under better care elsewhere, that’s a problem. And if there was ever an issue with a horse that went unmentioned to the owner, the client would lose faith in the program as well.”
Mariel wasn’t expecting a business education to come from a riding position, but she certainly found it. “Ron and Danny have a well established business with great foundations and it shows in the happiness of their staff and clients,” she said. “It was one of those things I didn’t know I still had so much to learn about.”
When asked how this internship related to her career goals, Mariel said, “This job actually set me up to be a working student this summer at more jumper and equitation barns, which is what I am most interested in right now. As for long term goals, the industry is full of connections and I feel like this internship allowed me to begin networking with some great horsemen that will really further my education when I get into the real world (post-grad).”
Working student positions are popular choices for young riders looking to get a taste of the equine work world, but it’s not easy to secure a riding position with a top stable. Mariel had these words for students looking to follow a similar path: “I would say if you have ambition, it’ll take you far. Even if you “start from the bottom” there are always opportunities to take and people in the industry will help you along if you have the initial drive.”
Mariel added, “Before I came to SCAD, I never thought I would have opportunities like the internship I just completed. It shows me that no matter what level you come from, hard work and diligence pays off.”
