Gillian Warner is bringing us along for the ride as she strikes out on her own to launch her business as a professional. You can catch up on the preceding columns from this series here.

Setting realistic expectations for what can be accomplished and organizing my day to fight against my “energizer bunny” mode has provided me with the opportunity to be present.

As anyone with horse experience knows, there’s always more to be done.

Whether that’s progression in your training, fields that need to be mowed, tack that needs to be cleaned, or office work to complete, life on a farm never stops moving.

Despite fully recognizing that I’ll never completely “finish” the work, I still have a hard time accepting that. I have what has been nicknamed my “energizer bunny” mode – when I start to feel overwhelmed by tasks, I go into overdrive. The plus side of this is that I get a lot done. But it’s neither realistic nor sustainable.

“At my age, it takes a little longer than it used to for me to get back up the hill. But when you aren’t in a hurry about things, you’re liable to notice more, so I don’t mind.” ~ Bill Dorrance

Learning a lesson from the wise words of Bill Dorrance in the quote above, I’ve been challenging myself to maintain my efficiency while relaxing into the work as well.

I want to be fully present, instead of flitting about from one task to the next. I love spending time with horses (otherwise I wouldn’t have my job), but in the daily routine, and under the ever-growing list of tasks, I sometimes feel that focus gets lost. When I’m in overdrive, I miss out on the subtle interactions between horse and rider, observations that could be made, and the feeling of joy that’s so commonly associated with being around horses.

Managing and caring for a farm and so many animals means the work never stops. But giving yourself time to notice the little details and enjoy the work is critical to sustainability.

I still have so much growing left to do in this area. But I’ve already identified steps to make progress.

To begin with, for me, it’s all about setting and maintaining realistic expectations for my day. Yes, I try to fit a lot in – I want to fill any free time with another lesson, another ride, or tackle another project. However, fighting the urge to overwhelm myself with tasks by setting boundaries and expectations gives me the time to be present in the task in front of me. Also surrounding myself with a team I trust and enjoy working with has allowed me to delegate some projects and responsibility to spread the wealth of work!

Additionally, lists are critical to my attention and focus. While I’m going about my day, random new tasks pop up needing attention. If it’s time sensitive, of course I prioritize getting it done. Otherwise, I have multiple white boards for different tasks (to do today, this week, and miscellaneous projects to work on when I get “bored”). Writing new tasks on my lists takes it off of my mental to-do list while ensuring it will be remembered for later. Once it’s on the board, I can mentally move beyond it and dive into the task at present.

I enjoy being busy. I enjoy diving into projects. And I enjoy having time to spend with my horses. Finding opportunities to prevent my “energizer bunny” mode from creating a whirlwind of movement and mental overdrive has allowed me to be present in the moment, notice more details, and find joy in the endless work.

Gillian Warner is bringing us along for the ride as she strikes out on her own to launch her business as a professional. You can catch up on the preceding columns from this series here.

Surrounding yourself with a network that pushes you to develop as a horse(wo)man ensures progress to being the best version of yourself possible.

Over my junior, young rider, and now my professional career, I have been so lucky to have countless coaches, trainers, mentors, and friends who support me, encourage my crazy ideas, challenge new ideas, push me to grow, and allow me to take risks. I’m surrounded by compassionate, driven, and hard working horsemen and women who inspire me in my own path.

Identifying role models in my life has been an important step for me, especially as I work to establish myself as a professional. Finding other horsemen and women that share similar values as I do has been instrumental in developing my training approach, philosophy, and outlook on my personal and professional careers.

Who qualifies as a role model for me is so broad. I find inspiration in the excitement my new beginner students bring to their lessons. I admire horsemen like Mark Rashid and Buck Brannaman for their consistent and thoughtful approach to horsemanship. As I mentioned in a previous article, Luke Gingerich’s open-mindedness spurs my own creativity to think outside of the box. Female business owners and entrepreneurs provide guidance and strength when I’m feeling uncertain of my next steps. My trainers, such as Ange Bean and Doug and Jess Payne, approach training in a way that prioritizes the horses’ welfare, bringing biomechanics and science into work that values feel and connection as well.

I have role models outside of the equine industry as well, found in my college professors’ critical thinking, my friends’ adventurous spirits, my parents’ and grandparents’ commitment, love, and hard work, and my sisters’ light and passion for everything she does.

My family is filled with role models that encourage me in my life-long learning process.

Pulling from the philosophies, approaches, and spirit of such a diverse group has allowed me to approach any situation as a student with curiosity that drives genuine questions, collaboration, and experimentation that might feel like a bold leap of faith, but instead leads to new opportunities and solutions.

By keeping this open-minded, creative, life-long-learner spirit in my work has encouraged me to continue connecting with new role models. Reaching out to strangers who are working hard, trying something new, passionate about what they do, and who share values has allowed me to connect with an ever expanding network that continues to push me to grow and change every day.

I’ve walked up to people registering voters on the street to thank them for their work and learn more about what motivates them. I’ve reached out to individuals on Instagram that have introduced me to something new, or have spurred my thinking. I’ve connected with trainers that share mutual friends about their work, and how we could support one another.

Inspiration can originate anywhere, and developing your network with role models that share your values, challenge your approach, stimulate your thinking, and support your growth can lead to opportunities, thoughts, and ideas you never could have previously imagined.

Who can you connect with today?

Gillian Warner is bringing us along for the ride as she strikes out on her own to launch her business as a professional. You can catch up on the preceding columns from this series here.

Working with students and clients towards their goals for themselves and their horses is a passion of mine. But setting boundaries has proven to be important in preserving that passion.

I’m settling into bed and my phone lights up. I glance over, reading the white numbers on the screen signaling that it’s 11:36 p.m. I should have gone to bed hours ago, but needed to wrap up some paperwork.

The text on the screen is from a client of mine, asking for another lesson slot the following day.

My internal argument between being accessible and finding time to rest springs to the surface. I want to be approachable as a young professional, and I care about my clients and their goals — I want to help by providing that lesson. However, I’m tired after a long day, it’s well outside of normal business hours, and I don’t have time in my schedule the following day.

Do I respond?

When I first kicked off my business, messages such as these were quite commonplace. And I responded promptly. I struggled to set boundaries from the get go to protect my own time, rest, and goals. I was eager to please and forgot about the need for balance.

Once I found a steady client base and schedule, I had more confidence and ability to be clear and straightforward regarding those boundaries. I’m lucky to have understanding and kind clients, who of course recognized what I was saying immediately. While I was so nervous about asking for space, setting boundaries on hours I’d respond and what I could give actually allowed me to give more to my clients in the time I had with them, instead of feeling strung out and disorganized in my interactions.

I also realized the power of saying “no”. Of course, I want to do all I can to help my riders and their horses. It’s what I strive for every day, to help each of them be and feel the best they can be. However, I’ve filled up my lesson slots, and am working off of a waitlist. When riders asked for more than I could give, I felt guilty (and honestly, I still do!) But finding the strength to say “I can’t right now” protects me from stretching myself too thin, which again can only result in disorganized interactions and an exceptionally tired self.

Whereas I used to respond to those late night and crazy early text messages, I now wait until normal business hours — hours that I’ve set and explained to my clients. They all know I’m accessible any time in case of emergency, but otherwise will hear from me as soon as I can. Setting and holding these boundaries by being clear, consistent, and confident in what I also need has helped me to be a better trainer, coach, and manager.

Gillian Warner is bringing us along for the ride as she strikes out on her own to launch her business as a professional. You can catch up on the first part of this series here.

Growing up as a competitive equestrian, I always thought becoming a professional would mean a strong emphasis on competing. I’ve come to realize it can be incredibly broad.

There are many capacities in which someone could become a professional equestrian. I’ve always imagined working with horses full time as a model that’s heavily focused on competition — finding owners, bringing horses along, and competing at international-level competitions.

While, of course, that is one path to take, and a path that does involve goals of mine, when trying to determine whether or not I wanted a professional career with horses, I realized that the path I wanted to take didn’t completely resemble what I had always envisioned.

For many years in high school and college, when I was contemplating a switch to professional status, I was always hesitant to do so, since I wasn’t sure I wanted to follow the competition-oriented model I’ve seen outlined so many times before. I enjoy competing, and setting goals for myself and my horses to reach, but it isn’t what I love most about working with horses — it doesn’t fire me up in the same way watching a young horse problem-solve does, or helping a student clear their first fence.

When considering why I wanted to pursue an equine career, I came to recognize my passions within the industry: I love to teach, engage with the community surrounding all things horses, and work with young horses, or horses and riders struggling to communicate clearly. After finding positions that allowed me to prioritize these passions, I knew I wanted to pursue building a career centered on them.

Creating my tagline “Building Partnerships” serves as a daily reminder of my model and focus.

There’s nothing like starting a horse that goes to a home that loves him more than you ever thought possible. Or encouraging a new rider to try their first canter, resulting in a smile that seems to stretch on for miles. The flutter of excitement when a previously hard-to-catch horse canters up to you in the field, or an older horse finding a new sense of curiosity in positive reinforcement and target training keeps me motivated day in and day out.

These moments clarified that my reason for doing this work is to build partnerships between horses and riders. I want to introduce riders to the sport, give horses a kind, compassionate, and consistent foundation, and clarify the communication we can have with our equine partners.

Being honest enough to recognize what I love, even if it’s not what I envisioned, allowed me to create a better model for me: One that allowed me to focus on teaching and training in efforts in line with my passions and goals. Focusing my time and energy on opportunities consistent with my why helps re-energize me, even during a long day.

The point of all of this being, there are many capacities in which riders could find a career with horses. Tailoring your work to match your needs is possible. Do you want to work with horses full-time, or find a way to balance an equine career with your other professional passions? Do you want to primarily compete, or do you not want to compete at all? Do you like to manage and organize teams? Maybe finding a role as a barn manager could be right for you. There are a host of opportunities that fall well within these spectrums.

Finding opportunities to work to build partnerships between horses and riders and invite the community into the equine industry are two components of the work I’ve established that bring meaning to what I do every day.

If you’re considering kick starting a career with horses, or you’re interested in finding a new balance in your own riding, spend some time thinking about your why. Consider your passions, and also think about the needs around you. What does your community need or want? Are there opportunities to introduce students to riding? Or is your community lacking upper-level opportunities? What are some skills that you have to fill those needs? Of course, you can think of those skills as directly relating to horses, but they could also include networking or organizing if you see clinic or show opportunities as lacking.

Working with horses is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Considering the numerous capacities you could fulfill will open opportunities not regularly recognized, and even help develop your community while supporting you in finding work that you find to be meaningful and energizing. Once I took the pressure off of myself to be the professional I thought I “should” be, I was allowed to step into a role that gives back to both myself and the people and horses around me. Don’t be afraid to explore creative approaches to how you engage with the equine industry!