Category Archives: For the Rider

How to Balance a Career and Riding as an Adult Amateur

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A woman with long, curly red hair is smiling at the camera. In front of her is an open silver apple laptop. She is wearing a tan straw hat and a black and white top with buttons down the front.

Before we begin, let’s be honest, balance is challenging, in fact it could be a myth. It is very hard to achieve true balance and chasing it can become very frustrating. Instead of trying to juggle everything perfectly, the key to success is learning how to prioritize, pivot, and commit to what matters most to you in your life.

A woman is leading a horse and walking outside. The picture is black and white. The woman is wearing a straw hat, sunglasses and riding clothes.

As a competitive amateur, equestrian business consultant and a chronic over-committer, I’ve lived the early mornings, the late nights, the long days at the barn sandwiched between meetings. And through it all, I’ve learned an undeniable truth: balance could very well be, a myth.

If you’re reading this, you probably love horses. You love them even more than vacations, sleeping in, or a traditional 9-to-5 routine. You’re also working incredibly hard to afford this lifestyle—because let’s be real, our four-legged best friends have a knack for draining bank accounts.

So instead of chasing an impossible work-life balance, let’s talk about what actually can help make it all work. Here’s how I’ve learned to prioritize my career and my riding—without burning out.

1. Know Your Values (And Use Them to Make Decisions)

Understanding what is important to you means you can make better decisions about how to spend your time. As someone who is always running out of time, I have spent years refining my framework for what’s important, what needs to get done now, and what can wait. Prioritization is everything.

If riding is a core part of your identity, then try to not treat it like an afterthought. Put it on the same priority level as your career and other major commitments. That might mean saying no to things that don’t serve you.

2. Instead of Trying to Find Balance—Start Prioritizing

Work-life balance is challenging. However, you can develop a clear set of priorities that shift when necessary and work in your favor.

Some weeks, your career takes the lead. Other weeks, your horse may take priority. That’s normal. The key is to be intentional about what gets your full focus at any given time.

Think about it like running a company—you don’t try to work on every department at once. Instead, you focus on the most pressing priorities and trust that other areas will get attention when needed.

3. Make a Budget (Yes, Even for Your Riding Life)

This is probably one of the least fun parts of being an adult, but having a budget gives you guardrails around what makes sense for you, your horse, your schedule, and your wallet.

It’s SO tempting to want the latest gear or to squeeze in another show. But if you make mistakes here, it can be a hard hole to climb out of.

Pro tip: Treat your career like your biggest sponsor. Set financial goals that tie directly to your riding lifestyle. Bonuses? That’s horse show money. Extra work or hours? That’s a clinic with a top trainer. Thinking like this shifts your mindset from scarcity to strategy.

4. Turn Your Horse into Your Business Mentor

A woman is pressing her chin and lips to the nose of a horse in an affectionate gesture. The picture is in black and white.

Your horse is actually one of the best leadership coaches you’ve ever had.

  • Horses demand clear communication. If your riding is inconsistent, they get confused—just like a team at work with no direction.
  • They respond to energy. If you show up stressed, rushed, and distracted, they mirror that. Same goes for how you show up at work.
  • When in doubt, ask for less, reward more. Works for employees. Works for horses. So why not make this work for your life as well?

5. Build a Support System—At Work & At the Barn

You can’t do this alone—so don’t try. Surround yourself with people who support your goals and make your life easier.

  • At work: Be clear about your commitments. Sometimes, being an equestrian actually helps your career—riding shows discipline, focus, and resilience.
  • At the barn: Find a trainer and barn friends who get your schedule and support you in the process.
  • In your personal life: Set boundaries with people who don’t respect your riding time. You deserve time to follow your passions—you should feel confident doing so!

6. Mistakes are Feedback

Progress isn’t linear, and setbacks are part of the game—both in riding and in business. Instead of fearing setbacks, use them as opportunities to learn from and grow.

  • If something doesn’t work, ask yourself: What can I learn from this?
  • Every challenge is a chance to refine your approach. Adjust, pivot, and keep going—just keep riding.
  • The most successful people—riders and professionals alike—aren’t the ones who never fall. They’re the ones who always get back on.

Final Thought: You Can Do Both.

The secret to balancing career and riding? It’s OK to want both.

Some people will judge you for prioritizing your horses. Others will question your career ambitions. Don’t let that noise bring you down! While they’re talking, you’ll be out riding.

The reality is as we all know, this lifestyle takes work. It takes planning, commitment, and a lot of self-awareness. But if you structure your life with intention, you can have the career, the riding goals, and the life you love.

Now Get to the Barn and Enjoy Your Horse – Happy Riding!

A woman with long, curly red hair is seated on a large green hay bale inside of a horse barn. The woman is smiling at the camera and is wearing a black and white riding shirt, dark breeches and black tall boots. Resting in her lap is a closed silver laptop.

The Art of Personalization for the Equestrian

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A brown horse facing left is shown standing in a grassy field. It is wearing a blue blanket with the word "Nesto" embroidered in white on the belly.

For a sport so thoroughly steeped in its traditions, heritage and culture, a monogram (or another form of personalization) is the perfect embellishment for any equestrian. From a subtle touch with initials on a show shirt cuff to a boldly displayed logo on a tack trunk or your barn name on a gear bag, a beautifully produced personalization makes an elegant statement, exhibits ownership and enhances refinement. Monograms can range from a single initial, a traditional three-letter design, a custom logo or barn name, horse’s name or rider’s name.

“It’s special to be part of this sport, to be part of a barn family, to be among riders who take pride in showcasing their horse’s breed, name, or their own initials on a long-standing and beloved piece of riding apparel or equipment.  I especially love adding a monogram to a gift! The wide variety of thread colors and font styles really allow you to create a personalized finish to any product. The perfect present for a special show season or even schooling at home. I think a personalized accent represents a piece of a rider’s journey. It’s a true gift and something special to have or share.”

—Whitney Keeley, Dover Saddlery, Creative Director & Rider
 

Riders choose personalizations with a distinct sense of pride—pride of ownership identifying gear and tack, pride of place identifying barn, show stable or farm and, in some cases, pride of breed, identifying their horse’s type. Personalization serves a functional purpose: to identify the owner and, more importantly, to allow the owner to show their distinctive style.

A brown garment bag with light blue accent trim is hanging on the front of a wooden stall door. There is a matching accessory bag attached to the garment bag. Both are embroidered with a diamond with the initials "DEF" inside in light blue.

Riders are especially lucky to have so many unique opportunities to add personalization! Embroidered monograms from elegant to whimsical can be created to display on horse and rider clothing. Customized logos are a spirited way to highlight your barn or stable and inspire team camaraderie. Stylish stable décor incorporating director’s chairs, tack trunks and stall drapes with coordinated logos/monograms makes an eye-catching and striking display in a home or at shows. Here are a few distinguishing ways to add your singular style to your equestrian kit with monograms.

  • Embroider an initial or name on all their gear bags (boot bags, helmet bags, garment bags) as a smart detail and for ease of identification. Choose your embroidery color to match your logo, complement your horse’s color or assert your personal style.
A smiling woman with brown hair is shown wearing a blue jacket with a red and white barn logo embroidered on the left chest panel.

Professional stable and trainers may have jackets, quarter-zips, shirts and other items embroidered to promote their organization and to ensure that their representing riders present a polished uniform look, both at home and on the road

“My trainer and all her students have jackets with her logo on the center back. We all love wearing her branding at a show or clinic to support her business. It’s also fun to wear them even at the home barn—it’s a cool feeling to be part of a team.”  
—Liz Russell, Dover Saddlery, Senior Writer & Rider

  • Add your horse’s name to its dress sheets and coolers. It delivers a sophisticated impression around the show grounds or during transport and ensures that your horse’s items are completely unique. Breed logos are another way to make a bold statement
  • Monogram saddle pads, polo wraps and stable bandages to further enhance your distinguished style and clearly identify your tack.

Another truly striking personalization addition is to include engraved nameplates on your horse’s tack, or stall. Our gleaming brass or German silver plates lend a polished note beautifully engraved in your choice of classic lettering. Or choose a smart leather bracelet to accessorize your look with your name, the name of your horse or barn. With so many personalization options to choose from and so many ways to mix and match those options, you can create your own look and elevate your presence at any event, show, competition or just at home in the barn. Discover how today!

A wood and brass stall plate with a chain is shown hanging on a metal and wood stall door. The stall plate is engraved with the name "MICROCHIP".
Two leather bracelets, one with a brass plate and one with a German silver plate are shown against a white background. Both bracelets are engraved with the words "Stablemate Bracelet".

To learn more about Personalization, click here.

Shop all personalizable products here.

Have you ordered a customized product for you or your horse? Share your photos with us on Instagram and Facebook by tagging @doversaddlery!