What is your day job and how often are you at the barn? Commercial Livestock/Equine Marketing Manager for an ag-inputs cooperative that spans the East Coast and parts of the MidWest. I travel every week. I am at the barn most Mondays and sometimes on Fridays. If it's a show week, I either go home and ship my horse to the show - or meet my horse at the show with my husband's horses. How do you plan your horse's training and show schedule around your work schedule? How often do you show? With my work schedule, I do best with a good seasoned horse who just needs a few flat rides a week to stay in shape - and who doesn't require much preparation at shows. Because I am gone so much, I'm unable to have a horse that is young or requires a lot of work to stay tuned up. I show about 1-2 times a month. I take a break in the summer. And if all has gone well during the year, I show a bit more in the fall at the year-end indoor shows. What do you find you struggle with most as an adult amateur? And how do you overcome that? The cost of showing. Even though I'm married to a professional (get to keep horses at home and no training bill LOL!), I still judge and braid on the weekends I'm not showing to offset the costs of showing/owning a horse. To play this sport correctly without taking shortcuts at this level requires a significant financial commitment. What's been the best advice you've received and what advice would you give other adult amateurs? Best advice I've received - Horsemanship and sportsmanship are more important than blue ribbons any day of the week. Advice I'd give others - This sport is too expensive to not be having fun. If you don't enjoy your current showing/riding situation - change trainers, get a new horse, find a new circuit to show on, scale back how often you show, etc. Do not keep throwing away money every week to be miserable or continue to be no where near achieving your goals. Even if you have to take a financial loss on a horse - if it'll improve your mental health - do it. Remember - as an amateur - THIS IS THE HOBBY YOU'VE CHOSEN! What does being #AdultAmmyStrong mean to you? At the end of the stressful work week - I get to detox the best and quickest way I know how - on the back of a horse I love and who takes the very best care of me!! And often times...with my favorite people in the world :) Connect with Jessi Instagram: @jessilohman
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