The Secret Life of McKenna: Working student withdrawal

After a summer as a working student for event rider Emily Beshear, junior blogger McKenna Oxenden tries to settle back into her life at home.

From McKenna:

I’ve officially been home from my slave labor job (oops, I mean working student) for three weeks now—and not a day passes where I don’t miss it.

The boss lady herself, Mrs. Emily Beshear, and stud muffin Quincifer

One would think it’s backwards. Shouldn’t I have been wanting to leave? Who likes getting up at 6 a.m., working 7 until God-knows-when doing odd jobs and riding three to five horses a day, pretty much seven days a week? Apparently me.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: This summer was amazing. While I can’t lie, there were some days I hated working, where I just wanted to hit the snooze button, or roll my eyes, or even just go “Really? You want me to do what?” or “Oh my God, can I do ANYTHING right?!?!” But I didn’t. I was never late for work once, I picked up on how things were done, and I (rarely) got yelled at. Corrected? Yes. But isn’t that what leaning is about–making mistakes and then fixing it for the next time?

A working student position teaches you more than just how to put polos on, or what to do when a horse’s leg looks swollen, or riding green horses. It teaches you responsibility and independence. You don’t have a parent there to make you dinner, to cry on, or to wake you up when you’re late. You make yourself dinner, and you deal with getting up in the morning. It teaches you to grow some thick skin. Just because you get shown how to cool off a horse doesn’t mean you were incapable of it; everyone has their idiosyncrasies and you just have to get used to it.

See, us working students ate well!! …well, when we felt like cooking!!

Although I will tell you, you won’t get used to casually chatting or texting with a 4* rider!

You grow and become a family together. You cry when you’re frustrated, you share the happy moments together, you live, you learn, and you love–together. Together, you learn you can save the world, but all too quickly you can watch it fall it apart. Together, you band together to make the impossible possible, and make the world keep going round. From saving ponies, to making each other dinner after a long day, or being that vent, or the boy problem solver, or someone to say, “Hey, at least my day sucked more than yours.” You were there for each other. And something I’m glad to say is, I know these people, my roommates, my people, will always be there for me no matter what, no matter time, no matter when.

My forever girls (plus another one not pictured!)

I guess sometimes you don’t realize how good you have it, until it’s finally gone. You wish for something so hard, and then it flies by. And poof, it’s gone. All the hard work, and long hours, now finally done…. so what’s next?

School. It’s got to be a huge focus for me. It’s time to show everyone, and myself, that I can push myself academically and achieve. I’m of course excited for my photography class with my all-time favorite teacher, but I am also really excited about my advanced composition class with an also equally awesome teacher. And of course, working on my show jumping is a number one priority along with getting Dorito sold.

On a side note, best of luck to the boss lady (Emily will forever be “the boss lady”) herself–it’s FINALLY Blenheim weekend!!! Her and Quincy I’m sure will rock it, but we can only cross our fingers and send the good ju-ju over!

Strap on in Horse Nation–just when you thought this roller coaster was evening out, it’s about to get even more wild and crazy with lots of twists and turns!

My forever home