Working in USA

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Has anyone on here worked in USA for a gap year. Riding out etc

Dd is considering this and I was just wondering if anyone has experience to share?

Not a full year - but my DD did a couple of summers at a ranch under Camp America over a decade ago now (time flies!) - one year doing mainly groom and ranch hand work and one year more working directly with the children as camp counsellor type thing. Overall it was a good fun experience (clearly she thought it was worthwhile or she wouldn't have gone back for a second go) but it really was very hard work, particularly the ranch hand year - she thought she was well prepared for what it would be like having had her own pony and many years helping out at a riding school at weekends and in the holidays under her belt but the full time reality of a horsey job 5/6 days a week, in very hot weather did take her aback a bit - lots of early starts and long hours and more heavy work than she'd been led to expect. And especially the first year she struggled a bit socially, she was the only Brit there and the others especially the local staff (as opposed to the other camp America kids who were mostly in counsellor/teacher roles rather than ranch hand/more manual jobs which alienated her a bit) had very different expectations around friendships - nothing bad at all but they were mostly quite quiet/shy, family oriented, sometimes religious kids who were not up for lots of socialising or only for quite tame activities like sports, whereas I think she had a (movie influenced!) vision of every night campfire drinking sessions with lots of hot cowboys - she was sadly disappointed in that I'm afraid. But she's a cheerful girl and got on with it and she absolutely loved the horses, doing loads of trail rides, learning western style riding etc... she did have a better time the second year when she knew a bit more what to expect and was in a less manual job although that second summer 100% established a job involving children was not for her either which is a good life lesson!

The other thing I'd say is that she made almost no money whatsoever out of it despite working really hard. Obviously there were costs to be covered in terms of her flights, travel, visas, plus accommodation and food etc while out there which was incorporated into the whole camp america package, plus she got loads of additional free riding (which I'm sure would have cost a lot had she been a customer rather than staff member) - but what she earned as a salary pretty much just covered her costs with enough left over to then travel around America a bit with a friend at the end of the season, she came back to the UK with very little left in her pocket afterwards. Whereas if she'd worked the same hours in a 'normal' summer job as I kind of encouraged her to I think it would have paid for a few weeks holidays and still had a little nest egg to take back to uni with her afterwards. But hey ho, she had an amazing and memorable experience which I guess is more important at that age...

Lol I hope there's no campfires with cowboys.

Dd is 19 looking at going out on a J1 visa to a racing yard. She has worked here at a racing yard for a few summers.

I would be more content if she was going on a more organised scheme like camp America.

I’ve just seen your update, as was going to recommend instead of camp America doing a yearling season abroad (thoroughbreds), if she’s competent at handling young horses. I did when i was in my very early twenties and had an amazing time. Loads of people did America —> Ireland —> NZ, and it’s very good pay.

She is keen to go on her own. Wouldn't be keen on Camp America.

She is competent with young horses, breakers, grooming etc

My main worries are the Wildlife how many snakes/ spiders etc would you actually come in contact with? This is my worry not hers!

Also could you get away with giving it a couple of months on a visitor visa and then come home and apply for J1 Visa if she likes it?

I did camp America. The horses were brought to camp after being turned out all year.
Us 21 year olds had to sort out all the tack for about 30 horses and basically break them in again.
Riders were flying off like ticks 🤣
But you know, it was exhausting but amazing fun! Loved the camaraderie and we were all so young, fit and ready for adventure! I'd tell my kids to go for it.

If you go on the careers in racing board there are loads of jobs overseas :)

Has anyone who worked in USA had any issues with snakes or dangerous spiders? I assume the snakes at least try to avoid people. hopefully

Don't put your hand anywhere that you can't see is useful for snakes & spiders.

Which State is she going to..that will be the biggest driver of which wildlife she might encounter