Lessons as a WOrking Student

When I was nine years old, I was taking weekly riding lessons at a horse farm near my home. I loved spending time with the horses and learning how to ride, but I always felt a little bit envious of the kids who got to ride every day.
One day, I was talking to one of my friends who had been riding at the farm for a while, and she told me about a bus route that dropped kids off at the farm's mailbox after school. I was excited to hear this, and I decided to try it out the next day.
When I arrived at the farm, the owner was surprised to see me, but he was friendly and welcoming. He asked me if I would like to help out with some of the chores, and I jumped at the chance. He told me that I could earn free riding time by dumping and refilling the water buckets for each horse, and I agreed to take on the job.
I quickly realized that this was a monumental task for someone my age, and even an adult would find it daunting. The buckets were heavy, and there were a lot of horses to water. But I was determined to earn my free riding time, so I set to work with determination and focus.
When I was finished with my chores, I was allowed to ride a lesson pony on my own. I was too short to put the saddle on, so I had to ride without one. This meant that I fell off the pony almost every day, but I didn't let that discourage me. I vowed to myself that I would get good enough that I wouldn't fall off, and that I would get tall enough and strong enough to put the saddle on and do my chores faster.
Over time, I grew taller and stronger, and I became more skilled and confident as a rider. I was able to put the saddle on and ride without falling off, and I was able to do my chores more quickly and efficiently. I was proud of my progress, and I was grateful to the owner of the farm for giving me the opportunity to work and learn.
Looking back on that time in my life, I realize that my first job at the horse farm taught me many valuable lessons. It taught me the importance of hard work and dedication, and the value of setting goals and working towards them. It also taught me the importance of taking on challenges and not being afraid to fail. These lessons have stayed with me and have helped to shape the person I am today.