Hi SAM,

I'm fairly new to the LA scene, and I'm sure I'm just like 60,000 other young actresses in LA, but I do have a special skill that will probably set me apart (now maybe I'm only exactly like 4,000 other actresses in LA, lol!) - I'm an expert horseback rider. I do jumping, and dressage (both are English riding) and I train and compete horses in both disciplines.

I've used my talents on set once before, and have gotten a call for an audition one other time (I was unable to attend). I want to know how I can make sure I'm in front of any casting director who is in need of an equestrian. Though its a skill that isn't needed too often in show biz, this isn't like lying about your "authentic" Italian accent on your resume - if you're cast and expected to ride a horse and you don't know what you're doing, you could get REALLY hurt (it happened on the shoot I was in - the other girl was on the horse for no more than 5 minutes when she was thrown off violently.) Further, horses are expensive and injuring a horse because of an actor's inexperience is completely irresponsible, so I believe it's really important to actually know what you're doing. I'm just wondering what the best way to showcase that I really am an expert and that I hear about it when there is a need for an equestrian.

Should I pursue a sports agent to represent me for this kind of work? Would this conflict with getting a commercial agent? Or (if an when) I get an agent, do I simply inform him/her of this special skill and ask him/her to submit me to any projects that come up? When I self-submit, should my primary photo be of me jumping my horse? Or should I still submit my headshot with the riding photos linked secondarily?

I know this is probably not your most common question, so I appreciate your time in answering! Hopefully some of your advice will be extensible to other highly-technical but little-used skills, so I won't be wasting your other readers' time

Thanks in advance!
Michelle

Well, I have bad news. Being an expert horseback rider isn't going to help you much. It's a very specific skill that rarely comes up. I suppose you could keep an eye out for projects that might need someone like you but those are going to be rare. And as for a sports agent, I can't imagine there's one out there who could figure out a way to make money off someone who can jump horses. Those guys are mostly interested in the more obvious sports. Those are the ones that lead to long term contracts and endorsement deals.

So consider your special skill a special skill for your resume and not much more.

Hmmm. . .
I think maybe that kind of horseback, like jumping and such, could be considered stunt work. Maybe look into getting even more stunts training and then market yourself as as a stuntman/woman?

quote:

Originally posted by Secret Agent Man:
Well, I have bad news. Being an expert horseback rider isn't going to help you much. It's a very specific skill that rarely comes up. I suppose you could keep an eye out for projects that might need someone like you but those are going to be rare. And as for a sports agent, I can't imagine there's one out there who could figure out a way to make money off someone who can jump horses. Those guys are mostly interested in the more obvious sports. Those are the ones that lead to long term contracts and endorsement deals.

So consider your special skill a special skill for your resume and not much more.

Agreed.

Le sigh. Oh well, it was worth asking.

Taketothewind199, do you know of any resources for getting started as a stunt person?

SAM, do any legit actors also work as stunt people? What I really want to do is act, but I'd love to find another way to make a living while working on set doing what I'm good at

Thanks for the advice, even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear!

Cheers,
Michelle

Stunt work is hard to get into. Here is a thread that mentions an LA training center.
http://bbs.backstage.com/eve/f...=334100981#334100981

I used to think horse riding skills were a rare and awesome thing to put on my resume too. In my search for acting jobs that required horseback riding, I discovered something: Most of these parts go to MEN (ugh, annoying)! Also, it seems like casting directors will hire people who don't know how to ride and have them take a few lessons.