A Horseback Archery Instructor

Turning your hobbies into your occupation can mean you'll never feel like you're actually working! Imagine getting paid to do all the things you already enjoy... Hmmm... I'd be a professional burrito eater. But we digress!

Have you ever heard of nominal determinism? It's the theory that people's names secretly define what their life will be like - like famous sprinter Usain Bolt ⚡🏃 or Antarctic researcher scientist Daniel Snowman ❄️☃️ 

Today we take a look at a day in the life of David Archer who is... you'll never believe it... an archer! But he takes it one step further and does it on horseback. 🐎🏹 Find out more about this left-of-field occupation and see whether working in martial arts and physical education could be the right thing for you. 

DAVID ARCHER: Horseback Archery Instructor

Can you describe a typical day on the job?

A typical day usually involves carting a bunch of bows and arrows around to different places so I can teach people how to use them. I’ll arrive at my student’s property or nominated public park run through some boring safety talk and then spend an hour or so making sure they don’t accidentally shoot their own toes off (or mine). I must be doing a pretty good job because that hasn’t happened… yet.

Why did you choose to become a horseback archery instructor?

I’ve always disliked the idea of going through life in a boring job - I decided I’d never let other people tell me how to live my life. So instead I just started teaching people some of the things I was already doing as hobbies anyway!

What are three key personality aspects or skills that make for a good horseback archer?

• Patience
• Understanding
• A deep-seated hatred for archery targets (a.k.a. couch cushions I find by the side of the road).

What have you learned about yourself through the work that you do?

I’ve learned that I’m really good at accidentally pulling off impressive trick-shots at the right time that I’ve never been able to do again on purpose.

What’s been your best moment while doing your work?

I had a student who would get so happy when she hit the centre of the target that she’d drop the bow and run over to excitedly tell my dog about it and he’d get excited too.

Kenny "Danger Zone" Doggins is the students' biggest fan.

And a difficult moment?

When that same student moved to Turkey to continue her archery studies there. Her time under me was brief but she was one of the most enthusiastic students I’ve ever taught.

Are there any surprising or odd things that people wouldn't expect in this career?

Honestly the amount of horse poop you have to clean up after you’re done teaching for the day. Oh the sheer amount of horse poop there is to clean up. It’s a lot no cap.

Can you share a funny or weird story about something you experienced while working on a project?

I once got thrown off a very angry elephant-sized horse and landed on the ground in the full front-splits. No I can’t do the front-splits on purpose. Yes it hurt a lot. 

What advice would you give to young people thinking of pursuing a career in this industry?

Well you should probably get good at archery first. Like really good. Also invest in the best horse-riding protective gear you can afford because sometimes it feels like they are just waiting for their chance to make you wish you’d picked riding motorcycles blindfolded into oncoming traffic as a career instead.

Also they see sideways so if you’re going to feed them a carrot hold it flat in your palm. They can’t tell the difference between a carrot and your fingers. Ouch.

They say if you do what you love you'll never work a day in your life. I don't know if that's true but I know I'd rather spend my time teaching other people about the things I love to do than doing things I don't enjoy.