So I am very interested in pursuing an equestrain career after I graduate and return from my two year mission for my church, but from what research I’ve done, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of money in being a trainer, instructor or even a stable manager. I’m not all about the money, but I do want to be able to provide for my family when that all happens. So does anyone know of any decent equwstrian careers? Or am I mistaken, can instructors and stable managers and such make decent money? Thanks!
Veterinarian.
I know some farriers who make very very good money. But there is a 100% risk of injury, and the hours are long and physically demanding.
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If your good at sales you can look into being a rep for a horse company
A job that by itself is self-sustaining that TOUCHES horses is likely your best bet (i.e. equine lawyer, equine accountant/bookkeeper, equine product sales representative, etc.) I would also think “agriculture” more broadly than horses more narrowly, keeps options open.
My recommendations are based on all the checks I seem to write as an owner. 
Think about equine massage. In our area, we pay about $85 - $100 per treatment. The nice thing about that is it’s not discipline-specific - you can do race horses, barrel racers, hunters, dressage horses, etc. You can set your own hours and there’s not much emergency work (unlike being a vet).
I would love to open an embroidery business and do work at horse shows.
I know a woman who started a side business cleaning and repairing blankets.
Photography and videography? It’s tough to make a living as a photographer these days, but trainers need help with photos and videos for sale horses. Again, your pricing would need to be low.
I think there’s an opportunity for low-cost tech solutions to make trainers’ lives easier. If you’re into technology, maybe develop an app to help trainers with scheduling, automating horse show entries, keeping track of vet/ farrier / dentist, etc? Or website development? But it needs to be really inexpensive…trainers are operating on thin margins.
Depending on the state, you might actually need to be a veterinarian, or work under the direct supervision of one, in order to practice equine massage.
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I would be a dissenting voice for equine veterinarian-for the most part, you are looking at long hours, low pay unless you’re in horse country at a large clinic, a very high student loan to income ratio, and a relatively saturated job market. It’s a good job to work with horses, but not always conducive to ride/keep horses of your own/have a family. Not impossible- just definitely a hard route to go.
With chiropractic/acupuncture/massage, you would have to factor in how far you have to travel and the cost of gas.
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I’ve been in the horse “business” for 50 years and as much as I love what I’ve done…I don’t recommend it as a money producing field of employment. 365+ days a year in all kinds of weather. Get yourself a college degree, a steady “paying” job and ENJOY horses in your off time. Equine “workers” do not have time to enjoy horses!!! JMO
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there are STEM type careers that could segue into equestrian fields such as nutrition and sports medicine/ product development (i.e. galloping boots) equine/vet pharmaceutical sales rep. not sure about income potential but other career might be equine insurance, and then part time work like paid competition staff - ie. show secretary, manager, judge, steward, TD etc - many, if not all, require some type of licensing thru the discipline. It’d be hard to make a solid career out of being a judge or steward until you built a name/reputation - most judges I know do it as a secondary source of inceome
Just know that any career involving horses is most likely going to entail working weekends, when you’d rather be riding. I would suggest a good paying “regular” job, so you have free time to still ride. Maybe something along the lines of marketing. You could be a sales rep for a veterinary products company, or something along those lines.
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Quoting for truth. One vet I used told me when he graduated he didn’t make enough take home to pay his student loans as an equine vet.
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I’m sorry, but I have to laugh at the veterinarian option. If you have an extra half a million to spend on school, sure, it’s a great choice. But I assure you that veterinarians do not make bank. You will spend 20 hours a day trying to make enough money for your student loans. It’s basically a mortgage on your brain. Forget owning a house for a very, very long time if you are lucky enough to ever own one. Equine vets have it the worst because they make very, very little money in the beginning. Maybe after 10 years you might catch up to small animal vets, but you’re eating Ramen for a decade. Plus equine vets are on call all the time as new vets. Every vet I went to school with who started as equine changed over to small animal. Every. single. one. of. them.
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As a 4th year vet student who started out wanting to be an equine internist, I can absolutely confirm this. I am going into small animal and will STILL be eating Ramen for at least a year and putting horses on hold (however, I am doing an internship rather than going into general practice immediately). The student loan burden is no joke.
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Also basing this on the checks I write at the barn…ditto the chiropractor or masseuse, although as others have said the laws may vary by state. We have an equine dentist in the area who does very well, although once again, those laws may vary. I think in some areas a vet has to do it.
Honestly, I think you should find something you love to do that is not horse related but pays well, so you can afford a horse hobby. If horses are part of your daily work, you might not enjoy them as a hobby as much.
Also mentioned was pharm drug rep - you need at least a bachelor’s in Biology/Chemistry. I have many classmates who are now working for pet food companies and veterinary drug companies and they are VMDs.
If you can find a groom/trainer job at a school…while it doesn’t pay much, there is sometimes housing offered and if it is a school you will only have to work 5 days a week as opposed to 6-7 on the circuit.
They say the way to make a small fortune in the horse business is to start with a large fortune…
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When there’s a thread like this, people always focus on who they write checks to and forget about all that goes in to a career…
It may seem like “job” (farrier, massage therapist, etc.) is rolling in it because you write them a $$$ check. But these are largely outdoor, physical, demanding jobs where if you get hurt-- you just don’t earn money until you can work again. Or you work hurt. No job security. Usually no benefits (health insurance, unemployment compensation, etc.) Eat when you kill so when the customers don’t call you don’t necessarily have a backup plan. You have to buy all your own equipment, maintain your vehicle going to/from appointments, schedule everything yourself, be your own bookkeeper, and get stiffed by people who bounce checks and then vamoose.
These jobs may not be as great as they seem “from the outside.” I’m not saying don’t explore them… but don’t assume a job is lucrative just because the only part of it you see is the cutting checks part.
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I would go to nursing school for two years and become a traveling nurse. The jobs move to where the population enlarges seasonally for the good weather, like Wellington Fla in the winter. .
I would ask yourself more directly what you like to do. Are you into tech? There are a ton of horse breeders/trainers/riders that need websites, aps, etc. Do you like numbers? Lots of large farms need help with their books. More into art type things? Perhaps architecture or design focused on the equestrian world would be more your speed.
I’m a Marketeer myself, with a solid graphic design foundation. So I exchange my services for board at my barn, and I work for a saddle/harness maker.
If what you really want to do is put your hands on horses all day, every day, then you need to better define that as well. A good groom can usually get set up with a manageable salary and a place to stay.
“Working with horses” is a very broad range, a bit like, "working outside. There are ways, but you need to better define what you want.
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