Looking for guidance

[Davin]

Hello. I am interested in working in the equestrian field as a career. I know a lot of people discourage people from doing so unless they have been riding their whole life.

So I will give a little background about myself.
Grew up in Texas, never personally owned horses spent a lot of time around them. Started riding about a year ago while working for a equestrian center. I am currently 25. Was looking to go to school for equine related degrees. And hopefully one day work and train horses. Yes I know I will never make lots of money and will constantly work long days all year long and I am perfectly ok with that.

After working at the equestrian center I moved to Florida to see if maybe a different route was for me and realized I don’t see myself doing anything else ever in life other than working with horses and just being around them.

So could anyone give me any advice or suggestions and yes I do realize I will probably get a lot of backlash for not having a lot of experience.

Admins remove if this post is in the wrong place thank you all and God bless.

[Palm_Beach]

Can you be more specific about exactly what career you see for yourself? And it seems like you already know the pros and cons. Long hours, low pay, hard work. But if that’s what you want, then go for it.

[Davin]

As far as career I would love to train horses or break and start colts. Have also thought about working with rescue horses or wild mustangs. But I am not set in stone in what career style I want to set on yet because I know it all comes with experience which I plan on getting more of while I finish up school which I am transferring to Colorado in the fall for animal sciences. Then will be trying to get as much hands on experience with horses as possible.

The one year I worked with horses at the equestrian center in Texas taught me a lot about myself and I learned a lot more about horses in 1 year of working with them then I did in 18 years of growing up around them from the other side of the fence.

[Bluey]

You could try cross posting on the Off Course forum, it gets more traffic.

You will find some threads there right now about those that did just that and, after some years, are quitting horses as a profession and why.
You could ask them what they think of your idea, since they are now on the other side of having tried just that.

[amm2cd]

With only a year of riding, be aware that any immediate horse job is not going to be teaching and training. You’ll be cleaning stalls, sweeping barns, holding horses for the farrier.

If you are serious about this life, look for an internship or working student position with someone whom your admire and respect. Take lessons, read everything you can. Keep learning and before you know it you will be a hungry, tired, broke equine professional.

Oh, and integrity is everything in this world. Be honest about your mistakes. Do not pass blame and own your decisions.

To some of us, every minute is worth it.

[TheHunterKid90]

1. Don’t ask when your day off is.
2. Don’t ask how much you’re getting paid.
3. Don’t ask how many training horses you’re going to get.

Remember the professional that hires you is taking time out of his life to teach YOU. Your job as an assistant is to make his life as easy as possible. That’s knowing what saddle he likes on Snorty and that Charlie needs bell boots because he clips his bulbs. It’s knowing the horses under your care so well that you spot the tiniest inflammation in a leg or the slightest change in the horses eating or drinking habits.
It’s keeping up with the shoeing schedules, waiting out for the vet when you’d rather be eating dinner and knowing every medicine and supplement every horse is on. It’s long days and even less sleep then you could imagine. It’s long weeks on the road, frustration and heartbreak but the only way I know to success. Always go the extra mile, it’s never crowded.
In return you’ll get the education of a lifetime. You’ll become well rounded and you’ll definitely become a multi tasker. Under the tuilage of a well respected professional and with the attitude described, you will flourish and grow into a young professional yourself. There will be hard times and times when giving up will feel like the easiest route but don’t do it. It will be worth it. The feeling of personal success trumps sleep, a social life, a huge bank account and all the other things this generation is after.

[Davin]

Thank you all so much for the advice and your posts. I have been searching places in my local area to take more riding lessons at and even just work out or volunteer at the barns or equestrian centers just to get more all around experience around horses because I know there is more to it than just riding.

I have started looking at centers and trainers and respected ranches to do internships at this upcoming summer since I will be a full time student until then.

I greatly appreciate everything you all have said and I will try my best to keep a note of it all to reference back to.

[goodhors]

Findley College in Findley Ohio offers a horse training course as part of their Business Program. I believe it covers a lot of area and you also graduate with a real college degree, not a “horse course” degree. You can’t take only horse classes, they want you able to use other parts of your education to succeed in life if you change your focus from horses later. I know several Findey gradiates who are all doing well, both in and out of horses.

You have to be able to manage both the business part of a horse operation and the horse parts. Lot of good horse handler who went bust not controlling the business side of things. Not charging enough, thinking they could do all the jobs needed at their place to save expenses. Plain burned out being so overloaded.

Not being mean, but a year or two of riding is not much for horse experience. You need supervision at this point to learn more and learn to do things correctly to develop nice horses. Findley has their program set up to show you these steps without getting you hurt. You learn with all kinds of horses, develop your “eye” to read them, calculate their responses so you avoid problems.

I would visit and talk to any school before jumping in, learn their expectations, how many animals and riding you will be getting. What are your final goals? Do you plan to show or stay at lower levels with colt starting, or you don’t know yet?

Being good in any area takes time, your riding and handling volumes of horses to gain knowledge and needed skills. You have to be self-motivated, driven to improve, to be successful. It is a hard road to travel. A Findley type school will let you graduate with backup knowledge to use in horses or other places, along with teaching horse knowledge you can build your business on.

Good luck.

[Davin]

Thank you I know it is not much experience and I was looking at findley actually and have been considering it. I am still unsure on if I want to compete or stay at the lower levels haven’t truly decided that as well as the business side of things how far I want to take it.

Thank you for the information I will continue to look into it and try to learn as much as I can and get as much experience as possible.

[Foxtrot_s]

There are not a lot of steady, year round jobs with a regular pay check. Most would require starting at the bottom to obtain a reputation.

But it seems to me that some sort of administration job might keep you
amongst the horses…

Show Management, announcing, stewarding, course design, barn management in big barns where a bright, energetic, articulate, willing, people person would do well.

[sirbeastmom]

Check out some dude ranch jobs! I got more horse care and riding experience in the few years I worked at a guest ranch than the 10 years I spent taking lessons before that. Some ranches might be ok with your lack of experience if you can demonstrate your riding ability and horse care know-how. They’re mostly summer jobs, so perfect for a student schedule, but I know there are plenty out there who’ve made a full-time career out of wrangling. Coolworks.com is a great resource. The hiring spree doesn’t really begin until spring, so there will probably be a lot more positions posted then.

[Arcadien]

Unless your college is paid for already (parents or inheritance), I’d stop that asap. You don’t need a degree for working with horses, and you’ll never be able to pay back a college loan starting at the bottom. Otherwise, lots of good advice above.