Has anyone here earned a degree in Equine Business Management? More specifically, has anyone earned this degree from Clemson University? If so, what kind of experience did you have and how has it impacted you? I will be a college freshman next year and I am seriously thinking about attending Clemson University and majoring in Animal and Veterinary Sciences with a concentration in Equine Business Management. I would ultimately like to own and manage a horse boarding facility. I can’t decide if this degree would be useful or impractical. Opinions?
I was at the Un of Louisville before they set up the Equine Studies division of the School of Business… a student could obtain a MBA in Equine or as undergrad obtain a business degree that specialized in Equine … the under grad degree was basically a full standard business studies program then the Equine aspect was added to it… a very flexible degree.
As far as I know every graduate of the program has found a position in an equine related activity
Why would you narrow your options to equine only? You can easily search threads on this forum to see how many people know from experience that you rarely profit in the horse industry. Start off with your general business classes, and when you learn how to do market research etc, look into industries where you can actually make a profit doing something. You will probably find that horse businesses rank close to the bottom.
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Don’t specialize in equine business. Get a regular business degree. You will have a lot more options.
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I’m going to partially retract my statement and suggest you breed donkeys.
https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/chinese-donkey-skins-decimates-equine-populations
I did it, and I regret it!
Of my graduating class, almost every single one of them went back to college, joined the military, or had to pursue some sort of secondary education outside of their degree; almost none of them are still in a horse-related industry except the ones that went to veterinary school after.
It is not a useful degree, and it costs just as much as a useful one. The bigger issue is that the field it is useful for, is very limited in terms of competitive or lucrative pay. Most of us, myself included, found out there were better jobs offered outside of the equine sector.
Being a barn manager is NOT lucrative. The benefits and pay almost always suck, and the hours are inflexible.
If I could go back, I would change my degree to something pertinent in a heartbeat, because even though I still am just as involved in the horse scene as I was in college, I now have a job that is not horse-related, and the lack of a useful degree has been a big handicap.
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U of L’s program is just that a business degree with equine specialty
I started one. It was not helpful. I later went back and got an associates in accounting and a bachelors in business (plain ole boring business). I have much more opportunities available to me now.
If your goal is to be a vet tech, etc then I do the major in Animal and Veterinary Sciences, minor in regular business.
If your goal is to own and manage a barn, get a regular business degree and find part time or summer work at a reputable, well-run barn, a feed company, a feed store, riding along with a vet or other practitioner, etc. This serves two purposes: gives you hands on experience which is much more desirable in this field than a degree and develops a network of people who can provide references or support as you grow as a professional. The business degree will give you the tools to manage and run a business (what is your overhead, what insurance do you need, what is deductible, marketing, employees, etc).
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