My future

[red_mares]

[quote=“no.stirrups, post:55, topic:760056, full:true”] I think I’d get certified as a phlebotomist or something else that requires less schooling (so less expensive) but is in constant demand and portable. Business degrees are a dime-a-dozen, too, at least around here.
Just my two-cents from someone who is still horse-crazy. Some of us are well and truly addicted.
[/quote]

I got a chem degree and turned it into a career in marine engineering & tech writing.

If I were going to redo life, I’d go for welding, plumbing or another trade. It’s as portable as phlebotomist, but pays better.

Years ago on COTH, I recall someone pointing out that no mediocre high school football or basketball player seriously entertains a career in the NFL or NBA, yet high schoolers with a mediocre equestrian resumes routinely decide they only want to be a pro horse trainer. Newsflash, being a pro requires a serious resume and work. Loving horses is not enough, you need skill and talent. If you don’t have it by the time you graduate high school, odds are you aren’t going to get there.

[Scribbler]

Yes to this about sports. Talent is usually clear in your teens, even for lifelong sports.

However, the progression in horses is more opaque to many young people. Especially those who are not at elite junior levels where you might get a bit more exposure to how things work.

The team sports have a clear structure from high school to college or farm team to major league. Also you are on salary from the team when you turn pro.

Riding is a mix of small business and sports credentials. Because it’s small business you can never be entirely sure of the economics behind any given lesson barn.

The owner/trainer might be making a living, or might be living on credit card debt. They might be rent free on an old family farm, leasing, or mortgaged to the eyeballs. They might be self supporting, or might have a husband who covers household expenses. They might have inherited money or retired early with a pension.

Also, anyone in horses can go pro by finding a few beginner kids to teach. There is indeed need for beginner instructors, back yard coaches for returning adults, grooms, and working students. These are all horse professionals but none of them are likely making what I’d call a living doing this.

I’d say honestly being a trainer is a slightly higher bar because people expect results faster. Many beginners and re-riders will happily turn up for mediocre lessons once a week that get them horse time and slowly learn to ride a bit. Being on the horse is a huge part of the learning experience.

In training, owners usually want results in 30 or 60 or 90 days. They either want you to start a rank green colt that scares them, or to do something specific like install flying changes, or fix a horse that’s picked up bad habits like bucking or balking. It’s a smaller group and usually a bit more informed, and pickier. More people work as instructors, especially beginner instructors, than as actual trainers of client horses.

Also most riders intermediate and above do their own training with input from a coach.

[TheJenners]

@shiloh

And where oh where is the OP amongst this positive blizzard of good advice?

Siiiiigh… right? We can only hope she’s reading still, even sulkily, but probably has dipped because the answers aren’t what she wanted.

[moonlitoaksranch]

There’s centuries of knowledge behind all this advice. I wish there was a way to post it somewhere for all the young kids that pop in hoping they can find a reason to skate through their math and science courses with Ds.

Don’t skate. Keep working hard. You’ll find no justifications here for petting your horsey instead of doing your homework.

[lenapesadie]

I dunno but maybe her parents want to adopt me and fund a 4 yr degree for me!!! I’d give a limb for a free college education. Lol

[SMF11]

I just would add a couple of things no one else has mentioned. Horses are expensive, and so people that can afford them are often rich to very rich. And while of course there are exceptions, very rich people can be entitled jerks. And you, the horse pro are almost always dependent on their favor.

Second, since there is really no accreditation in this business, many pros are incredibly sleazy. They do things like drug horses without owners knowing, and even – at the very highest level! – have horses killed for insurance money. If you love horses, understand that most pros don’t consider what’s best for the horse OR the client, their main priority is making money. Behavior like stealing clients, skipping out on money owed etc are commonplace and almost rewarded.

Another vote for doing a different career and staying an amateur horse person.

[ace]

Here’s my suggestion, because it’s what I did. Confirm that your parents will hold on to that tuition fund for awhile, and take a gap year or two to get a working student gig at a barn doing something that interests you, whether it’s a focus on competition, training, breeding etc. A lot of folks are saying “go to Europe”, but it’s not that easy to get into a place where you’ll actually learn something if you don’t have a European connection. So try to work for an American that has a European connection, and go to Europe next if you’re still interested in pursuing a horse career.

I went to Europe and realized after 6 months that a full time horse career wasn’t for me, but I most certainly do not regret going. Being a working student is an amazing experience regardless of where you end up. Having that European work experience helped me get summer jobs at other barns while I was in university too, and free horses to ride during school and during summers while I worked other jobs, because I had a few skills.

And who knows, you might be one of the people that stick it out. I’m sure glad my trainers did!

I will agree with others to skip the Equine degree though. Better off to go work in a barn.

[kelo]

Get you one of these Cowhorse Full Contact Addicted to Poverty hoodies to acknowledge what life would be like as an actual equine professional and snuggle up in it to search for an education in a non-horse industry career that you can live with, that will pay the bills and that your parents will pay for!

Then, in 10 years when you’re actually making an income, you can wear that ol’ hoodie to ride whatever horse you want to…or not ride, if the weather’s bad, cuz that’s what amateurs can do.

Or if you’re truly et up with horses, you can finish your actual job each day and go out and ride those 3 or 4 horses a night, train 'em and sell 'em. Then you’re making a living AND making a living you’re passionate about!