Working in the horse Industry...

[hannahfm22]

So I am a junior in high school, and have recently been thinking about what I want to do for the rest of my life! Horses are the one thing in my life that I can imagine having a career around, so I have been researching different career paths with horses. I’m not completely sure what I want to do career wise with horses, whether it be training, or an office job in a horsey business or marketing job. I always figured I would earn a degree in equine studies or equine business. But, after reading numerous forums, it seems as though many with these degrees ultimately regret getting them, and feel they limited themselves in getting an equine specific degree.
I know that college is going to put me debt, and that is not something I want to carry around for the rest of my life. when I am older, I want to get married, have a family, and not have work be my entire life. I goes my question is, is this possible? Are there jobs that aren’t life consuming, with steady income, that allow me to incorporate my favorite thing in the world? I know too many horse people who live paycheck to paycheck, and whose jobs are all they do.
I guess I’m just worried because even though I know I want to have a job that involves horses, I don’t have a specific idea, spending time a money on a degree that would get me no where scares me…
Overall Questions:
-What jobs are out there that don’t necesarrily involve hands on work with horses, but would allow me to be in a horse related business (what i mean by business is a “horsey” company, such as Smartpak)?

• If I wanted to do something related to equine business, is getting an equine business management/ equine studies degree a waste, as compared to a normal business degree?

Sorry that this is so long, I’m just trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life and it is a lot harder than I thought!:sadsmile:

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=hannahfm22;8373380]
So I am a junior in high school, and have recently been thinking about what I want to do for the rest of my life! Horses are the one thing in my life that I can imagine having a career around, so I have been researching different career paths with horses. I’m not completely sure what I want to do career wise with horses, whether it be training, or an office job in a horsey business or marketing job. I always figured I would earn a degree in equine studies or equine business. But, after reading numerous forums, it seems as though many with these degrees ultimately regret getting them, and feel they limited themselves in getting an equine specific degree.
I know that college is going to put me debt, and that is not something I want to carry around for the rest of my life. when I am older, I want to get married, have a family, and not have work be my entire life. I goes my question is, is this possible? Are there jobs that aren’t life consuming, with steady income, that allow me to incorporate my favorite thing in the world? I know too many horse people who live paycheck to paycheck, and whose jobs are all they do.
I guess I’m just worried because even though I know I want to have a job that involves horses, I don’t have a specific idea, spending time a money on a degree that would get me no where scares me…
Overall Questions:
-What jobs are out there that don’t necesarrily involve hands on work with horses, but would allow me to be in a horse related business (what i mean by business is a “horsey” company, such as Smartpak)?

• If I wanted to do something related to equine business, is getting an equine business management/ equine studies degree a waste, as compared to a normal business degree?

Sorry that this is so long, I’m just trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life and it is a lot harder than I thought!:sadsmile:[/QUOTE]

At your age, if you are passionate about horses, it is what you think you want to do with your life, something with horses, that is all those of us could think, horses our whole life then.

I think that is good, better than, as so many, not having any idea of what they would like.

While you are searching, don’t forget to look at all else that will come up, there are so many choices out there!

There is so much you can do that would provide with a good living, where you can have horses also, be as involved as you wish with them, without being part of the horse industry as your primary source of income.

You are right that learning something more general, like business management, seems to be a better way to go than strictly equine business management.

There is other out there like real estate agent, where you can make horse properties a side line, architect, then specialize in horse venues, etc.

Will see what other posters come up with, good luck with whatever you do.

[NYCspaz]

Get a business degree from a college with a great ihsa team and don’t take out any loans if possible!

[clanter]

become a nurse or related position … wife is RN, work schedule is pretty open (she works at large regional hospital… 12hr shifts… but gee-whiz she never uses vacation time as she continually re-arranges her shifts… normal is about three days a week but she has gone as long as ten days off without touching PTO … pay is respectable, allows her to not worry about were this or that dime goes… even though she is dumping the max $18K of her income into retirement plans

If you want to go a different route check University of Louisville’s School of Business-- Equine Division… the under grad degree is a Business with focus on the equine industry … the degree is a business degree

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=clanter;8373610]
become a nurse or related position … wife is RN, work schedule is pretty open (she works at large regional hospital… 12hr shifts… but gee-whiz she never uses vacation time as she continually re-arranges her shifts… normal is about three days a week but she has gone as long as ten days off without touching PTO … pay is respectable, allows her to not worry about were this or that dime goes… even though she is dumping the max $18K of her income into retirement plans

If you want to go a different route check University of Louisville’s School of Business-- Equine Division… the under grad degree is a Business with focus on the equine industry … the degree is a business degree[/QUOTE]

That is a good suggestion.

A friend has been a traveling nurse for many years, just retired not too long ago.
She worked for a company that provides temporary nurses to all kinds of place, hospitals, clinics, doctors, for seminars, you name it, she has done it and has traveled for months here and there to other countries also, been in reservations, military installations and such.

The trouble with that, you can’t take your family and pets and horses with you while you do that.
Just to show you, there is so much more out there, as you will learn as you go.

Arizona U has a race track degree, where you can also learn the business end of that industry.

COTH the magazine, the one that hosts these forums, has positions for people wanting to work in that industry:

http://www.chronofhorse.com/careers-internships

Their internships sound very interesting.

[Equitational]

[QUOTE=Bluey;8373409]

There is other out there like real estate agent, where you can make horse properties a side line, architect, then specialize in horse venues, etc.

Will see what other posters come up with, good luck with whatever you do.[/QUOTE]

I love real estate (it’s in my blood, my dad is a contractor, my grandparents were commercial investors). Fortunately, I’m in a position where I can be self employed with a commission structure pay. I have unlimited potential for sales and income, but it’s all on me to get my owns business, clients and deals. Some people can’t afford to be commission only (and not know how much money they’re going to make that month) and some don’t like have the responsibility of being self employed. The thing is, the most successful people (wealthiest) are typically those entrepreneurs who are self employed and sometimes self made.

I’m a real estate agent, I just joined my friends start up brokerage, she is also an equestrian. We are hoping a big chunk of our business is equestrian properties and working with people in our horse network. Being self employed, you can make your own schedule. Ride early in the morning and have the rest of the day to work (and we both work from home). But again, you have to have a passion for real estate too.

[gottagrey]

Look at STEM careers in agriculture with an equine focus that can mean equine nutrition or equipment / textiles. I may be putting my self out in a limb but the vast majority of people involved with horses are recreational who manage to fit horses in our lives.

I also agree with the nursing advice but with that depending on where you work plan on working holidays. The hospital I work in has a forensic unit for sexual and domestic abuse where they also try to help victims of human trafficking if I were younger that would be a career avenue I’d want to pursue

[Lady_Eboshi]

Get a general business degree and you can go anywhere. Be aware that things like “working for Smart Pak” are only peripherally horse-related, they really fall under “retail.” Or “marketing.” Credentials in the core subject at hand will open far more doors than an affinity or even experience with horses.

If you want to have horses of your own, particularly to compete, your best bet is to select a career where you can make a lot of money; and even law and medicine are not what they once were in that regard. Banking and investment management have even taken a hit lately, but would still be positive choices.

Bear in mind that you will spend the lion’s share of your waking hours on your job; pick something you LIKE, not something that beats you down. If you don’t LIKE spending up to 10 hours a day with people who are sick, in pain, mentally anguished or otherwise not at their best, don’t go into medicine. If you can’t handle putting adorable animals down or seeing them in the throes of illness, you don’t really want to become a veterinarian no matter WHAT the salary could become eventually. If pushing numbers around a screen bores you senseless, accounting is not your thing. But if the Art of the Deal gives you a rush like foxhunting, you just might make a great realtor!

[TullyMars]

I got an accounting degree(unglamorous and unhorsey) but have worked at a large veterinary clinic as their finance manager. I buy the equipment such as ultrasounds, radiograph machines, etc. and get to have a job that is in horses, but not your traditional equine job. I love it. I love getting to see the patients come in and I love the interactions with the owners. What about thinking about a Registered Veterinary technician? We only hire registered techs and I know at least at our place the pay is very good. So I took a practical job and made it fit into the industry I wanted. Good luck!

[HungarianHippo]

I recommend using the Search feature and you’ll find lots of threads on careers that may be helpful to read:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/search.php?searchid=2317210

[Wonders12]

An equine degree is useless. Get a general business degree (or other degree you’re interested in including science, teaching, psychology, whatever) and go from there. If you find a school you love that has a good equine program, you can minor or potentially take classes even if it’s outside your major.

Limit debt as much as possible. Seriously. That debt will limit your opportunities way too much right out of college. Consider knocking out some classes at a community college, living at home, working multiple jobs, and applying for every scholarship in the world.

If you have the opportunity to compete your last year as a junior, do it. The hunter/jumper world especially puts a lot on a junior career, and you probably won’t have the time/money/horses to compete much in college. Shows are the industry standard that allows people to somewhat reliably understand your riding level, and there are assumptions of horsemanship that go along with it. Even if you have no desire to teach or train, being able to say “Consistently placed in the Junior Hunters in Zone 3” is very different than “Jumped 3’6” at home."

And then figure out what you like to do. There’s an equine niche in almost any industry. So what are you good at/do you enjoy? Marketing, medicine, writing, management, law…? Narrowing it down a bit will help you (and us) find a better fit.

[IronwoodFarm]

As a high school junior, you really don’t have to know your career path this very minute. In fact, college is designed to help you explore possibilities. Also keep in mind that most people will not have one career, but more like 5 or 6 different careers within their lifetime. So really, don’t sweat the future. Get a college degree in subject that has broad application.

[Rusty15]

I have been out of highschool for, going on 4 years now. My friends are graduating and I am only starting to get an idea of what I want to do. So take my advice as you will. An equine degree is for the vast majority of people, a waste of money. As much as it would be super cool and interesting, it’s pretty much useless in the real world. For example I know a girl who got her 4 year equine management degree. She’s an extremely talented GP dressage rider and trainer but is now working at Starbucks.

I think depending on your talents and interests you can find a job related in some way to the horse industry, without being hands on. I actually once talked to some people from Smartpak about what they look for as far as schooling in employees (aside from horse experience). Degrees in business management, marketing, advertising, journalism, and perhaps engineering type degrees for product development. The thing is, even with a degree that is marketable in the horse world, it’s still difficult to find a position in a horsey company because there really aren’t THAT many but there are lots of other horse-crazy hopefuls that have the same dream you do. Not to discourage you, but keep in mind you could end up in a very different type of business.

Like I said before, I am just getting to the place where I think I know what to do with my life. After going through the period of trying all of the above to get into a horse-related career, and hating all the classes, I decided for me personally, having a job that allowed me to afford the horses and have time to spend with them was more important than working in an equine field. So I will be going back to school for something I think have some aptitude for that pays well enough and is flexible enough for me to have the horses and not live paycheck to paycheck.

Overall, my advice to you is use what time in HS you have left to try as many different electives as possible. Try and find out what you like and are decently good at. Don’t get hung up on one career just yet, test out the waters so when you get to college, you at least have some general notion of your likes and dislikes. I focused ALL my electives into business classes in HS. I got to college and HATED it. Don’t be afraid to change your mind a few times. You have plenty of time to figure it out so keep an open mind and don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t have a ton of direction yet.