Horsie careers.

[Kaitlyn]

General topic.question but feel free to elaborate:

Who here has made their career out of horses? Does that make sense? Hmm..who makes a living working with horses? There I think that's better.

I know a lot of the younger girls here have asked about horsie colleges and stuff and I'm just the same, I have a lot of links and colleges but I want to hear it from someone who makes a living in the horse industry. Thanks.

[luv2show]

Good Idea for a thread. I'm interested in this too ! :)

[mlle_beau]

I wanted to be an equine massage therapist but I decided I'd rather have a career that would let me afford my own horses. So now I'm hopefully going to be a radiographer. Maybe someday I will study equine massage therapy though, I think it is very interesting and useful.

[Kaitlyn]

Bump! :)

[Blue]

I was thinking about being a trainer for little kids, like teach beginners to ride...I've finally settled on Animal Conservation Education and Zoology (African animals mainly, which includes Zebras! :D). I really don't think I'll be able to make a living off of horses...though I wish I could. But really, how cool would it to be able to say you get payed to work with elephants, zebras, lions and giraffes? Haha!

[palomino]

I had a lame horse that no shoer could fix (I mean steve could have, but dang it hes in texas of all places!) I had tried everyone I could find in the whole south end of oregon and north end of cali it seemed like- I heard about natural trimming and was referred to a barefoot trimmer in my area. My horse walked off from that trim sound after 2 years of being dead lame in every kind of shoe and every kind of trim I had tried. My friend was astonished, so she went to the school.
I wanted a peice of that, so after my friend went to the school and did her business for about a year, I apprenticed under her for another year, and started trimming.
Now I want to branch my business out and offer massage as well, if I can find a decent school. I am also interested in equine dentistry- but I think the school is $$$$$!

[EnglishGuy]

I want to work with Horses in my future career. I'm dead set to get to veterinary school at CSU and become an equine veterinarian, but I'm realistic and know that there is a chance that could not happen since its so dang competitive. I've got good grades, lots of experiance, etc. but theres always someone better.

But the horse industry can be tough. There is a trainer at my barn who doesn't own any horses, just trains/cares for/rides clients' horses. His advice to me was "The only way to make a lot of money in the horse industry is to not have horses";)

[mlle_beau]

I want to work with Horses in my future career. I'm dead set to get to veterinary school at CSU and become an equine veterinarian, but I'm realistic and know that there is a chance that could not happen since its so dang competitive. I've got good grades, lots of experiance, etc. but theres always someone better.

But the horse industry can be tough. There is a trainer at my barn who doesn't own any horses, just trains/cares for/rides clients' horses. His advice to me was "The only way to make a lot of money in the horse industry is to not have horses";)

CSU has such a good vet school, if you are gonna be a vet then CSU is definately the way to go. :) I have heard that same advice many times from people in the horse industry, that's why I decided on the career I did.

[AUEquine]

I spend almost all my waking hours with horses!

At work I'm and Equine Vet Tech so my job is to check all of our client horses, administer treatments, feed/water, assist in emergencies, pretty much all nonriding horsie duties.
Away from work, I am able to afford my one little guy. And I also do a little training for local residents (I go to them mostly).
So pretty much my entire day is horse related.

I highly recomend this career for someone interested in working with horses and still having a life and the ability to have your own animals. The biggest benifit I have in this career is just that... benifits! Many young women(and men) think that they want to be a horse trainer... but what they don't see are the things they haven't had to deal with yet. I think many young people highly underestimate how much it costs to live now a days. And one of the biggest thing overlooked by horse trainers is health insurance... and in that line of work if you get hurt, you're screwed! You can't work and you have no other income to fall back on. Luckly in my line of work I get disability, so if I get hurt, I still get paid!
I'm not trying to discourage people from training, but don't put all your eggs in that basket. Unless you have uber rich parents who want to support you! Think education first, and then a job... that job isn't forever, but once you have an established job, you can hunt for one you want that has the stuff you need!

But please please please, don't leave high school and think you're gonna make millions and own your own farm as a horse trainer, it's just not practical!

[dustys_girlly]

for awhile i was training and giving lessons and i loved it and it was paying some bills (hubby and a really, really high paying job) but the other trainer got mad at me and she was the barn manager so i had to stop. then i worked for a trainer but that did not pay any other bills but the horse ones. now i just work in a feed store selling horse supplies and feed. as soon as i we can move and get an area so i can train i am going to get back into it, i already have a few people wanting me to work with their horses. none have in-closed area to ride though.