Any advice on Equine Careers?

Question

I've been around horses all my life, and have recently decided to study horse management. My mum has always kept allot of youngsters and can be a little protective so there's only been so much i could learn. I've been told im being stupid, the hours are long and hard, everyone "knows" it should be kept as a hobby, and i'm too small to reach the level i want.

After this, i felt very upset, but gave it allot of thought and still feel determined with or without the support of my family. My goal after many years of hard work, would to be teaching riders, breeding, training and selling event horses, breaking in horses, working with troubled/young horses and definitely being a great dressage rider. But clearly, a 5'1, slim 17 year old girl is supposedly not capable??? I refuse to agree, my riding instructors have always noticed my devotion and talent, i'm more than prepared to tire myself into the ground doing this, but would appreciate some advice from anyone who can understand me.

Answer 1

Good for you for not letting any way get in the way of your dreams!

And all this determination you have just prooves that you CAN do it.

It is a lot of hard work, but if you honestly have a passion for it and its the number one most important thing to you, its worth it and you'll enjoy it.

If you go to http://www.stable-management.com

they have a FREE magazine subscription you can order.

They give you tons of info for running your own place, and all the important facts you need to know about horses.

You don't even receive ads from them.

Goodluck!

Answer 2

I understand completely-don't ever let anyone get in the way of your dreams.

I did. I let both of my parents get in the way.

I rode for quite a while as a kid, and spent my summers at my grandmother's house (she lived about a ten minute walk from the barn I rode at) doing endless amounts of volunteer hours at that stable with horse camps, girl scouts, pony rides, theraputic riding, and beginner lessons. I couldn't own my own horse-I was lucky enough to be able to take riding lessons once a week because my family simply did not/does not have the money for a horse. I was determined to spend my life with horses.

Unfortunately, I had to stop riding because of, well, money. I couldn't ride for about three years-so I ended up going to the race track to try and find any possible way to get up on a horse. I was small enough to ride (5'2" 105lbs) but nobody would give me the time of day or hire me. I was lucky that an old friend of my mom's was a pony girl at the track, and she took me under her wing and set me up with a few people grooming. During the off-season, she'd let me help her take care of her horses and ride them a bit-but the barn was about an hour from my house, I didn't drive, and my parents weren't so fond of taking me all the way out there.

When it came time to go to college, a nice equestrian school was out of the question. I argued and argued, and eventually gave up and settled for art school. Don't get me wrong, I love art and am decent at it ( http://schapiro.deviantart.com ) but my true passion is with horses, and that is where my heart lies.

Now, two years and $40,000 worth of loans later, I am finally saying "NO" to my parents and switching to go to school to study equestrian training/teaching.

Don't pull a me-do what you love and don't let anyone stop you. I'm 20 and am going to be a freshman again because I waited, and spent $40,000 in the process. Go for it! If your hear lies there and you have the commitment for it, anything is possible.

Answer 3

Good for you. Don't let anybody get in the way of your dreams --- including family. A 5'1, slim 17 year old girl IS capable of all of this. I completely understand where you're coming from. I tell people all of the time that I'm going to work with horses when I am old enough, and they tell me. "Oh. So what are you going to do besides that?" My response? "What are you talking about? Do you KNOW how much that takes?" Obviously, none of these people know what they're talking about. Just keep striving for your goals, and one day, you and I both know we will reach them.

Answer 4

i think that's a great idea...

if you want to do that then go for it... i know a lot of really tough trainers who are really small people... it just depends on your determination with horses...

but if you think you've got what it takes (and clearly your trainers do too) then definitely go for it!

good luck from another 17 yr old horse lover (im going into nursing though...lol)

Answer 5

i'm happy that you have a passion and know what you want to do with you're life. that being said, use that passion and detrimation to get what you want and dont let anyone stand in you're way.  you have to be smarter then the average person to be in the bizz and do good at it.  so my suggestions:

1. get thru school for some really well paying career, i suggest nursing b/c they are always in demand, you can pick and choose what you want to do, where you want to work, WHEN you want to work, ect.  and it pays well.  then once you have a "nest egg" saved up, go out and buy a farm and do nursing part time to keep the money comming and horses full time.... it's just a suggestion (what i'm going to do b/c i researched all my options and i can get paid to go to school, even better right??)

btw, nursing school is one of the shortest programs that makes half way good money, 2 years of school.  then you're a nurse, some places where i am located are hiring nurses starting at 31dollars an hour... at that rate you could save up enough for a good sized farm in 2-3 years and that's a total of 5 years schooling and saving, and then you can full time horse it.  (oh that would be a dream for me!)

anyway, feel free to email me, i have tons of suggestions and am still researching on the horse industry.  i'm sure if you want it bad enough then you can do it (and feel really good when you're family comes over to see what you did without their help)

Answer 6

whoah girl don't ever let anyone tell you you can't do anything !

I'm a 5'8" 17 year old girl and have been into horses my whole life.  I was made to join a sport by my mother because she believe that horses aren't a career they're just a hobby like you said. but that hasn't stopped me.  I work as a main ranch hand and trainer and exerciser at the ranch and make good money so there's no way horses aren't a career lol.  

I plan on being an equine veterinarian and i know i am well needed since there is a shortage in the large animal vet area.  So don't let anyone tell you that you can't go into horses as a career.  There are so so many options and great equine colleges offering an array of degrees in any equine science you can think of.  So i say go for it girl cause anyone can ride but it takes talent to stay on :]

Anything you stick with means you've got the talent and courage, and determination to keep on keepin on

Plus i think that anyone in love with horses has the ability to prosper with them because horses are just like that, they're addicting !

I will let you know running a ranch is quite the job.  my boss was gone for two weeks and i was left in charge and it is something you definitely have to be willing to run yourself into the ground for.

It does take devotion but i think you've got so take it and run

its your dream, live it !

Best of luck to you :]

P.s. if you ever wanna talk about horses email me i love talking about them :]