Why do young people think that horses can.....?

Question

i am not trying to sound mean, and i'm not trying to kill anyone's dream(i have my own horse dreams). . . i'm sorta have hopes that people will make their dreams come true, and still have common sense/reality as a part of their dreams. so my question is:

why do younger people (i'll say under the age of 18, but sometimes it's up to the age of 50) think that at this moment there is money in the horse industry? they want horse jobs and careers but dont seem to listen when people try to helpfully suggest ways to get to their goals by also having a first career to support the horses, why?

i know alot of the parents/older horse people that come here offer great advice but it seems the younger ones dont want to listen to them, again why not take advice from someone older and loves horses just like they do?

thanks for answering my questions and not being rude to others while answering.

Answer 1

im only 12 and i was going to start a horse buisness, but before i start i was going to become a vet until i get enough money is that senseable?

Answer 2

it's just the way kids are

kids are the only people on this earth who ever get anything for free! we get everything from our parents, and freinds, we ask, and we get! =)  that is why our minds are so closed and not open to the real picture!

i'm only 17 and i consider myself a kid of course and am not at all offended by your question... i'd like to know the same thing

and i even know some 40 year olds like this...

maybe some people just never grow up...

now i don't think everyone should go around and "bash" every kids dreams with horses

but kindly point out some good ideas to get started and if they don't listen oh well.. in time most kids learn and grow up

Answer 3

Yes reality can be a kick in the pants.

I had my dreams too.

I worked my way into horses the old fashioned way. i.e. with a pitchfork and the desire to learn. I was apprenticed and did residency work with several trainer/breeders and show barns.

I am a vet school drop out. Did my pre-vet work, but was not prepared for the difficulty and financial burden it put on me and my family.

So with what I had to work with, I became a Humane Investigator. My strength was equine abuse cases.  

If you asked me when I was a younger person, is this where I thought I would be by this point in my life. I would have to say no. But it is what it is and some of us really do end up living our dreams.

Kudos to them!

Answer 4

you make it sound like all young ppl are like that...

you said that you where not trying to be rude...and I am not eather....I am just saying my opinion

I am a "young person"...I am 15

and believe it or not...I have thought about the future....

I know that I will need to get another job to support me and my horses....especially since I will need to travel everywhere to become pro.

I am probably going to get a job I can do over the phone or computer...I could easily get a job at my grandfather's business.

But first I am going to try to get a scholorship to college on a rodeo team.

Answer 5

i understand wat u r saying. yes the horse business is indeed hitting a dry spot i i believe it will soon get better. i have many 'dreams' that include horses. but i rather call them goals that i am going to reach. one of my goals is to be a World Champion Barrel Racer. Its the all time money earner western horse sport. but i also understand its not going to be easy. i was born into many experienced horsemen and women and they have lectured me on the same subject. not in a bad way but tho. i have learned from them. first hand experiences too.

most young horse lovers just dont want to hear that kinda of talk. and they are often stubborn in learning new things. but the key is to b positive and open, that wat i practice.

Answer 6

Younger people usually arent thinking about the future.  Just about their love for the horse.  They want to spend all their time with horses and dont care how much they wil get out of it.  Most are just blinded by their love for horses.  

Then some people are just young, arogant, and no-it-alls.  Why do younger people go out and drink at parties and get drunk when their parents tell them not too?

That is mostly rebellion, but some is also "nothing will happen to me"  or whatever.  Anyways, that is how I feel about it.  Some people just make mistakes too.

Answer 7

(18 years old) It's the same as when you were little, you don't want your parents and seniors in your life telling you what to do for your entire life. For some young kids it's what they do and it's the thing they do best; work around horses, train, ride, etc. So why not take what they do best and apply it to something they turn into life-long.

As a student myself I am taking classes and plan to major in Equine Business Management. I currently work part-full time between two different jobs in the summer(during school I am back to one). I am able to still ride, train, give lessons and support all of my horse wantings without the aid of my family's money; all on me but I am seeing how hard it is with this economy.

Honestly I am glad I am taking these classes towards my major because none-the-less I come out of it with a business degree. That means I have the criteria behind me to run a business. Many companies and job agencies look for people with a business degree.

I am not immediately going to jump in and open my own facility but do my pro-rodeo a little bit more, work my full time job that I'm at right now for a bit longer and make more money and save up and then slowly work my way into a facility.

Answer 8

its because younger people aren't really future planners and are allways thinking about quick money.

Answer 9

You can't stop someone's  dreams.Let them be what they want to be.  No one can tell them about having passion for something.They will have to figure it out on their own.

Answer 10

I will have to disagree with you in what you say that there is no money to pay the bills with horses. It is true that not everyone makes money but there are alot of people who live off of horses.

ofcourse you have to be at the top to be making any real money.

But carreers with horses are not just limited to training horses or riding horses. there are clinicians and ferriers and writers. but in a way you make a good point about having a fallback.

Answer 11

There is money in the horse industry. Breeding, boarding, LESSONS, dude ranches, racing, showing, there are SOOO many types of horse industries and so many people love them that you can make good money off of them.

Also, why would you want to ruin someones dream? Yes, believe it or not, you can make a living off of horses, but it's tough. You really have to commit to it. Younger people are more naive and don't think about tomorrow, but it is possible. Don't be pessimistic.

Answer 12

i think some if it has to witht he fact that many people, young included (im 16), realize horses are expensive to own...so they figure they can get a job that will truly inspire them and fufill their passions, which will allow them to work with horses without the straight expense of owning one. i would rather see people try to get a career in horses that might not completely sustain them than the person buying a horse they cannot afford

Answer 13

Well, I'm 15, and I want a job in the horse industry because it's all I know. My dad is an equine vet, and that's what I want to be as well. I cannot imagine growing up in the city in a townhouse. I do agree that there isn't a lot of money in the horse industry (just ask my dad, he constantly reminds me that if I want to live the high life, horses is NOT the way to do it), but I think that so many people see the high end of things.

Also, not a lot of teens my age are looking toward the future. Ask most people in my grade what they want to be when they grow up, and most of them will respond that they aren't even sure what courses they want to take next year! Most teens just live in the moment, and in the moment, working with horses makes sense to them.

love luck: my dad has been an equine vet for 20 years, and when he first started out, he only made about $40,000 a year. He makes more now because he's been treating the horses in the area for so long, but equine vets do not make three figure salaries.

karen z: As for the lowlights of the jobs you just pointed out, my answer is this: someone has to do it. Someone has to be the vet that treats the animals in the area. As for the instructors, where would all of the Olympic Equestrians be if they didn't have good instructors teaching them? You left out the highlights of the job. Vets save lives everyday. Instructors get that satisfaction of knowing they just taught someone to ride. It's not all about the money.

Answer 14

Shadow...as usual I love your questions.  and at the risk of embarrassing you, I feel like I've been watching you grow into a mature young woman.

Fantasies help people avoid the painful realities that get in the way of dreams.  I fear that some young people want to prolong the dreams of youth by finding equine-based programs to pursue in college, whether or not it makes financial sense to do.  the world is so changed, and changing, that some of the older ones you refer to may be still thinking back to a path they wish they had taken...but that path wouldn't work today.

It isn't even just about older and younger....it's about being aware of the predictions regarding the world we are going to live in.  I have grandchildren now...the book I always refer to on here...one I think everyone should read, is "The World is Flat".  I guarantee you that in guiding my grandchildren into the future, the information in that book will be taken into account.  You are wise beyond your years as you plan your future...and your questions here may influence others to follow a more realistic path.  Keep it up.

Answer 15

The horse industry is a multi-billion dollar a year (and growing) entity in the US...   There most certainly is money in this industry.  

The bottom fell clean out of the low-end horse market i wont dispute that for a second.    That change,  (id prefer to call it cleansing),  has been taking place for at least the last 10 years.  A $500 dollar horse does not have much value in our new equine economy .. but a $25,000 barrel horse, or a $50,000 hunter is still worth every penny to the right buyer.    The people stuck with a barn full of junk are not going to benefit and therefore will be weeded out.   That is not a bad thing for anyone .. its called survival of the fittest.

With fuel topping $5 a gallon, the price of land, steel, and foodstuffs skyrocketing, horses are almost becoming  a "rich mans" game.    If there is one thing Americans will spend money on ..  it's our toys.  As the market shifts, skilled vocations within the horse market will become more valuable to people with more disposable income.    Thats going to be very good for all of us who can hang on in the long run.

I personally love seeing a horse loving kid dream big!   I believe that if you want it bad enough and are willing to work for it ... that nothing is impossible.

To a person like me,  and i suspect some of the kids you are talking to .. we would never be satisfied with a "day job" and a couple of horses boarded across the interstate.  They are not a hobby for me .. we live breathe and die equine around here and i wouldnt have it any other way.  They are a lifestyle as much as they are a business to us.  

Go after it kids!

Answer 16

There are people who make very good money with horses.  I personally know of several people who make healthy 7 figure incomes every year with horses - and that doesn't even get into the thoroughbred/quarterhorse racing industry.  If you excell, you can make good money.  There are also many who never to more than dabble and are not willing to do what's necessary to get become one of those at the top.

Answer 17

Alot of young people arn't thinking really of the money. They just love horses so much thats what they want to do. and your not 100% right some equin jobs pay alot. Equin Vets get the big bucks. like me people don't really think to much about money. But I kinda am. I going to go to equin vet school.

Answer 18

I completely agree.  I know very few people who can actually make money in the horse industry alone.  Most either have another job, or have a spouse with a real job to make ends meet.  Yes there are some millionaire horse people... but let me tell you, horses didn't make them that way.

The college I graduated from and now work for just started offering an Equine Science Major.  Can I tell you how many of these first 2 graduating classes have a job in the equine field.... not many.  In fact most are working as stable hands or at local tack shops... great use of a $40,000 education!

I guess though technically I do work in the horse industry and make a living off of it.  I'm an equine vet tech and do some horse training on the side, but trust me it ain't grand and I'm barely squeaking by!  But doing somthing you love is better than money money to me.  But I work for a major university hospital and have excellent benifits and retirement.

I just get sick to see these kids that think they're gonna grow up and just be a horse trainer, rider, breeder, barn owner, etc... you've got to think about the big picture.  Bills, insurance, retirement, disability, etc.  There's alot more to life than just doing what you want... in fact doing what you WANT to do is a very very small part of it in the real world!

Answer 19

because there can be money in horse stuff. yes young ppl have a lot to learn but instead of arguing with them and making them feel vulnerable about it. tell them why you dont agree and teach them this stuff. we fight very hard to teach ourselves things and not seem dumb.

Answer 20

I agree w/the first answer.

Answer 21

Well I think they just hope they can have a career like that but when they get older it will become more clear. Ya know its more like ages 9 and under cus im not 18 quiet yet

Answer 22

ok so do you give up on your dreams easily, because somone told you that it wasn't going to happen? you push through, you don't listen and you dig in your heels. remember this isn't what people want to do, these people believe they need horses to fill the void, that nothing else but the dream of a pony seems to fill.



I remember at one stage all i wanted to be was a equine vet nurse, no one could tell me otherwise and no one had the right to. let people live out their own lives, you never know there could be one in  that lot that makes it, that trains, breeds or owns a winner.

Just let people think they can reach their dreams, we have no right to hold them down or "bring them back to earth", because sometimes dreams, are all these people have.

Answer 23

im a young person (12) ive been saving for my future since i was 8 not all young people are that

Answer 24

Im confused. are you saying people have horses and dont take care of them cuz it costs too much or that people shouldnt go into horse trainining careers becuase there is no demand? what is it-

[e-mail]= answer me back?

Answer 25

The horse industry is very hard to get into, especially without paying some hard dues either in school, apprenticeships, or on the show circuit.

I admire people that go after their dreams and won't take no for an answer, but I get a good laugh when the "wanna-bee's" fall on their butts.  I've seen many a teenage girl declare that they were giving up horses and all the talk of their horse careers because they fall off for the first time.  And I have had many adults call me to train their new horse, only for me to come out and say no because they ignored the vets advice and bought a lame horse because it was pretty.

I don't like working with people that ask for advice and then insist that their way is the only way.....  But it is fun to laugh at them when they don't get their way.

Answer 26

First answer was great!

First of all in this economy horses are expensive to feed. I see folks giving their animals away and asking me where they can place them. I just took in an 18 yr old Arabian mare that needed a new home, last year I took in a 30+ mare that is so sweet and this is her last stop. The horse industry hasn't made me rich but I love the horses and everything about them. I believe in dreams, realistic ones. I never met a kid that didn't listen to an adult at least once.

Answer 27

i think it's because nobody wants to get kicked in their dreams, we all think it will work out different for us - that there are going to be "lucky ones" and it may just turn out to be us. That we could be the best and get the job that everyone else wants or whatever.

Everyone can dream but for anyone to base their entire future on a single qualification- sadly those days seem to have gone. The colleges are churning people out year after year with meaningless qualifications. Meaningless because the industry needs people with practical experience as well as qualifications but, as as always been the case with the horse industry, the people getting the experience are the teenage kids who don't get paid or who work for rides so  the kids with the qualifications can't get jobs because the employers don't want to pay someone for something they can get done for free. The only qualifications that could make a difference are the higher ones and that is what most of the students aren't getting a chance at.

My daughter has just spent 2 years at equine college and worked hard at it. During that time she has been required to pay to stay on the grounds for every 4th week to clean out and groom the college horses --that should be a paid job, not one that students are actually required to pay to do ( and fail the course if they don't do it) she has also had to stay in every 4th weekend for the same reason and to complete 10 weeks of unpaid "work experience" at a professional yard. This requirement has led to numerous students actually losing jobs they already had.

At the end of all this she still cannot get a job and, having passed through a bout of upset, has decided to return to college and take an engineering course.

Hopefully that will be more useful.

Answer 28

I used to be one of those kids; lived, breathed, and dreamed horses 24/7. Reality caught up for me when I got my first job at 16 and then had to sell my horses when I left for college. This is when I realized that I wanted to find a career lucrative enough for me to support my horse "habit" in the future. Some spoiled kids never learn these things, and those that have never actually had the opportunity to keep horses long term also fall into this disillusioned category. At this point in the economy there's not much money in a lot of "recreational industries". It is sad for a lot of these kids/people, but sometimes you just have to learn things for yourself.

Answer 29

Why do people think that they can be movie stars even when they aren't even really remotely interested in singing or acting? In order for people to figure out what, in reality, they can and want to do, fantasizing is part of it. They aren't thinking "It doesn't really make much sense, I should set a new goal.", they are thinking about how much they love horses and how great it would be to have that dream job.

I guess it's just part of it all. I'm part of that young person category, and sure, I'll halfway listen when someone is bringing logic into a fantasy- but let's be honest here, It's always fun to just be able to dream. They will figure out soon enough there just isn't money in the horse industry, and then will get a different job- but don't you remember when you were like, 3 and wanted to be able to fly? (Maybe not that exactly but you get my point.) As much as your parents could tell you there's no way you can fly, it took you a while until you finally understood that. Same thing.

Answer 30

Horses, cowboys, having a "ranch"...there is such a romanticism tied up in that lifestyle.  I grew up on a ranch, but I learned from hard work and short finances that it isn't for everyone and if you are going to be successful, you pretty much have to inherit a successful operation and run it wisely.  My parents are still slaving away (turn 65 this summer) to be able to have their ranch (I just called my dad and he was taking a nap--he'd been up ALL NIGHT haying so that the hay would be perfect.)

I agree with you that the way to enjoy horses is to have a successful career in something else that will pay enough to support your horse habit.  Or horse crazy girls, just marry a rich guy who lets you have horses.  Because reality is realizing that most people that have horses do not make money by having the horses.  They make it elsewhere and spend it on their horses.

Answer 31

i also agree with the first answer