Advise needed!!!!

[I'd_Rather_Be_Riding]

I have been riding for a little under 3 years now and i am hoping to go into equine as a career but i am not sure if people will take me seriously just because i have not been riding all my life. If i go to uni and completed all the right courses i would like to/need to do and carry on with my riding would people hire me???
Also for all of my life i have wanted to work with animals but then when i was given the opportunity to ride as i had wanted to do all my life, i jumped at the chance but now i am not sure whether to follow a career in just animals and then maybe later go into equine or whether to just go straight into equine.
One thing is for sure i can never give up my riding i love it to much!!!!!!

 

[Hels_Bells]

I'm sure people would hire you if you had all the necessary qualifications and studying that kind of thing is bound to come with more riding opportunities. There was a guy who went round Badminton a few years ago who had only started riding at 30 and people certainly took him seriously!! What are you hoping to do in the end??

 

[Saffron Phoenix]

i dont work within the equine industry but have always wanted to work with animals so at 16 i left school and did a national diploma in animal management, after college i went to uni to do an animal management degree (and racked up the debts which go along with it) i then started applying for jobs as a zoo keeper only to find i am over qualified and under experienced!!
i would say defo go and talk to a yard owner and see what they want from their staff, i am of the opinion that i have wasted all of my years in education and got myself into debt for not a lot! i personally would have been better off leaving school and going straight into the industry on a low wage to build up experience at a time when life didnt cost me as much! im not saying that is the case for everybody, an education may be essential to what you want to persue e.g. if you want to become an equine physio but i would defo say get out there and talk to the potential employers before you commit yourself to something as you may find they will be happy to train you themselves or put you through some BHS training while you earn a little bit of cash! i wish i had done as im now to old to work for free!

 

[china]

people would hire you with the qualifications but also experience can be worth more, i suppose it depends what you wanted to do. I know many people that have gone to uni and then have gone on to teach in equine and animal rather than out in the industry as it were. Bare in mind, its bloomin hard work for not alot of money. I worked out in the industry and just didnt enjoy my own horses so i gave it up and now work in a college of FE with animal and equine students. Explore every avenue.

 

[miss_bird]

With all your necessary qualifactions you will be hired as much as the next person, there will be some people on your course that will of been riding for less time than you so do not worry about that.
You will get plenty of riding experience at uni and that will bring your level upto what is expected to go wih your qualifactions.
Also ther will be many riding schools, rescuce centres, studs etc etc, that you can work for free or a ride to gain more experience in your holidays or weekends prior to going to uni.
But it is upto you to get out there and offer yourself around to gain all the extra experience

 

[I'd_Rather_Be_Riding]

Thanks for your comment its really appreciated, im not really sure what area im looking to go into but i do like the sound of rehabilitation which has always had my interest with both horses and animals.
I'm also thinking of moving to Australia as i have family out there so that might take me in a totally different direction. I will just have to explore every avenue!!!

 

[jroz]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, not everyone is fortunate enough to have the privilege of riding and/or owning a horse when they are younger! I myself didn't start riding until I was 23 or 24!