Help - ideas needed for horsey careers

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Gorgeous George

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You may remember that we had a management restructuring at work a few weeks ago, I didn't get the job I wanted and ended up being demoted and moved to another library - all against my wishes
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then a children's job in libraries came up that I really fancied, I got an interview when others didn't and worked really hard preparing and the interview went ok and senior mgrs I know said I was a dead cert - I heard yesterday I didn't get the job
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I have worked in libs for 14 yrs slowly working my way up from the bottom and doing my library degree whilst working full time - but now I seem to be on the way down and I'm only 38
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So I am wondering if this is a hint that I should go off and find a job with horses / animals that would REALLY satisfy me. But what? I have 2 degrees (one library and one science) and reasonable horse / animal experience, but what could I go and do that would be reasonably well paid (ha ha!), I don't mind doing some extra training / qualifications - but I can't afford training that would take years
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Thanks for any help, I just feel so sad and discarded at the moment
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i would love to get a job just working on a yard doin the yard work etc, instead of workin at that bloody hell hole at sainsburys. but never hear of any jobs goin or anything.

what sort of pay do u get for bein a groom???
 
Sorry your feeling so down with work at the moment

I can't really help with the how to get into horses as a job but I do know where you are coming from. When going through a particulalrly horribble and stressful time at work it gave me the push to get back into riding and it is fantastic way for me to completely switch off from work.

with regard to why you are feeling so bad with work, could you find out why you didn't get the position it could be something so small and you are beating yourself up about it or if it is a skill you are missing then it is something you could work owards (maybe even sponsored/paid for by work). That way you keep the job which you must have enjoyed previously, having done it for 14 years, and have your escape with your horses....just a thought and a way to put a more positive spin on this.
 
It's a real shame you didn't get the jobs you went for, but just think of it as their loss, not yours. Especially if you jack in the library thing altogether - they'll be losing an experienced and well qualified staff member.

I used to work as a part time groom for a lady with 4 horses - I covered her full time groom's days off. The money wasn't too bad and it was a lovely place to work. Her full time groom got £150 per week, plus a flat on the premises. Rare, I know, but it shows there are good horsey jobs around. I got that job through an agency in Henley. Maybe you could try some agencies, or advertising locally?

Good luck!
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Please don't feel discarded. Remember that it's the JOB that's 'redundant', not you, if that makes sense?

I'd agree that it would make sense to find out why you didn't get the job - it can't hurt to ask & you might learn from something.

My o/h works in the council & sometimes the way they choose who stays & who doesn't is all about these most bizarre scoring systems, quota-meeting...honestly you wouldn't believe the half of it. Often the LEAST considered criterion is merit.
 
lol jacksmyboy that the plan. but that'll be in 10 yrs time lol!!!!

£150 a week doesn't sound bad to me at all, more than i make at sainburys !!
 
Working directly with horses and earning decent money is very hard unless you're very talented with them.

Grooms work you can do with little or no qualifications in some places - but expect absolutly minimum wage with very long hours (6 days a week usually).

Head grooms / competition grooms start to earn a little bit more - but you'd likely need your qualifications. I have my stages and NVQs and worked as a dressage competition groom for a while. The pay was considered quite good where i was (for the area) at like 7.00 per hour but again, the hours were crazy and I was pulling in 7 days a week during competition season and starting early with late nights. This can be quite a nice lifestyle for people with no other commitments (you can be away from home and such). Sadly, I had a partner and my own horse and both were lacking attention from me due to working hours.

Teaching is another option - you really have to do full training for this of course. Riding school teachers dont earn well and again, the hours are bad. Freelance teaching can earn you some money if you're good, but it really is very dependent on this. People will pay a lot for good trainers but they generally expect a good competition record, excellent reputation and fabulous riding skills to make them buy into the dream of also becoming that good.

Theres more managerial roles available on some large yards. Many of these require previous experience working directly with horses and then perhaps a degree in Equine Science. Some PA / secretarial work can help as often, these require the organisation and running of large competition venues.

Theres veterinary nursing type work where you can eventually specialise in equines but its a very long road to go down, with a lot of training required and awful pay. Demand for the equine positions is very high.

Theres massage, physiotherapy, chiropracters and those kind of therapy roles. Physio certainly requires a human physio degree and then you go on to specialise in animals, so again, its a long road. Not so sure on chiropracters tbh.

You can work less directly in the horsey world of course... and the options here are endless but again, in most areas, demand for roles is high so the pay is low. Shop work is massively appealing to some people as they spend their day unpacking lovely horsey items and get discounts in store
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Equine journalism... working for feed companies (general office work) etc are all areas related to the equine world - although less directly.

Good luck. Sadly, most areas of the horsey world don't pay well unless you're exceptionally good. My trainer in the UK lived a nice lifestyle. However she'd spent years training with the lassetters, rode at international level and could pick and choose her clients. Oh and mummy and daddy had a massive livery yard with nice facilities that she could base herself from
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Try to think of it like they say in showing classes: They did like you for the job (or they wouldn't have interviewed you), it's just they liked someone else a little bit more. I have been second choice for a job twice, the first person then turned it down or didn't like it and left, and I got it a few months later. Funny how things sometimes work out and there might be an even better position just round the corner.

Can't help with career change, but the hardest thing I found when I worked with horses was that I had very little time and interest in my own by the time I finished at one yard (riding school) and drove to my yard. Hardly had the energy or enthusiasm to ride/groom my own by then. Just a thought!
 
Hmmm that's the trouble not having time to spend with George would make it all somewhat pointless. I need to be a librarian at one of the equine colleges or something like that. Oh well I will just have to keep looking / thinking.
 
For basic animal care it is not much more than minimum wage, if you can ride well, school and handle fit horses than you would be looking at around £10 to £15 per hour.
 
Hi GG. What about an animal charity? Depending on size of organisation, they will need office based people for which I'm sure your library skills will be relevant, and hands on animal carers/handlers.
 
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