Horses - Hobby or Career?

C

CiderWithRosie

Member
Joined
11 March 2013
Messages
12
Location
Somerset
Visit site
Hello all :)

So I am currently elbow-deep in the dreaded graduate job hunting mission, having done a degree in Equine Studies (yes, one of those) ;)
I have a clear idea of "the dream" and I'm pretty sure I have the determination to get there, but I'm more than willing to start at the bottom and work my way up.

But my question is, for YOU, are horses a hobby or a career? If horses are your job, does it kill your passion?
Because everyone says "do something you love", and that a job should make you actually want to get out of bed each morning. But for many people, their horses are their sanctuary. After a stressful day, your horse will always be there to make you think it's not actually so bad. But if your job is horses, there's no 'escape' (for want of a better word). But then if you love something so much, does it matter?

The bottom line is, for me I think it's horses or nothing, but I really, really don't want a career to make me fall out of love with horses.

Sorry if this post seems rambled, it's been a rather strange day, big decisions to be made and I don't want to make the wrong one! Will be interested to hear any experiences and opinions. Thanks in advance :D

Rosie
 
I would say get a 'proper' job and keep the horses for fun. There is a high chance that if you choose to work with horses then you may well not have the money/time/energy to have your own horse or do what you would like with it.
 
I work in an office and horses are very much my rest from work. I had huge motivation to ride properly every day - even at 8pm in Feb in the snow, at the yard I was at there was often 3/4 of us at that time (lawyers, HR managers etc.) I really enjoyed it and competing was an every weekend occurance (now have a family so priorities changed!)

Friends who worked with horses, even one who ran a lovely livery yard and had sensible money from doing that, were at the end of the day wanting to get inside and not see a horse - so theirs just didn't end up getting the same time put into them.

A very personal choice and good luck with your choices
 
I kept the passion for the yards and my clients horses but I did start to think of my lad as a bit of a chore, when you have to get it own done before you start work at 7am then go after work at 7pm I just didn't have the enthusiasm to do it. Don't get me wrong I still have him 5* care and I still love the bones of him but it was difficult especially in the winter. He was diagnosed with navicular tho and was a total write off at the age of 3 when I thought he was going to be my superstar so I don't think that helped. I would say if you want to enjoy your own horse, get a proper job but if you want variety and don't want your own then follow the dream. The other thing is you don't want to think in 10 yrs time, god I wish I had done it. So swings and round abouts. Sorry not much help I guess but feel free to pm
 
Hobby. I went even further and didn't get a horse until I could afford part livery - I still do mucking out and everything else myself when I can, and help on the yard as well, but I never wanted to be in a situation where I had to drag myself up to the yard to muck out when it was going to be a real chore.

OTOH if I won the lottery I'd open a yard :p
 
My bf is lucky that now she works with horses and gets to livery her horse at work. She did a few years at the hard end being a WP and earning nothing. Now that her boss runs her own business and has horses as a serious hobby my friend has a boss who is fair and importantly she has proper hours etc due to boss doing things by the book. My friend still does more than her standard hours, but she has a proper wage and a life. Even if she does spend her days off competing!
 
I went to a equine college and then worked with horses for 5 years, loved it to start with, but towards the end hated it so sold my horse and moved back to my parents, think the main reason why I hated it towards the end was burn out, was working long hours 6 days a week with very little holiday, still regret selling my horse though, but by that point I'd had enough. Took a good 6 months before I started to miss being round horses again and another couple of years before I brought another and this time I enjoyed it much more as had the time and money to actually enjoy my horse.
 
I work with horses, have done so ever since I left school (can you tell I hated school ? Lol ) I love it, worked my way up from working pupil type, to head girl, and now I'm in the process of my own yard. Yes, it was hard work-but its all I've ever wanted tbh. But... You do lose the enthusiasm some days to do your own horses a.) For starters you run out of time working the long hours, b.) After putting all your effort into someone elses horses, you're often to knackered to do your own. However, I do have my own horses and I try make it work-there's nothing like sitting on your own horse and going for a blast after you've been sat on rather precious expensive horses all day. Though admittedly on your rare days off (especially when I was head-girl) you really feel like needing a lie-in you can't as you're playing catch-up on work with your own horses.
I wouldn't change what I do for the world, but it is hard-work, nothing comes easy, and you get used to being skint! But the moments when a horse you've broken/worked with goes round its first 3* you can't help but smile, or your breakers go out for their first baby canters it makes it all worth it :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top