I need some advice... (careers)

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Coblover109

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Okay, soo I'm a little stuck:eek:

Im about to go to college to do my a levels but for the past 2 years, nothing has felt right. I feel as if my future is being decided for me - school, college, uni then job in office doing something I'd much rather not. My parents have always pushed me down the academic route but I don't feel as if it's my forte because I just seriously find it boring and it doesn't make me happy. :(

All my life I have been around horses, worked with them and wanted to pursue a career involving them - despite my parents going much against this. I've decided instead of sitting around moping and doing nothing, I need to find some words of wisdom to help find somewhere I can actually go that involves horses but is a decent job.

I've worked on yards, trained, owned my own horse etc, been there, done that, got the t - shirt.

So what my overall point and question is - what jobs are there that pay well in the equine industry? Silly question coming from someone who has experience with horses and worked with them but I felt the need to put it out there.

I am good at business and I think that one day I will open my own. I love helping other people and doing things for other people.

I have thought about a career in saddlery - becoming a saddler, fitter etc as I know there aren't many in my area!

I just need some opinions and ideas as to what career I could go into? Please:)

Thankyou for taking the time to read, I will much appreciate any feedback! <3
 
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I worked in racing which is part of the TB industry which is one of the top earners in the UK. Not all jobs are mucking out, but there is a danger that this is where you end up as these are the most numerous.
There is breeding, bloodstock, marketing, auctioneering, insurance, HGV driving, racing secretary, pupil assistant trainer [you need to be very focussed and knowledgeable], racecourse management and administration, etc etc.

If you want to be eg a saddler you need to be the best AND have a lot of luck in setting up a business, you will probably not make much money!
There is dentistry, and farriery, but these are "hands on" not business oriented, however you don't need premises.
Having your own business is very tough, and may not be profitable!
What do you like academiclly, there must be something!
 
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There are jobs that pay well, and then there are jobs in the equestrian industry - very rarely do the two occur at the same time!

If you're interested in saddle fitting I think there are apprenticeships available for that, in conjunction with SMS.

Personally I'd still do the A-Levels (providing they are academic subjects) as you're then more employable than someone with just GCSEs, and it leaves the door open for you to go to university at a later date if things in the equine world don't work out :). An important thing at your age is to make sure you don't narrow your choices too much - you'll change as a person so much in the next few years.
 
I would def do your A levels, and maybe also find a little course to do that's horsey? Or do an A level that would be relevant for other things...for example, if you can do accountancy A level or business studies, this might be helpful if you want to have your own business one day? Or investigate little courses such as BHS certificates, reiki etc, or get a p/t job working in a saddlery, helping a saddler etc. Then at least you'll have tried out a few things & got some experience.

T x
 
Thankyou all,

Yes I am definitely staying on to do my a levels to keep my options open - Im studying Business, Psychology & Health and Social Care. I was thinking maybe I could work at an equine qualification on the side?? I still have my results to come yet so I have no idea what I will be doing in September, but whatever the outcome - I WILL be studying business no matter what!!

My sister worked for Michael Hurigan over in Ireland and has worked on many other racing yards over the years, many of them well and truly took the p and did not pay well! So that has put me off a racing career yard wise. How would I go about management or administration in racing though?
 
Wages are good in the right yard, if you can ride well.
The british racing school does loads of courses.
There is no point in being just a yard hand, but really you need to work in racing for two years to get the basics.
Ambition is required, and toughness and leaving home too............
 
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British horse racing run a graduate development programme which is a good way to get into the industry without doing the yard side of things, a friend is currently on it having graduated last year she has managed to take time out from her job to take up the placement she was offered, her employers felt it beneficial despite it not relating directly to her current position.
If you go to uni but keep up the equine related work experience it could be a good aim for you as it encompasses all aspects of the racing industry and would probably keep your parents happy.
http://www.careersinracing.com/getting-started/training/graduate
 
As others have said few equestrian jobs pay well. To get to the better paid ones you need to work your way up and to some extent be in the right place at the right time. My son is doing reasonably well as an EDT but it's hard physical work and he spends a lot of time travelling to clients. Also since the courses at Hartpury stopped you really have to search hard to get an EDT to take you on as an apprentice, it also takes a long time to pass the "proper" exams and build up a clientele. Perhaps you could look at going to do a equine business studies degree - people my son knew at uni marketed themselves as having an applied business degree and found good jobs that way - some in the equine sector.
 
Do A levels, go to uni, get a bonus-horse job and then buy your own horse. :) a business management course will be more use to you long term.
Do the BHS type exams in your own time and you'll be well placed to take a job in the horse industry, but with options.
 
I would forget about BHS and all that riding school stuff, its dead end and usually girls give up after a few years.
Whatever your talents may be, you will need to sharpen them, and be focussed. The racing school basic course is 14 weeks with a job at the end, if it is not what you want you can go to uni after.
There are so many courses on the net [coursera, futurelearning] I would not go to uni if you are not sure what you want to do. But you should study hard whatever you do, it is vital to be the best you can be.
There is the army, they have horses :)
 
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My mother always told me to be the person that pays to have their horse mucked out, not the person being paid to do it.

I did actually do some horse exams along side full time work but actually I didn't really enjoy them, horses are my hobby and my stress relief so working with them isn't for me.

The thing I did enjoy though was working 9-5 Monday to Friday in an office and with horses in the evenings and on Saturday was that by the time Friday night came around I didn't want to go out drinking as I had hard work the next day and on Saturday evening I was too knackered to go out... I saved a fortune!
 
I sometimes feel similar to you. I work in an office (although I am very very fortunate in how well we are looked after), but I do feel like I should be out there getting muddy and smelly for a living a lot of the time. In 90% of my meetings I am usually quite obviously day dreaming about horses or browsing Dragon Driving!

As much as I would like to work with them though I would not be happy making the pittance that the majority of horsey folk do. I say get a good career so you can make enough to do horses on the side as a hobby.
 
One thing to remember is that if you choose a physical job like a saddler you are reliant on yourself in a one man business and can never be ill, or get injured, or grow old!
 
Bonkers2 said:
One thing to remember is that if you choose a physical job like a saddler you are reliant on yourself in a one man business and can never be ill, or get injured, or grow old!
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You need to pick up transferable skills, which you can get in a riding school, but then you need to persuade employers that you will not be sitting in their meetings, while browsing Dragon Driving :)
 
Dizzle said:
My mother always told me to be the person that pays to have their horse mucked out, not the person being paid to do it.
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your mother = very wise woman

I agree totally with this OP, buckle down and get in to the best career you are capable of then you can enjoy horses at your leisure

If you are very keen on a horsey job I would personally look at the racing world or get on a course on horse breeding and try and get in to a good stud farm
 
Dizzle said:
My mother always told me to be the person that pays to have their horse mucked out, not the person being paid to do it.
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This is so true.

I was like you at your age. Didn't want to work in a office, didn't want to go to uni. I ended up dropping out of my AS levels, working with horses, bumming around at college doing a pointless BTEC, working with horses again and then working as a waitress as the horsey work got too boring/physically draining and too little pay! I am now working in an office which I love. I am lucky to have gotten myself such a good job with no A levels or degree. Now I love having my weekends free and having money in the bank! No horsey job would ever support my 3 ponies, competing, lorry and allow me time/energy to do it all.

Get your A levels and get a good degree. One day you will look back and feel relieved!

Also, no matter what anyone says, sitting in an office when its pouring with rain and has been doing so for the past week, is soo much better than ***** shovelling in the winter! :D
 
As much as I would like to work with them though I would not be happy making the pittance that the majority of horsey folk do. I say get a good career so you can make enough to do horses on the side as a hobby.




You are spot on there - I totally agree! Thank you!
 
I was the same, albeit a very long time ago, and took the "horse as a hobby" route and got the further education and office job. It was sound advice and I don't regret it (although it was tough to accept at the time). I kept my horsey fix as a student by riding out for people in my holidays.

However, if I was young again now, and 100% committed to a career with horses, I'd be looking to one of the racing colleges. There are lots of options - not just for becoming a jockey. For example, racing secretary.

Good luck, whatever you go for.
 
Dizzle said:
My mother always told me to be the person that pays to have their horse mucked out, not the person being paid to do it.

!
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good advice!
why not study really hard at A levels then go to Vet College and be an equine vet? That's the one that will pay you good money.
It's what I always wanted to do,even did my school work experience at a large animal vet practice, but I really struggled doing all the science A levels and had to change them. Was gutted, I could have been a nurse or something probably if I had tried harder but I wanted to be a surgeon.
I have worked as a groom and found that people will spare no expense on feed, equipment etc for their horses but are pretty stingy on paying the people that care for them. If you want to keep your own horse, I think it would be really hard doing that kind of job tbh. I work in an office now and have done security and driving in the past. The horse is my relaxation time when did groom work my own horse missed out, because I had been trampled or something by someone else's naughty horse and couldn't ride mine etc. Keeping my own horse is more important to me than working with other people's.
 
Agree with everyone else on this thread!
There are some well paid horsey jobs, but most of these will still involve going to uni, getting a degree in something like business and having an office job!

I have a few friends with well paid horsey office jobs for example:
One works with an international equine transport company.
One is an accountant for Weatherbys.
One works within the fund-raising department for world horse welfare and organises charity events etc.

Getting good A levels and a degree does not always = a boring office job.
I originally studied equine dentistry but am a (nearly qualified) veterinary nurse. I still will earn a pittance wage I am afraid, but I can keep the horses for my spare time and still enjoy them. Having worked with horses in the past it can start to wear you down, and I lost the enjoyment of my own horse after a while.

I understand how it can feel at your age that everything is being decided for you, you feel pushed to do A levels and a degree because that is what everyone else does. There are apprenticeship options out there too, depending on what you would like to do in the future.
 
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there are well paid office jobs within the horse industry.

You could work in sales/accounts/marketing/HR/product development/logistics etc within the equine industry but to get these positions you'll need A levels and a degree.

I have an Equine Studies degree and have worked as an account manager for a large equestrian wholesaler, as a claims advisor at a horse & rider insurance company and ran my own on-line equestrian business.

Doing an equine degree does not qualify you to work hands on with horses so you need to decide if that's what you want to do, or if you'd rather work within the industry but without actually mucking out etc.
 
If I had my time again I think I would do equine Physio & try to also qualify as a saddler. I think combining the 2 could be very valuable to many clients.
My parents "forced " me down the a level, uni route. I left uni with a useless degree & became a hippy travelling the world ( mum was horrified). Never used my degree, but I think employers can at least see you have a brain, but my advise would be do the a levels. But only do a uni course if it leads to a career you want.
 
Thankyou all for your help! All these opinions and advice was just what I needed! I think I'm best off going to college and keeping horses as a hobby. Perhaps going into a career with them will make me lose interest in my own! Best to get good qualifications, a good job and being able to pay for own.
 
My daughter finished a two year animal management course at otley with a distinction, she sent of nearly 40 cv's, the only jobs on offer were shovelling horse muck and awful pay, although she has excellent qualifications she was never going to be clever enough to be a vet. I know of others who have left uni with qualifications in horse equine science and are struggling to find work because too many are chasing the same dream. She is now training to be a dental nurse (human kind).
 
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