If you work with horses/animals - what do you do?

Montyforever

Montyforever

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I'm struggling to work out what to do after I finish my gcses (I'm 17 but missed last 2 years of school due to illness)
I would ideally like to work with horses or at least animals, as I'm not a people person to be honest, I'm much more relaxed and comfortable when I'm around animals and animal people. I have worked as a freelance groom before, the money was rubbish, there's no work during the summer and I hated it to be honest!
I've thought about maybe saddlery? But unsure where to start!
So what jobs do you do/reccomend me looking into?
 
I started my own dog walking/pet service business three years ago and haven't looked back. I love being with the dogs and looking after the animals and it's great being able to fit work around my horse. I'll never be rich but I'll be happy which is so worth it. X
 
Oh heavens, I am nearly 50 and still dont know what I want to be when I grow up!! Just to earn enough to keep the animals, food on table and roof over head! Whatever you chose, make it about enjoying work not just the money!
 
I work for an equine charity and although it is not amazing money, its enough to keep my horse so I'm happy. And it is a wonderful job to have! :)
 
All I'm worried about is the job paying enough to keep my ponies, so what it pays isn't really important as I keep them as cheaply as possible anyway :) couldnt cope with the stress of looking after 8 horses everyday at different yards /routines/feeds which is what I was doing when I freelanced.
 
I work on a stud seasonly, its great to see all the foals having their first run round in the field. Though its hard work and anoying that its not for the whole year. I love the satisfaction when a nervous unhandled foal comes in and when it goes loads like a dream leading nicely. Also the unruley yearling colts, we had one this year come in for sales prep, if you touched his legs he would collapse in a heap on the floor he was that wild. By the time he left he would wear boots and pick his feet up without issue. Would of been top lot on the day he sold if the owner took the bid n werent so stupid.:rolleyes:
Having horses and working with them is hard work anyway, rewarding yet hard. Good luck with what you decide to do anyway!
 
I am a mounted police officer and its a great job but if you are not interested in becoming a cop try grooming for the police!! Much better pay than your average grooming job, holiday's, pension:D
 
Did you post a while ago about speaking with a college tutor about an animal course??? If so how did that go???!!!
I do dog walking/sitting and take social mutt 'classes'.... it's competitive though. There are so many options with animals - I worked with horses before but quit as I couldn't live off £1.50 an hour! (things have obvs changed now - that was a good 6 years ago!)
look for advertised "animal jobs" in google, might give you some inspiration :)
 
I am a groom.
I work 37 hours a week, paid a little over minimum wage have pension opportunities and a good holiday allowance. Not all grooms jobs are long hours and no money.

I didnt aspire to be a groom, I just stumbled into it.
 
I work on a livery yard and hoping to do my BHS examinations this spring, would love to get into teaching beginners to ride from scratch and maybe look more into backing and bringing on youngsters :) I have taught people to ride in the past and have backed and brought on my own youngsters (well backed one myself and bought the other as a backed 3yr old) and have another to back next year :)
 
I'm a veterinary receptionist and lay nurse (untrained but nursing assistant for 4 years now). Tried equine nursing but prefer small animal. I will be officially training next year age 27!
 
I'm a groom on an event yard work 5 days 8am till 4pm and I'm payed well, make a lot more than I did when I was a hairdresser and way more than when I worked at a local equestrian centre which was minimum wage. I'm very lucky to have good employers.
 
What about a House sitter? So many people go on holiday and worry about leaving their house unattended and putting their pets into kennels/catteries. It would probably be a great relief leaving your horses at home with a reputable person living on site, rather than relying on a friend/neighbour to "keep an eye" on them. You can work as and when you like.
 
I'm a professional dog groomer, & run my business from home which suits me perfectly, as I am here to see to my own horses,donkeys & sheep. Hours to suit,good money too:D
 
Stargirl88 - been a bit hectic here so haven't had a chance tbh :/ really want to find what I want to focus on first before I decide what to do next!
 
I would love to teach because I could do it freelance & it earns good money on the side of a 'normal' job or while one is between jobs - I could do it weekends and evenings and on my days off/holidays. It's flexible, allows you to be your own boss and continously learn, gain experience and develop as a person. Plus you get to keep a foot in the horsey door. On a less realistic level, I would love more than anything to run my own livery, rehabiliation and training yard...sigh.
Good luck with your quest for your ideal horsey job - you have time on your hands so don't worry! Perhaps you could get some equestrian qualifications with the Open University or a local university part-time while you work or are looking for a job? Or other, more vocational qualifications like a saddle fitting certificate, teaching, horse management NVQ or BTEC, training as something like an Intelligent Horsemanship trainer, your BHS stages... And always remember that you can apply to gain academic qualifications at any point in your life. You don't have to do it all now if you're not ready or want to test the water a bit before you committ to long periods of studying. You could also apply for work experience at places like equine charities or racing/stud farms, or better still a longer term internship. If you don't ask, you don't get! Volunteering at various yards could help you work out what kind of environment you feel you could work in, without the committment of working there as a paid employee. There are so many jobs - veterinary nurse, physiotherapist, farrier, saddler, saddlery assistant, groom, rider, yard manager or owner, equine nutritionist, equine dentist, vet, riding instructor, horse trainer, horse breeder.
There are, of course, also horsey but less hands-on jobs such as writing, events organisation, journalism, photography and filming that would link you to the horse world but aren't necessarily directly related to horses. There are also the companies that supply equestrian products (i.e. rugs, clothing, jumps) that often involve a mountain of different kinds of jobs, from sales to management
Would you be willing to spend more time in education if it could open up more job opportunities for you? It might help you to write a list of things you are good at & enjoy, and things that you don't enjoy.
 
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I started my own business in helping people train there pony or horses , people that have brought themselves a equine and its turned out not to do whats been told .
I've recently took another two clients on and let's say there horses have been a job and half , but I love it
Horses is all I know , so really any other job is out the question
 
I'm a sheep.and beef farmer but often think must be a place for second hand saddle fitting even if you only work on commission or fitting fee and people use u as a middle man
 
mon said:
I'm a sheep.and beef farmer but often think must be a place for second hand saddle fitting even if you only work on commission or fitting fee and people use u as a middle man
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there is..... saddlers! my saddle is second hand and i have it fitted by a master saddler - wouldnt use anyone else!

id love to do farming tho :D
 
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