Uni or horses ?! Any advice, contacts or experiences? Help!

[CaleruxShearer]

I am just finishing my degree having left school at 16 with no A levels to do horses as a WP on an event yard. I was convinced I was going to be the next Pippa Funnell etc etc. Needless to say I am definitely not the next pippa (sadly) and a year or so of being someone else's skivvy made me think that perhaps the best way forwards was to go to uni and get a job to pay for my own horses! So I came to cirencester and am about to graduate with a BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Management and have just signed my contract to be an agricultural and equestrian planning consultant when I graduate, I can honestly say I have had the time of my life and take a lot of comfort from the fact that I will be graduating straight into a good job that will pay me enough to keep my horses and event.

ETA: My horse came with me but I have continued to do loads of freelance grooming for various people to keep getting my eventing fix!

 

[Alec Swan]

Honestly?
Go to uni.

…….. .

^^^^. This I'm sorry to tell you! Horses will always be there, and if you're as good as you think that you are, then once qualified, you can have a go at setting the world alight. I don't know of anyone who does anything but scrimp, cut corners, and generally do without, who attempts to earn a living from horses, and you will need to earn your daily bread.

Alec.

 

[Moon Dancer]

Have pm'd you.

 

[Dusty85]

I haven't read all of the comments so Im not sure if this has already been suggested, but there is no harm in applying for university and deferring your entry for one year. You can then spend this year pursuing your goal and see how it works out. If things don't work out, then you will have your university place; if things looks good then you can always withdraw.

University will always be there- although it does depend on what uni you were thinking; for example if you want Oxbridge then you need to do it now. Less Prestigious universities will likely still take you, even a few years down the line.

I admit; reaching top level SJ might never work out; but then you will never know if you don't try.

 

[its_noodles]

Unless you know you can deffy make a living out of horses, I would go for Uni. It will give you more options later...

 

[Zeb93]

I had the same dilemma when I was 17, I decided to go to uni. I am now 21 and in my final year. I am glad I chose to get a degree but am still planning on working with horses (with the end goal being top level dressage). I sold my horse before I went to uni so I didn't have the financial burden.

I have been heavily involved with the university riding club throughout my degree and have also worked at various yards. I have taken every opportunity to get on a horse or teach and last year got asked to compete for an owner. This has led to more work, at an international dressage yard, over the long holidays.

When I graduate I plan to go to holland or Germany for a few years to work/train and then hopefully i will be in a good position to start finding owners. If this doesn't go to plan (and when does life ever go to plan?!) I will be thankful that I have a degree to fall back on.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's definitely possible to do both, it just might take a bit longer if you only do horses part time but you have the benefit of a plan B

 

[J1993]

I am doing a teaching degree currently. I am in my last year at my last placement and i have had a horse for the 3 years whilst there along with a part time job. I couldn't of not had a horse as I really miss it and as I am at a livery it is more of a lifestyle choice for me. I am hoping I get a teaching job in September as my yearly income will nearly be doubled and the thought of being able to afford a nice car and doing my trailer test to go to competitions keeps me going. Personally I would go to uni, get a good job and then enjoy the horsey lifestyle. Or take a year out and see how you feel in 12 months. I have 2 friends who are fantastic riders, and have both worked as grooms/riders, one an eventer and another a dressage rider. The eventer now works part time, has her own mini yard and is breaking and selling. The dressage rider works full time for a equine clothing company distributing to shops across the uk but competes her own horses and rides/competes others. Hope this gives food for thought but you know your riding capabilities and whether you think they would take you far. I love competing my horse but I know realistically I could only ever do it for fun/leisure.

 

[Equi]

One of my biggest regrets in life is not going to uni to do zoology because of my horse. I sold him a few months later and then because i didn't plan it i didn't have the grades. I'm now stuck in a dead end job and no prospects tbh.

 

[SO1]

Uni is going to be very expensive you will come out with debt of around 30K I expect. I think you either have to feel very passionate about the subject and therefore even if you come out of uni and can't get a job in the field you want at least you have enjoyed the learning experience and the subject or very sure that the degree you get will start you on the career path you want.

I am old enough to have gone to uni when there were still grants and only came out with 5k of debt and was able to pay that off fairly quickly, if I had known I would be coming out of uni with 30k debt I don't think I would have gone to Uni at 18 I think I would have tried to get some work experience in several industries so I would be knowing that the degree I was investing in was going to be useful.

Another thing you can do to make sure ecology is for you or even keep up to date with it whilst on a year out is to take advantage of some of the massive open on-line courses run by universities that are free - see link below

https://www.mooc-list.com/

I would say get the grades need to study the subject you want but then take some time out to assess what you want to do. There is a lot of pressure on young people to go to Uni at 18 straight after school but you don't have to go down the conventional route you can return to higher education later on knowing that it is the right thing for you to do and an investment in your future career.

I would suggest seeing if you can get a WP position with a SJ and asking someone experienced and honest to evaluate your potential after a year to see if you have what it takes after you have had exposure to training. During this time I would also if you could do some of the MOOC's in ecology to keep up to date and would help keep you in the study mode too.

I would also consider your choice of degree as if you do want to work with horses then you may end up running your own yard or SJ business and having to deal with owners, sponsors, and customers so business and people management skills may be useful or a combined degree if such thing exists as ecology and management or something similar.

 

[Orangehorse]

Lots of people get a place at uni and then defer for a year, both my son and daughter did this, and just the life skills of earning and having to look after yourself and be an adult rather than a school child helped them enormously.

Although a degree doesn't mean that you walk into a well paid job, as happened years ago, a degree is still necessary for very many jobs, and if you have it under your belt then it is a lot easier to do it when you are young, rather than older.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Go to uni. I now seriously regret not going and getting a decent career. I intended on taking a year out before going to uni, got a job in racing, loved it, time flew by and before I realised it 3 years had gone by as had my chance of going to uni. 10 years down the line I am earning £19k a year (which is a stupidly high wage for a horse job! Trust me on this one!) I work outside in all weathers, do masses of overtime, I don't enjoy my own horses any more and see them as a chore and I am gradually, slowly but surely, saving up for a deposit on a house - which will take a bloomin long time!

If you take a year out don't forget or lose track of time! Horses will always be there but be realistic about your talent.

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Not meaning to sound horrible but do you have the money to compete at that level? All the entry fees, transport and training cost so much. Most young riders at the top have sponsors or a fair amount of money to fund their showjumping to get to the top.

I hope you do whatever makes you happy and only you will know what the right decision is for you. Plus, there's nothing to say you can't change your mind at a later date and go to uni in a few years if things don't work out

 

[amage]

I'll go one step further than the above poster and ask do you have the ability never mind the money? What level are you currently competing at, what experience do you have and what is your current horses capabilities? You need to be brutally honest with yourself about your own abilities....otherwise the whole question of uni vs horses Is null and void.

 

[GemG]

Take year out as you sound very undecided. Work during your gap and this will help you decide and give you valuable work experience that others with a degree might not have at the other end of a degree.

I would vote for uni ... But have a gap, as other posters suggested, you could try get a year working on a sj yard - a good one that may even offer you the opportunity for competing your horse too. You know where I'm going with this anyway. ... Good luck

 

[Nikki939]

I was in the same dilemmas you coming on 4 years ago. Didn't know what to do, was worried about letting my parents down etc. I was competing my mate at BE novice and she was 18 at the time so I knew time was running out.
I worked my ass off in school,got my grades, got into uni then 3 months before I was due to leave I jacked the idea in and went and became a working pupil taking my horse with me!
My parents were 100% behind me as my original idea was to take a year out then return to uni....I never did.
3 and a half years in im working as a competition rider with 3 eventers and I still sj my old girl (now 22). I am by no means a "top" rider but I am very happy and have some great horses to ride I also gained my BHS qualifications.
Please know this post is not to advise you against uni but just to let you know do what will make YOU happy. Uni will always be there, as will horses.
Sorry for such a long ramble on but I saw this and just thought, Yep that was me 4 years ago. Good luck!