Who on here used to work professionally with horses?

[Cortez]

Almost 50 years working professionally with horses, got several qualifications from different countries, including BHSAI. Ran a stud farm, competed internationally FEI level (dressage), ran a riding school, briefly with liveries (never again!), coached a bit, most recently trained display and film horses. Got a bit broken and beaten up along the way (not by film horses), retired after my husband died in late 2019. As of last week I no longer have horses.

ETA - did half of a veterinary degree, couldn't handle the maths, and really only wanted to ride the horses anyway....

 

[humblepie]

Only in an unpaid way. Event/teaching yard where I did BHS exams and a summer for an Olympic eventer. Was on paid gardening leave from another Job. Both were great fun but not really working.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

You undersell yourself and past achievements ?

Err, well, I did list some stuff and re read it ? looked too much there so edited x

Forgotten more than I've learned...

 

[J&S]

I was a freelance photographic stylist, working for top photographers and magazines, then an antique dealer specialising in Asian textiles and vintage clothing (real vintage, not 20 yr old Laura Ashley!) From 50 - 70 was a Group Instructor for RDA. Took Stage 2 BHS , (what a horrid lot they were!) but declined getting to be a full instructor as it was just too time consuming. Now have a little part time job to help pay for the two riding ponies I keep at home.

 

[maggiestar]

I've worked in various riding schools as a mucker outer/groom/general dogsbody. It was flippin' hard work and miserable in winter! I couldn't do it nowadays although I do miss those special moments with the horses and I treasure my memories of them. I'm a blue badge tour guide now

 

[planete]

I got my first job with hunters when I ran away from my first husband and got taken in by the owner, became a working pupil for a small eventing yard, met my second husband and left, worked in a NH stable, took people trekking in Wales, broke and worked an Ardennes mare to pull timber for four years, worked freelance with show jumpers, dressage horses and youngsters at a showing yard before taking a business studies course when I found myself on my own with a child to bring up and worked for the worst ten years of my life in an office in accounting. No equine qualifications. My best times with horses have been with my own and working with a classical rider, being taught on his horses in exchange for language tuition. I am not interested in working for other people and am non competitive, the one to one relationship with a horse and the endless learning are the attraction for me.

 

[spacefaer]

First job was covering the groom's day off when I was 13 of a local dressage lady who had her retired Olympic horse at home.
After school and travelling, went to Talland for a year and got my BHSI(SM)
Evented, taught, dealt, competed and produced horses for most disciplines.
Absolutely loved it but got burned out.
Got a job in an office and met my OH. Been producing young IDs as hunters ever since as an expensive hobby

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Left school at 16, full time working pupil at Patchetts EC. Got my AI as soon as I was old enough, then Stage 4 SM but left and went to work for a former Olympic dressage rider where the conditions were so awful, I left without going for my ridden Stage 4 after 6 weeks-taking a couple of other staff with me who were trapped there otherwise.
Various on/off jobs with horses, vet practices (small animal) and civi street before going off to Camp America after which I stayed in the US and worked not altogether legally ?. Came back and after a while went to work at a large equine hospital in Newmarket (they trained me up as a theatre nurse), left there to work at large TB backing and rehab/spelling yard.
Then went to university (full time access course due to lack of quals), BSc then PhD in microbiology-am currently a veterinary ectoparasitologist. Worked for a while as a freelance groom when between science contracts and also worked as a locum equine vet nurse at various practices down south when I was a student.

 

[stangs]

Then went to university (full time access course due to lack of quals), BSc then PhD in microbiology-am currently a veterinary ectoparasitologist. Worked for a while as a freelance groom when between science contracts and also worked as a locum equine vet nurse at various practices down south when I was a student.

Do you mind me asking how you got the BSc place without the quals? And did you need a Master's to do your PhD? I've been contemplating becoming a mature student eventually.

 

[Orangehorse]

I did a season for a private yard of hunter and point to pointers, got to go to Cheltenham to lead a horse round the paddock.

Decided that I would rather have my own horse rather than look after someone else's. I had a pony since I was 7, and we had our own field, so I went back to college.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Do you mind me asking how you got the BSc place without the quals? And did you need a Master's to do your PhD? I've been contemplating becoming a mature student eventually.

I did a full time science foundation course at the local poly/uni-so basically a 4y degree. I passed with a distinction and applied for a red brick after that. You do not need a MSc to do a PhD but you do need a high 2:1 in your BSc if you don’t. I always fancied doing a MSc last lol, to get the set but am priced out now.

 

[McGrools]

I did it in reverse. Worked in accounts till mid 40’s then couldnt bear the office job anymore so got my ukcc to teach. Did 4 years in a riding school, the winter weather ( no indoor) and poor overworked horses finished me off. Although i enjoy the actual teaching.
i have a few project horses at any time to bring on and play with. I love finding a horses potentai, love educating young ones. lucky enough to have land and a set up so that m horses can be as inexpensive as possible.
Currently doing part time yard work to fund mine, which i love until it just gets so physical that theres nothing left of me on days off!
Its a damn hard industry.
Changes have got to be imminent because the younger generation of staff are not going to put up with the shit that previous generations did.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Not sure it counts as professional but As a horseless teenager & university student I worked at an EC. Got some BHS qualifications but nothing particularly to write home about.

I did yard work again on weekends for a while to top up my first time office job wages after I bought my horse & when I was saving for a house deposit.

I'd quite happily never fill haynets again for 40 horses again ?

 

[ycbm]

17.5years in a racing yard later ...

I do need to get out but i quite simply don't know what I want to do instead. I do not have a single qualification to my name. Not one.

They don't pay well, but paid apprenticeships are open to people of all ages these days. Would it be worth looking at what's available in your area and seeing if anything grabs?.
.

 

[honetpot]

I used to ride for a small dealer, and left school in 1974, and got myself a live in job on a Connamara stud, where we also did hunter livery. I learned a lot in a very short space of time, I was going to do my AI, so started the theory and had lessons but quickly realised I was never going to make a good living out of it.
Went in to health care, I did think about going in the WRNS, and have been a nurse since 1981, which may sound boring but apart from hospital work, I have worked in schools, a prison, and a cruise ship, and I had a catering trailer. My shift pattern meant I could have a horse, ride, and have children and they could have ponies, so it was a good choice for me.
I went for Stage 3 training when the kids were at school, just to test my knowledge, and BHS coach training, but I would never want to work with horses. I did want to breed, but it's easier to buy in, so I buy a young one every few years to grow on.

 

[scats]

I have my BHS stages and my teaching. Did some freelance teaching at a variety of riding schools but never wanted to pursue horses as a full time career.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I was a typical teenager working at the local stables in return for the odd free ride (many years ago). Left school and got a 'proper job' with decent pay. Worked weekends at jumping yard, NH then P2P. Bought a yard and competed my own horses SJ also some breaking and schooling. Left proper job and now have liveries and coaching to finance my own horses.

 

[daffy44]

Started working at a dealing/competing yard (predominately show jumpers) when I was 13, backed youngsters and produced them for sale, also did a fair bit as a competition groom, groomed at HOYS, Olympia, Royal Windsor, Hickstead Derby, RDS, Millstreet Derby and most of the county shows. Worked in Ireland doing young horses for a bit, left horses and was a small animal vet nurse, then back to horses, worked on another SJ yard with stallions, more backing, more grooming, worked with an awesome horse that went on to win Olympic and European medals. Did an English degree to prove I could (stupid reason, but I did enjoy it). Did some more this time with eventers, groomed at two long format Badmintons, one European Championships (although it was at Blenheim, so not very exotic as at the time I lived abut ten minutes from there.)
More backing this time racehorses and natives, fell into teaching by accident, taught for a little while at a riding school while building up my own clients, ended up teaching and also grooming at a few 4*s, Blenheims, Hartpury, Bramham, Chatsworth etc. I now earn a living self employed teaching, and have competed my own horses to 1.35 sj, a couple of Intermediates BE, (scared me to death Novice was more my level!), and trained a couple of horses to competing GP dressage.

My CV is like a patchwork quilt and I'm very glad I'll never have to produce it for anyone every again, I've alternated and sometimes combined horses and non horse stuff in a very random way.

 

[pistolpete]

Worked at three different yards a hundred years ago! Bit of riding school trekking centre and general digs body. Got to stage three then gave it all up for twenty three years. Back riding now and wish I hadn’t stopped. I’d love another riding horse. Currently owner of retired Highland.

 

[spotty_pony]

Yes - I’ve done pretty much every type of horse work - including riding schools, livery yards, event/competition yards, polo and hunting. I’ve ran my own livery yard too. Done breaking in, schooling young horses, hunted for other people, taught lessons, took hacks out at the riding school. You name it I have pretty much done it. I also have my BHS stages to stage 4.

I still do freelance clipping, riding (sane horses only) and holiday cover. I also work as a courier ? for Hermes.

 

[Petalpoos]

I have never worked with horses, just paid a lot of money to own them!

What a fascinating thread though, I am loving all the insights into many of the regular posters.

 

[SEL]

I don't know about "professional" but I worked for rides for a dealer in my teens. I'm pretty sure they'd be on the dodgy dealer FB pages these days and I fell off a lot.

Late 20s I worked in Australia at a couple of places backing horses and taking holiday makers out on rides. Good fun but they paid me next to nothing.

Did a proper job in finance throughout my 30s and loads of overseas riding trips which was great fun. Offered a job taking rides out in Chile which I turned down because I had a mortgage to pay. Still kick myself about that one.

Bit of teaching at a local riding school about 8 years ago but it was winter nights, the electric kept going off plunging lessons into darkness and none of the horses were totally sound. So I got another (dull) job in finance which pays for my collection of 4-legged vet bills. Sometimes I regret turning down the chance to do my BHS exams but in reality the pay with horses is shocking and I'd rather have them as a hobby even if my day job is dull.

 

[Roxylola]

Worked in a good riding school which was also a bhs training and exam centre and a BD venue when I was there. Did my 2 and ptt and never got around to my 3 although I'm a bhs member again now and tbh it feels like unfinished business.
I was so lucky, while I was at the yard we really had some fab trainers holding regular clinics - Ian woodhead, Clive Halsall etc were there monthly at least. I taught children of racehorse trainers and BD judges to ride in most cases without ever truly realising who I was chatting and joking with.
I'd go back tomorrow but for the wages.
These days I'm about to change jobs and start working for a big firm of financial advisors

 

[nagblagger]

[QUOTE="Elf On A Shelf, pOut of working with horses completely. It doesn't pay enough and I want to enjoy my own. The winters get longer, colder and wetter every year ??[/QUOTE]

You can drive a lorry - why not develop that?
You have so much knowledge - could you teach the younger staff?

 

[BBP]

I worked as a dogsbody at a UK riding school/dressage yard and then pro groom on the US and Canadian hunter/jumper circuit, a groom and trail guide in South Island NZ, an event groom in North island NZ and then on Mark Todd’s racing yard during the eventers off season.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

[QUOTE="Elf On A Shelf, pOut of working with horses completely. It doesn't pay enough and I want to enjoy my own. The winters get longer, colder and wetter every year ??

You can drive a lorry - why not develop that?
You have so much knowledge - could you teach the younger staff?[/QUOTE]

If I do my hgv through the yard I am tied into a 2 year contract to stay. I can't afford to do it on my own. The trouble with the younger staff is they think they know everything already and are amazing so don't listen to a word anyone says to help them. It doesn't help that they are brought up that way now, nothing they do is wrong and only ever get praise not told when they are wrong. Plus I hate kids and I deem anyone younger than me a child ? ideally I would like to be paid to read books in a nice comfy armchair by a roaring fire!

 

[maggiestar]

You can drive a lorry - why not develop that?
You have so much knowledge - could you teach the younger staff?

If I do my hgv through the yard I am tied into a 2 year contract to stay. I can't afford to do it on my own. The trouble with the younger staff is they think they know everything already and are amazing so don't listen to a word anyone says to help them. It doesn't help that they are brought up that way now, nothing they do is wrong and only ever get praise not told when they are wrong. Plus I hate kids and I deem anyone younger than me a child ? ideally I would like to be paid to read books in a nice comfy armchair by a roaring fire![/QUOTE]
I totally get you Elf! If you love books then you could consider tour guiding. I became a blue badge guide and get custom from the UK and abroad. You can tailor tours to your own interests. Do you like writing? Writing kindle ebooks is a good sideline too. There was a time when I paid my rent by writing short fiction about the Tudors believe it or not!

 

[Shilasdair]

I might have.

Why?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Thanks all. Lots of varied and interesting equestrian backgrounds here.

I might have.

Why?

Nothing sinister, just a musing . As ever, no one should reveal anything that they'd prefer not to, for any reason.

 

[Horses_Rule]

Worked with horses since I was 14 at weekends on the livery yard I was on then went on to do my equine science and business degree at uni and worked for a dealer whilst I was doing that. Once I’d finished I left to run a big competition/ livery yard got fed up with that so went to be a international SJ groom got sick of being screamed at by brats so went to be an assistant manager at a well known equine store - HATED that so went into racing and that’s where I stayed until about 2 years ago when I damaged my shoulder ligaments one time to many and was told it was time for a career change. So now I drive trucks tippers to be exact and I love it. Nice warm and dry with the added bit of mud every now and again. Longish hours but I manage to get 1 done before work and 2 after but it does require 3:45 alarms some days but some days I can be done for 3/4pm . Good money probably x3 what I was on for horse jobs and for once I actually enjoy my horses and don’t see them as a bind. I do do a small stud yard on a Saturday morning with a friend and that gives me my additional fix ?