# What to do with an equine management degree/certificate?



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Gah! Stupid smartphone. Posted before I'd written anything.

Anyway, I just turned 30 and I've been thinking about what I want to do with my life, rather than working a series of dead-end jobs that I don't enjoy. My dad is forever telling me: "Find a job doing something you love and you'll never work a day in your life."

So, I started thinking about what I love to do and horses were the first thing to come to my mind. I've loved horses since I saw Man From Snowy River for the first time when I was three-years-old. Add to that my best friend bugging me to do the equine management program at our local community college, and it's got me thinking.

However, what could one do with an equine management degree?
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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Theoretically, manage the business side of a barn (sport or breeding).

May I recommend taking business classes, though. Having good accounting/bookeeping skills, coupled with excellent writing skills, plus a well rounded background in literature, history, etc., seems to be more valued by horsemen than the equine mgmt degrees. 

Plus it will apply to other fields should life for you change. 

If you want, you can take coursework specific to horses as electives, too.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I'm one class (three credits) away from my associates in general studies. I was actually planning on getting my small business entrepreneurship certificate. Also, I am about two hard semesters away from my BA in English lit. So, other than the business part of it, I already have.
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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Equine studies programs can be great, but only when combined with some real-life horse business experience. 

If you're looking for a barn manager type of job, the person with no certificate and lots of practical experience will be hired over the certificate and little/no experience every time. Someone with both the formal education and the horse business experience will be the top pick. 

So if you decide to pursue this, also be looking for an apprenticeship or other work opportunity that you can use to bolster your skills.


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## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

I would recommend summer camp barns, dude ranches, and places that offer riding on the beach. Pretty much anywhere touristy that people will pay to ride horses at!


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I searched "equine management". in indeed.com a job search search engine that searches other job listing pages. Didnt see any jobs nationwide looking for that degree. The equine management jobs were seeking people with marketing, sales rep, customer service rep, and medical back grounds.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Many barns won't post job openings at traditional job boards, just throwing that out there. 

Running a lesson program or some kind of rent a horse place would be good options. I've not heard good things about equine management degrees in terms of practical knowledge
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## Fulford15 (Oct 17, 2012)

I know with Olds College in Alberta, if you get your Equine Science, Management, Breeding, Coaching, and so on, degree that you have job opportunitys handed to you after. 
Mind you, it is a very big, well respected around the world college, but I went to one of their seminars and was told that big name barns all around the world have opened positions just for that college.


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