# Advice.



## DixieMay1996 (May 2, 2013)

Okay, I'm graduating in June and I'm trying to figure out what my plan is. I have recently found a site: http://www.equinestudiesinstitute.com/prof_trainer.html
Please let me know it this is a red-flag page or a serious option. My goal and my dream is to have my own Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation Clinic in East Texas. If any of you have been or are familiar with this field of study, what major or certification did you achieve or need to achieve? The website I found is the certification of Horse Training. It can be earned in 2 years/24 months. There are the 10 required courses at $275 each and then you can choose 2 electives for another $275 each. The total comes out to $3,300. Better than college? There's not really a degree for what I want to do so I've just been planning on getting my certification.
Thank You!


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Go to a college that has a good Equine program, William Woods in MO is one or Stephens in MO also is another.

There are many colleges that have them, and that is going to be best for you in the long run.

Combining that with a strong business degree, so you can take care of the pennies so dollars take care of themselves, will help you in your life immensely.

You are at a crucial stage in your life at this point, and the choices you make now will dictate the life you lead. Choose wisely.

You can never have too much education, and the options for equine careers is amazingly varied too. 

I would stay away from online schools, especially for profit ones as from what I see, they are not putting people out there ready to begin a career. May not be true of all, but a brick and mortar school is going to be best, and those have many online courses too, and will best situate you to be successful.

For instance, ESMS | About Us

Speaking with a DVM there, can lead you to looking into studies to allow you to be in this field, which would give you the money to have a rescue/rehab more easily.

Horses at the very best of times are money pits. And doing rescue means you need deep pockets.

I am seeing rescue after rescue begging for donations to feed the horses. Why in the world anyone would do something expecting to survive on donations is beyond me, but it is apparently all the business plan most have.

And that is a losing way to do it.

At this point in your life, while you have no family obligations, is the time to further your education.


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

If you really want to run a rescue...

The horse stuff is the easy side, it's the business side that will fail in the blink of an eye.

Find yourself a really good business course - something wide ranging that covers finances, marketing, personnel, project planning. If you get these qualifications you will a) be more employable anywhere and b) have a fighting chance of running a rescue that doesn't go bust in the first year.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

This school is not accredited by anyone. They aren't real courses. You'd get just as much education buying a pile of books and reading them.

You should to to regular college. I would recommend a business degree or an accounting degree so you have something viable to fall back on or to do for extra cash. A business degree would help you with running a business - which is what a clinic is. Accounting would help with the taxes, especially if you go non-profit. If you like online schools both business and accounting are available online at very good schools.

While in school, try to work at rescues, therapy barns, or maybe with a rehab vet and get hands on experience. You could always get a 2 year equine degree after a business/accounting one.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

I'd skip equine college all together and put your money into a business (because that's what your going to be running) and English degree (your going to be grant writing like it no ones job). 

While you in school for business you can invest money in taking lessons or working under a good horse trainer. A degree in most things horse related are worth about as much as the paper it's printed on. I wonder how many top trainers and breeders hold equine science degrees.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Also, unless your independently wealthy, you'll probably need to have a second job to support your rescue. At least for a few years in the beginning. You may want to factor that into the plan/college.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

What does the certificate 'Professional Horse Trainer' mean? Where is it a recognised qualification? 

Of the people who are associates there is not a recognised qualification amongst them. There might be a lot of experience which, is what counts, but it all means nothing if the courses are not recognised by a national society.

I will go back and read more later, I find things like this interesting to find the flaws!


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

I don't know where in East Texas you are located, but my advice to you is to go to a real college. Sam Houston State in Huntsville, my alma mater( and greentree's btw), has an excellent equine studies program. Get a real degree from a real college.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Well, I wouldn't waste my money on any of the courses.

You can only learn so much from a distance, to really learn you need to be hands on and I am afraid that even the best colleges ( in the UK at least) have sensible horses for students to learn so, when they go out into the big wide world they are little better than novice when it comes to knowing how to deal with problems. 

As an employer I would rather take on an employee that has hands on rather than college experience, certainly not one who has learned over the internet!


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## DixieMay1996 (May 2, 2013)

Thank you all for your feedback! I will re-think the courses and stuff. I seriously can't thank y'all enough.


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## DixieMay1996 (May 2, 2013)

What degree do you think I should look into?


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

DixieMay1996 said:


> What degree do you think I should look into?


Business and English. 

I'd highly recommend you have a "real job" too. Which you may want to go to college for first (teaching, nursing, whatever). Then you can go back for business degree and launch your rescue. 

When all else fails, marry rich.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

What about vet technician? Or Emergency Services Tech (ambulance). Despite your warm heart to open a rescue, we are seeing too many being charged with starving the horses when the money started drying up and/or feed costs skyrocketed. That certainly wasn't the intention but that became the reality.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

Once again, I'm going to say-take it from a person that has a perfectly worthless college equine degree-don't bother!
Major in business with possibly animal science as a minor so that one way or another (with or without a horse business) you can earn a living! Learn how to write a business plan, investing, rules for non-profit enterprises and save every penny you can.
I will also say that the vet techs in my area make barely above minimum wage despite all of the training they have so you may be disappointed if you go into that. People who make minimum wage or barely above generally can't afford even 1 horse for fun:?


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

What is going to support you and this equine rescue? 

Stop thinking about this as a 'career'. You need to be married to an oilman like Madeline Pickens is before you can indulge in philanthropy. And even she wants to use taxpayer money.

I have never seen a professional trainer that graduated from a 'training program' of any kind -- much less one that is not 'hand on'. Professional trainers learn to train horses by training horses. Most that do not grow up riding, work as apprentices or assistants to good trainers. Most still end up part time trainers with a 'day job'. 

You need a 'day job' (a profession) to fall back on. Get that first and you won't be living hand to mouth on a shoestring. There is a reason that most 'horse rescues' qualify as 501 (3c) not profits -- they don't make a profit and many cannot even pay their feed bills. They only survive because of volunteers and donations. If you want to know how they are run, volunteer at one for a while. I do not know of any that are not struggling.


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## equitate (Dec 14, 2012)

Horse rescues usually fail unless the owner has unlimited money or lots of support of a couple of people that do. Going to college, get a useful degree, and if you want to learn to ride (and train) do it as you can afford to support it. But riding is not learned in a college program imho, it is separate skill.


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