# College advice.. tough decision :/



## SunnysMum (Jan 22, 2012)

So Im currently in high school.. but im at the point where i need to start thinking seriously about college and my future career.. Everyone asks me "what do you want to do with your life" etc; the usual questions. But the only answer i have is "horses". I know, it probably sounds like a typical horse-crazy high schooler, not thinking about the later consequences (both positive and negative) of choosing horses as a full-time career. However, I honestly cant find anything else that interests me.. my parents want me to be super successful in life, choosing a profession as a doctor, or an anesthisiologist (sp..?) But I cant even begin to imagine waking up every day to work with/on people, and besides.. blood makes me almost pass out :? Im not exactly a people person.. I hate school, and count down the hours until i can escape to the barn. For the past almost three years, I was in training as a working student with a well-known trainer in my local horse community. In those three years, SO many different horses passed through the barn. We were faced with so many different problems (training and medical). I learned so much, found it so interesting, and devoted myself willingly to do the best for each horse. She took horses in for training and bought projects to train and resell. Thats how she made her living, and she was so happy doing it. THATS what I want to do. Ive thought long and hard about it. I probably seem incredibly naive.. but Im serious. Ive done some research on different colleges with equine teams/study programs. Id love to double major in horse training/instruction and buisness/farm management. Not worried about the amount of money ill make..just want to be able to do something that will make me happy. But id still like some input and advice..on if Im making a reasonable choice, and on the best colleges. Also on any other horse-related careers where I could have plenty of time to ride? I want to be able to take my own horse and compete in jumpers while Im at college. So far Ive looked at Lake Erie, U of Findlay, and Sweet Briar.. but not exactly what ive been looking for.. any help would be super appreciated  please understand im serious about this decision!


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

United States Equestrian Colleges Directory - O Horse! ---- heres a good tool to help find good equine/equestrian colleges...

all you really gotta do nowadays is google horse college and itll bring up lists of colleges and what kind of majors they have to offer....i personally am going to go to West Texas A&M because they have a really good breeding, and vet program. plus they have rodeo, show, and eventing teams so its a major plus for me. and its located in a good place for me to get a job on a ranch and i can afford to have both my horses there.....but thats also 3 yrs down the line when my contract with the army is up so i may change my mind!

but yeah theres that site and really just put horse college in and theres all kinds of them


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## racinmyself (Aug 2, 2010)

If you're going for not as expensive yet a down to earth program you might look into Murray State in Kentucky. If price isnt a concern I would say Midway Women's College. Don't count it out just because it's an all women's college. The campus is beautiful, if older, and the equine program is top notch from my understanding. I've toured the campus and looked into the college countless time. I would go if I could afford it. Depending on your personality you can also look into Stephen's Women's Colllege in Columbia, Mo. A lot of people, fun parties, and the barn girls are all pretty fun. Be prepared to work hard in the arena. But you have the opportunity to ride English, Western, Saddle Seat, and do Driving. Close to Stephen's is William Woods in Fulton, Mo. Smaller than Columbia but probably the better program of those two schools. Your dream isn't at all out there or silly or anything else that anyone could call it. I have had the same dream for years. I would be on my way to Murray this fall but I just had my dream job fall into my lap being a glorified stablehand, getting to ride world champion horses every day. I couldn't turn it down. Good luck to you! I hope you find the perfect college for you, don't be drawn in by programs that look good. Really see how much time the riders spend in the barn and how much they actually do in the barn. You don't want a barn that doesn't let you do anything for yourself. While that can sound fun after a hard day of classes you lose out of building any kind of bond with your school horse if you don't take your own with you.


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## Bennett (Dec 31, 2011)

Take a look at Earlham College. They don't have an equine major but they have an incredible equestrian program with by far the most opportunity for hands on barn work of any college. The barn is entirely run by students and it looks great on a future resume. You get a lot of experience riding, teaching, working with horses, doing barn work and their team H/J is pretty good.


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## BOOMcat12B (Jan 16, 2012)

Well I am currently a student at William Woods here in Fulton MO. I am majoring in Equine General Studies with a concentration in Therapeutic riding. Here is a link to the site that explains all that is offered here- WWU | Equestrian Studies

There are over 150 horses here between the three barns. There are 4 seats you can ride here- Dressage, Hunter/ Jumper, Western, and Saddle Seat. There are riding classes, horsemanship classes, Barn management classes... You name it they have it here. It is a rather small campus which is really nice. The equine program here is one of the best in the country. If you have any questions feel free to ask me. But remember do your research and see what looks good to you.


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## IslandWave (Nov 25, 2009)

Take a look into doing an internship or apprenticeship with a trainer. I took a year off after graduating high school and decided to try it out. I wanted to see if I'd get burned out with horses. I found a barn that focused on my passion, which is dressage and jumped right in as an intern. Now I've been here almost two years and I don't want to leave! It's living, breathing horses all day, every day. They do training, breeding, selling, boarding, general horse care, camps/clinics, showing, farm management and the business side of things and I get to learn them all. It's a great start into the horse community and network, as my name is beginning to get out there, especially with the showing.

I have not experienced the other hand of going to college and taking horse-related classes, but the interning is very hands-on and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I found this farm using Google, but Equestrian Jobs and Staff, Horses and Horseboxes/Trailers for Sale and Equestrian Dating is one of the best places to look.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

horses are a hobby and the first thing to get kicked to the curb when things get rough. The job market is extremely small and tends to go to family members that already own land. Youd be much better served by getting into a lucrative job field with high demand. Then you can enjoy your off time and have money to spend on your own horse. Look real hard at transportation, medical, and IT, maybe advanced service. Nothing wrong with hating people and being in the medical field. From my experiences most medical people do hate people , or you would think they do by the way they treat you. But there are other things than medical. Take a hard look at future job growth, expected salaries and best bang for the buck in education.


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## littleredridinghood (Jan 5, 2012)

I go to Stephens in Columbia, mo. I do the equine assisted therapy major. I love it here! It's like becoming a member of an amazing family. The teachers really care about you, class sizes are small. Like an earlier post said before, be prepared to work in the arena! I wouldn't want to go to any other college in the world!


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## missnashvilletime (Dec 20, 2011)

I'm at CSU  maybe you could look into it too? I'm not an equine science major but they do give them a lot of opportunities. I want to take the colt training class they offer, they get colts and fillies donated from ranches like the four sixes, pitchfork, etc to train for the semester and then sell at the "legends of ranching" sale.  I'm an animal science major and I love it! I came here for that stuff though, I'm originally from AZ. Good luck!


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## missnashvilletime (Dec 20, 2011)

Joe4d said:


> horses are a hobby and the first thing to get kicked to the curb when things get rough. The job market is extremely small and tends to go to family members that already own land. Youd be much better served by getting into a lucrative job field with high demand. Then you can enjoy your off time and have money to spend on your own horse. Look real hard at transportation, medical, and IT, maybe advanced service. Nothing wrong with hating people and being in the medical field. From my experiences most medical people do hate people , or you would think they do by the way they treat you. But there are other things than medical. Take a hard look at future job growth, expected salaries and best bang for the buck in education.


This exactly why I wanted to do animal science!! Nobody wants to get rid of their food! But horses? Yeah :/


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## skittlesfirehawk (Mar 5, 2011)

just like you thats all i could say then i crunched the numbers and id be living check to check and thats no way to live so I'm now going into the family business which is owning a bar so i will be able to live comfortably


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

No to Midway. Program is a joke, to be honest. Went there (not for equine) and observed what students they graduated. Ehh. Less than impressed. Needless to say, I transferred.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I totally understand wanting to make horses a career. BUT as someone who makes her living with horses, I'd strongly suggest a backup plan. I have Mgmt & Finance degrees as well as investment rep (stock broker) licenses to fall back on should I ever need it. I worked for several years at a wall street based firm and trained horses part time. After my daughter came along I gladly left the corporate grind and went to horses full time to allow me to be a stay at home mom. Best decision ever. The money, not even comparable but I make more than enough to cover overhead on a pretty nice farm and a little extra in my pocket. Doesn't hurt that my hubby has a good job as well and he funds our retirement, vacations & mad money  I could get by fine on my own without his income but I would be making do with a lot less. There are still some days that I think it would sure be nice to have those big paychecks again but then I remember that I'd have to wear a suit everyday, so I gladly pull on my boots and get to work :wink:

Just do your research and decide what you can & can't live without. Being on your own doing the horse thing, you will more than likely be giving up quite a bit until you get established. It's all about what sacrifices you are willing to accept to follow your dream.


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## amateurhorsetrainer (Jan 19, 2012)

MHFoundation Quarters said:


> It's all about what sacrifices you are willing to accept to follow your dream.


That is so true. I commend you for following your dream. I definitely say get the college degree...double major in something non-horsey if possible; business, psychology, biology would all help you with horses/horse training, but have applications outside the horse industry as well. Tough world out there, and if your backup plan allows you do stay afloat financially, at least you can continue your horsey habit. It would be sad if you didn't make it with a horse career, and were then too poor to have a horse. You'd be horseless AND broke. Get the degree, go for your dreams, and have a backup plan that will pay for your horses!


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## TomaselloCM2075 (Feb 15, 2012)

Check out Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, PA!!! If you're serious about turning your love of horses into a career, then I swear that's the place to go. Good luck!


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## train2win (Feb 20, 2012)

Not sure where you are located..but there is a college in Alberta called "olds" I've heard good things about their horse program there


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## VetTech2011 (Nov 3, 2011)

MHFoundation Quarters said:


> I totally understand wanting to make horses a career. BUT as someone who makes her living with horses, I'd strongly suggest a backup plan. I have Mgmt & Finance degrees as well as investment rep (stock broker) licenses to fall back on should I ever need it. I worked for several years at a wall street based firm and trained horses part time. After my daughter came along I gladly left the corporate grind and went to horses full time to allow me to be a stay at home mom. Best decision ever. The money, not even comparable but I make more than enough to cover overhead on a pretty nice farm and a little extra in my pocket. Doesn't hurt that my hubby has a good job as well and he funds our retirement, vacations & mad money  I could get by fine on my own without his income but I would be making do with a lot less. There are still some days that I think it would sure be nice to have those big paychecks again but then I remember that I'd have to wear a suit everyday, so I gladly pull on my boots and get to work :wink:
> 
> Just do your research and decide what you can & can't live without. Being on your own doing the horse thing, you will more than likely be giving up quite a bit until you get established. It's all about what sacrifices you are willing to accept to follow your dream.


This is what I was told when I wanted to do the horse-thing full-time as a career. You need to have a back-up plan, something to fall back on - especially because it can be tough starting out. If you don't have a spouce to help you, are you going to bring in enough to put away for retirement? Vacation? Supporting children? 

I ended up going to school for 3 years to become a veterinary technician. That was my back-up plan. I don't plan to continue with training horses but I do want to do trimming.


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## littleredridinghood (Jan 5, 2012)

The one thing I like about stephens college is our pet program. You can board your horse on campus, plus we have pet dorms so you can have a dog, cat, rabbit, etc on campus with you. Plus there is now a scholarship for fostering pets for 3000. Its a really neat program.


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## littleredridinghood (Jan 5, 2012)

Stephens College : Academics - Equestrian / Equine Studies


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## Hollywood (Aug 3, 2011)

I went to Findlay for a year and rode at both barns. The western barn is amazing! I would stay away from their English barn. It is bad news. You won't learn anything at the English barn. I know you are pretty set on working in horses for a career but you will be eating cat for dinner. .


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## Tapperjockey (Jan 2, 2012)

My opinion? Quickest way to get really sick of horses, is to work with them. 

Unless you are independently wealthy.. you get treated like crap by most people (customers, barn owners, etc), you work gawd awful hours, and you spend next to no time actually dealing with horses. 

I know.. it sounds like a great job.. working with horses. But really you don't. You work with people and have to fix a lot of their mistakes (and that's if you train, lesson, or sell). Working with horses has about 2% to do with how you are with horses and about 98% to do with your people skills and business sense. 

and 30-40 years later.. you are left wondering how the heck you are going to retire on the 700.00 you have from your last paycheck. You probably lived onsite at the barn, so you'll need a home.
My advice.. find your 2nd passion. Get a job and a career w/ some nice benefits (health insurance is good, retirement, etc). And then spend your money on horses. 

The sad fact is, the horse community is shrinking because of the economy right now. Less people are spending money. The few who can make it starting up, are getting money elsewhere (family/spouse, etc) or are working 2-3 jobs aside from the horse gig to make ends meet. It's not likely to get better soon. And even in GREAT economic times.. horse people are notorious for paying crappy wages, and no benefits.


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## IslandWave (Nov 25, 2009)

Tapperjockey said:


> My opinion? Quickest way to get really sick of horses, is to work with them.
> 
> Unless you are independently wealthy.. you get treated like crap by most people (customers, barn owners, etc), you work gawd awful hours, and you spend next to no time actually dealing with horses.
> 
> ...



This differs so much from person to person. I did this internship to find out if I would get sick of horses. And you know what? The exact opposite has happened. I am even more horse obsessed than ever before and I'm going on working here for two years!

The hours are long, but not impossible. Yes, you will have a very small social life, but it won't be non-existent.

I think the keys to making a modest living in the horse business is having years of experience working with both horses and people, location, and a good work ethic.

All I know is that I love this life. I know it sounds wiser to have a more secure job and have horses as a hobby on the side, but I don't see that working for me. I have to love what I do to be motivated and to work to the best of my abilities. I would only give half of my potential, or perhaps even less, with for example, an office job. I can live without the extras in life if it means I get to wake up and go to bed loving what I do.


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## Tapperjockey (Jan 2, 2012)

IslandWave said:


> This differs so much from person to person. I did this internship to find out if I would get sick of horses. And you know what? The exact opposite has happened. I am even more horse obsessed than ever before and I'm going on working here for two years!
> 
> The hours are long, but not impossible. Yes, you will have a very small social life, but it won't be non-existent.
> 
> ...


I wasn't talking about the luxuries. I'm talking about the basics. Love of your job is important. So is paying the bills, and being able to afford to live. working with horses seems fine when you are young, Until you get injured. Most barn jobs don't cover insurance..and you are aren't able to earn your paycheck, even if worker's comp covers it (which most don't.. a lot of equine jobs try to gloss over that and say that everyone is "an independant contractor"). what if you sustain an injury so severe you can no longer work with horses? Do you have short term and long term disability? health insurance? 401k? How many trainers are still training when they are 50 or 60 or 70.. and it's not for the love of it. It's because they barely scraped by and now they CAN'T afford to retire. 

And it's not going to get better quickly. The economy isn't going to magically turn around in the next year. Between the droughts, the gas prices, negative equity.. people right now have A LOT less discretionary income than they used to. Most farms (breeding) are drastically scaling back.. and that's across the board for almost all breeds. If people are breeding less... less horses to train. A lot of shows are closing (again in different breeds). Entire farms have sold all their stock. Now is a great time to buy a farm though, if you are independently wealthy lol. There are tons in foreclosure.


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## Nitefeatherz (Jan 23, 2012)

I have to agree with Tapperjockey. Make sure you diversify enough that you have a backup plan in case working directly with horses doesn't work out. 

The manager of the animal hospital where I work had to quit what she had been doing training and riding horses for a living because she was injured badly enough that she couldn't continue and had to switch careers.

Now imagine that happens to you which is a possibility since horses are large animals and injuries, serious injuries, can happen. 

Now imagine that you have all those student loans to pay back- with no income and thousands of dollars in medical bills. (And for the record- you can declare bankruptcy with medical bills- you can't do that with student loans.) The last time I fell I needed over $40,000 worth of orthopedic surgery to be able to use my hand normally again- but luckily it was covered by health insurance. If you don't work at a place that allows for health insurance you are taking a risk- or will be forced to pay a premium for health insurance. (Health insurance in my area if you pay for it on your own is $1000 a month.)

Do what you love- you'll be the better for it- but make sure you have yourself covered at the same time. Have a backup plan.


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## Charmonix (Feb 20, 2012)

I would highly suggest getting a working student position or a barn job of some sort for a year. I felt the same as you did, and after high school I took 3 years off and worked with horses. I LOVED working with the horses, but realized I would never be a good enough rider to get to the level that I personally wanted because I just didn't have the money or the talent. Also, it is ridiculously hard to deal with clients and bosses who treat horses and do things differently than you and have no say at all... In smaller things, not so bad, but in dangerous situations or in the case of using lame horses or not rehabbing horses correctly, abusive situations, etc, it can really wear you down, and I was constantly stressed out about paying my bills and not having enough money and working way more hours than I was getting paid for. 
So, I went back to school so that I could get a job that I can work at and make enough money to enjoy horses later in life. And for me, I think that will be enough. Right now, it is really hard to deal with being in school and not living, breathing, and thinking about horses and running a barn, but in the future for me, I know that I can work horses and do whatever I want with a job that is dependable etc. 
That said, if this is your dream and you want it, it is still a good idea to try it out for a year getting paid instead of paying for a program at college you might find out you don't like a couple years down the road. I know how hard of a decision big life choices can be though, so good luck with deciding!


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## l8rgator (Apr 22, 2011)

*My horse business thoughts (not so much horse career thoughts)*

I have a slightly different perspective. My husband and I own our own business, but it is not in horses (although we do work with horses also - we are full time pet sitters). So I'm going to answer from a "maybe you want to work for yourself someday, with horses".

I'm nearing 40, and looked into horse careers a few times now. I made up detailed Excel spreadsheets that mapped out time, expenses, and income. No matter what I came up with, I just could barely break even. And the work hours were nuts. Even then I still really want to do it each time, but then I read about all the other hassles - and wow everyone has a long list of things like dealing with crazy people to fixing equipment - and I know it is just impossible.

Having said that, I have learned a lot about running a business. The main thing I learned is you can't dip in one toe and see how it goes. If decide to go the route of running your own business (or being an independent trainer), you should dive in head first. Interning first, or working for others would be good. But if you take the leap into working for yourself, leap. Tons of businesses go under because they didn't invest either enough time or enough money.

I went to college and got 2 degrees (computers and criminal justice) and did very well in school. Neither career worked for me. But I wouldn't give up the experience for anything in the world. 
It gave me 
- the confidence that I could do anything I want - including starting a business. Overcoming the challenges helped build my character.
- connections/networking with other people - ones that I carry with me today. I can seek advice, and it gave me a good reputation which helps with whatever business I do next. 
- social skills. It taught me how to communicate with people on a more professional level. Like adults. With a good vocabulary. Especially helps since I'm a small women with a voice like a 12 year old.
- drive to complete things.
- a chance to grow up.
- something to put on my resume. My clients think much more highly of me because I have degrees - like I'm more trustworthy. Even though my studies had nothing to do with pet sitting.
- Accounting & math skills.
- Computer skills
- The opportunity to try out multiple fields, learn about different career options, and change my mind - alot.

But the absolute best program I finished was a Home Inspector course. I didn't feel qualified to be a home inspector (even though I passed the state test and was licensed) at the end. But it was 90% about how to market a business. And with that information I started a successful pet sitting business, and then we started a second business that sells information about starting a pet sitting business. What's in that information? Tons of marketing advice. Marketing is the key to ANY business, in my opinion....

So if you are serious about having your own business some day, I'd highly recommend going to school for at least 2 years and take classes or major in marketing, communication, and business. These will be awesome skills to have when you are ready to start a horse business. And if you finish a degree, you could even work at a different career first, save up some money and build up a great credit rating, and then get a good start on a horse business (investing in your own barn, horses, equipment, etc). You'll be able to dive in then, and financial concerns won't hold you back.

I'd also say don't give up on your dreams. When you have a job you love, it's like you aren't working at all.


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## OuttatheBlue (Dec 8, 2011)

I'm a freshman in college this year, trying to determine a major for this year when I'm (hopefully) going to a larger college in Wyoming. The college I'm looking at has an equine business degree that I plan on majoring in. After I complete that degree, I would go back for the horse training degree more of for me than my career really. This way I could have a job that provides a steady income and keep horses in my life too.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I kinda agree with all of the posts here. You REALLY need to research and do the MATH. JoeD is right--there is currently a nurse shortage and if we're LUCKY and Obamacare is struck down, IMO nurses are going to become even MORE in demand. For instance, WalMart is thinking about opening up Triage at their super-stores. They would hire nurses, NOT doctors.
Consider how much money you will need to borrow and how quickly you can pay it back.
Youngest DD is currently in her first year of Law School. Her undergraduate$ is almost paid off. She is looking NOW for a SA or PD job here or in another state that hires in those offices and offers Law School debt forgiveness in exchange for a certain # of years working in public law. She is also planning on taking the Bar for multiple states. I'm sure the ND will be one of those states she'll be eligible to practice passing these. 3% unemployment is VERY attractive.
_OTHERWISE, just getting a job is a pretty good idea._ ALL of my daugthers started working at 16yo. DH and I refused to pay for their driving insurance. My eldest will be 32yo and now has a resume with a work record for 1/2 of her life. She is a retail store manager but looking for something else bc her company is about to implode. Since she's worked at only 3 other jobs, those are the recommended 3 on her resume. You are more marketable with a degree, true, but also you are more marketable with a WORK RECORD.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

If you like horses, you are going to need money. I think that Joe4D had the best idea. The horse industry is rocky at best. 
Go to nursing school, law school, medical school...........
Then you can afford to be involved with horses.


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