Equine jobs, what should I choose?

"Equine jobs, how do I choose my career?"

If you are searching for ' equine jobs' and don't know where to start, let me give you some insights;

Some women may only think of starting a small boarding facility, becoming an instructor or horse trainer for example. But there are a lot more equine jobs in the horse industry, that you may not have been familiar with.

Lets look at all the different types of horse careers

We can divide them up in several groups:

Horse jobs that require a higher education/university
Horse jobs that require college degree
Horse jobs that require little or no formal education
Horse jobs with a lot of hands-on experience
Horse jobs with a little of hands-on experience
Horse Jobs with daily interaction with horses
Horse Jobs with little or no interaction with horses

First ask yourself some important questions:

Are there equine jobs compatible with your current interests, hobbies and skills?

Writing, teaching, math, history, science, alternative therapies, art, travel, selling, researching, organizing, nature, indoors, etc.

Do you need more education?

Bachelor’s degree? online course? PhD? seminar? short course?Are you willing to invest time and money into your career?

Are you willing to volunteer?

Try and decide if this is the right horse job for you. Volunteering opens new doors. Make new contacts, network!

Know your strengths and weaknesses

Try to be an "A" student in what your strengths are instead of excelling in your weak areas. Just work on improving those a bit.

What qualities are employers looking for in an employee?

Ask employers what it is they look for in a perfect candidate, schedule a casual visit. Know what questions you want to ask. If you like that company, maybe you can get an entry-level or volunteer position and work your way up. Make a nice resume, even for a stall cleaning position, take pride in presenting yourself. Show up on time. Clean clothes, wash your car!

Off course you love horses, but do you have enough experience, knowledge and a good understanding of horse behavior?

Many women have idealistic ideas about working in the horse industry. Some just cannot deal with the reality or the tough demands (physical fitness) involving with horse jobs. It's not easy to lift a 100 pound bale of hay, for example.

Do you have practical experience working around horses?

Most equine jobs don't pay you to develop experience on the site. Employers expect you have it. Are you willing to work for free to get experience and gain knowledge? Some facilities may teach you in exchange for your time.

Are you allergic to hay molds, dust, and animal hair?

Can you handle seeing blood or an injured horse? Are you worried about chipping a finger nail or getting dirty? How about the smell of horse manure and pieces of hay in your bra? How about the outdoor weather conditions?If these things are a true concern to you, then look for horse related careers that will not put you in direct contact with the allergens and horses. The hands-on work is just not for you...

Does this equine job fit your particular lifestyle?

Does it require to change your life style? And, does it provide the income to maintain your lifestyle?Maybe you'll have to live in travel-trailer on a ranch at $ 7 per hour to do 'foal watching' at night. Or maybe you can make $50 + per hour as a veterinarian, but you'll be on call 24/7

Do you have a current job or skill that could tie into an equine career?

Can I keep my current career and still work in the horse industry?Maybe you have skills that could be used in combination with a equine job. This would be a very good way to enter into an equine career gradually. you don't even have to change careers in order to be able to work with animals. There are many valuable contributions that you could make to the equine industry. There are also many volunteer or supportive rolesthat need filled.

And what do your childeren and/or spouse think of this?This is an important question to ask if you already have a family but also if you are thinking of having a family. Equine careers usually demand extensive commitments. It can be very demanding and take away from family time.

(to be continued....)

There are so many possibilities! Here's a list of possible equine jobs and horse related careers.