Career advice- Equine degree?

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*Shantih*

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Nov 25, 2001
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Hi, :)

Just after some advice... I am thinking about what I'd like to do career wise.

Ok...I'm 24 years old..fed up of my job and thinking you only live once so might aswell make the most of it!
My interests lie in horses (riding, equine psychology and training), fitness, physiology, helping people/offering advice, countryside, nutrition, complementary therapies.

Any ideas/advice on what I could do? I need to be realistic.
Was thinking about maybe doing an equine degree of some sort? Any good degree courses out there? Eager to stimulate my brain and get back into studying again.

Or should I abandon my idea of working with horses and do something else...keeping horses as a hobby?

Thanks
 
the difficulty with working with horses is that they pay very very little, are exhausting, and if you want ot change again in a few years you have a big career gap to account for - most employers equate anything equestrian with patting ponies all day long, and have no idea of the transferable skills involved.
i have done it, and left as i just couldn't live on it - with qualifications equivalent to a-levels and running a business i was earning £7K a year. i did get ocmpeting, livery etc, but they don't help with cash to pay bills.

do some shopping aorund and looking at job ads, and see about slaaries - at 24 you presumably have commitments, rent, bills etc - personally i am not sure it works well once you move out from parents' house. no way i could have afforded to move out.
 
I graduated with an equine studies degree in 2002. Im 25 now and only just decided that i want to stick with horses after working in offices for 3yrs and going travelling for one year for a bit of 'me time'. I've thought long and hard about what to do... find a job that pays okay and be unhappy because im indoors all day and live infront of a computer?.. or... be outdoors and work with animals i love? (im a nature person at heart) well i've realised life is too short and i'm choosing the latter. Im going to be a working pupil to get my stages so i can teach. I dont know if it will be for me untill i try it, but at the moment the thought of going to work in an office all day is completely unfulfilling and i'm not getting any younger!

You dont know untill you try. I think an equine degree will give you a great overview of the whole industry and many different aspects of it, like breeding, training, nutrition, phsycology/behaviour, anatomy, disease... there is so much stuff that you cover its too long a list. It was good because it had alot of practical work along with all the academic side to keep your brain ticking over.

I knew a woman who was in her 30's when I did the course. I say go for it! But find out as much as you can about the syllabus of the course first because they may vary from college to college and its a good idea to check out their facilities too. When you know what they offer, you can then decide which subjects appeal to you and you'll be able to pick your course more carefully, but in any degree there will be core subjects that you'll have to study... its all in your favour at the end. The other option is an equine science degree.

Good luck :)
 
By the way, there are jobs out there like sales reps/ nutrition researchers etc which will pay well in the industry but it depends on whether thats what you want to do. If you decide to go ahead with a degree my advice would be to try and get a little part time job while you do it to help so that you dont end up with the maximum student loan. You may even need to stay with your folks to keep costs down.
 
Have you thought of studying to become a lecturer in equine studies of some sort. There are many divisions you could take and you would have an education qualification which would be a bonus, should you not enjoy the horsey side.
 
I did a degree in equine science and am now working in a call centre as it pays better than anything else I can find. There are nutritionists jobs out there but they all seem to want vast amounts of related experience.

If you do go for it I would suggest getting a part time job or summer placement with whichever company you would like to work for, even if its doing the filing or making the tea. They will get to know you and when you graduate are more likely to create a position for you.

Good luck, I enjoyed every minute.

Edited to say, I worked with horses for years, on a racing yard and with hirelings and I must admit to come home and then have to do something with your own is a bit like a bricklayer having to build a garage when he gets in. I enjoy my own horses more when I'm not kn**erd from doing everyone elses.
 
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Thanks everyone for your replies...much appreciated! :)

Interesting to hear about different peoples opinions and experiences.

Thinking I might get abit more exeprience first...this coming academic year (bit too late to apply for 2006 entry anyway).

The equine sports science (equine psychology) degree at Nottingham Trent uni looks quite good.

Anyone know much about that particular course?
 
It's not too late to apply... by 30th June. If you apply after that you go straight into clearing. I'm applying at the mo! :)
Good luck with whatever you do!
 
I used to work with horses but had to give up as I couldnt afford to. If I dint have bills etc I would still be working with them now but just cant afford to.

My advice to you is to look around-live in jobs are ok as you get evrything paid for but they dont pay great.

Good luck!
 
I did an Equine Studies degree at Warwickshire college. Since I graduated I've worked as an account manager for an equestrian wholesaler, as a claims advisor for an equine insurance company and am now involved with setting uup a new on-line and mail order equestrian retail company. There are plenty of jobs in the Equine industry that pay well and don't involve working on a yard.
 
Sorry to come late to this thread, but just want to add an employers perspective: Employees either support facilities or add to income.

Support employeees look after the business assets ie in the horse world ..horses. Typically they will have few qualifications on starting and will learn on the job. They are paid minimum wage eg £3 per hour for a straight out of school 16 yo to £5.05 for a 22yo who has hopefully 5 years experience of routine work...at a level akin to the senior factory worker who reports the machine is not working normally!!

Qualified teachers add to income. A good AI can teach weekly clients, an intermediate will attract basic career students and a competition rider/BHSI will attract horse owners/competitors and the serious advanced career student. The quality of their work and earning potential must be reflected in their pay and of course must be supported with the right 'business assets'

Unfortunately most university students come into the industry at 21/22 unqualified to teach ( ie uninsurable) and overqualified to do 'boring' yard work.

I would happily and do pay a new Intermediate Level Instructor with degree the average graduate salary of £15000 as they can earn this and more and certainly would not waste my money on them doing basic yard work... although when problems arise we all have to be hands on.
 
I'm currently doing a degree in Equine Sport Science. Before deciding on an equine degree, I did a lot of research into the pros and cons of doing one and found that the science degrees as opposed to the equine studies degrees are more easily transferrable to non-equine areas.

If you want to study & learn about horses, then I would go for it & do an equine degree as you gain a completely different insight into the horse world.

Good luck in your decision making :)
 
Have you thought about training as a chiropractor or osteopath? That would seem to fit your interests, and although you have to train with humans first and do an extra course for animals, you'd then be able to work with either or both - one of the ladies who treated my horse also treated me! Most of the practitioners around here (if not all) are working for themselves, which also has it's advantages if you want to fit in competing or anything... A lot of people find it easier to go to appointments in the evening, so you could arrange your diary to leave daytimes free, especially in the winter.

Ross
 
Im about to start my final year doing an equine studies degree at warwickshire college, and as part of that course ive just done a year out in industry earning decent money working in a saddlery and have loved every minute of it and im sad to be leaving soon!! it has really opened my eyes to the horse industry and there are well paid horsey conected jobs out there and i know what i want to be heading into when i finish next summer. Im really glad ive done the year out too because ive got some experience to put on my C.V.
but i agree with jowyles look on the ucas website as it will list all the equine courses available and what they involve and then you can look at the colleges websites and see their facilities and what they have to offer for the students.
 
so you going to warwickshire college in september then?? Are you living in? or taking horses? i just finnished my ND and i'm going back to do a foundtion degree.
 
hey Equine_Student, yup i will be returning to sunny warwickshire for the last time to complete my degree, ive applied to live in jubilee hall and will hopefully be bringing star along for the ride aswell!! i think he may have even missed the place!!
 
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