What should I go to school for?

[SarahFair]

Quote:
Ive thought about starting small and going to school to learn things like farrier work.
I know its going to take years and years to reach where I wanna go. Itll probly be my lifes work once I do reach it.

 

[gaited horse]

Quote:
universty of montanna western has degree in natural horse manship

 

[SarahFair]

Quote:
universty of montanna western has degree in natural horse manship

Ohh I tried out Natural Horsemanship and really did not like it at all. I rode this ladys horse for her and it was trained in NH. I was raised hunter/jumper and to her the only thing I did right was sit in the saddle. (But they dont use saddles, or reins, or anything but sticks and weight)
All that lady ever did was confuse me. Everyday it was something else..

I stopped riding the horse because of horrible habbits it had while riding.

 

[gaited horse]

Quote:
universty of montanna western has degree in natural horse manship

Ohh I tried out Natural Horsemanship and really did not like it at all. I rode this ladys horse for her and it was trained in NH. I was raised hunter/jumper and to her the only thing I did right was sit in the saddle. (But they dont use saddles, or reins, or anything but sticks and weight)
All that lady ever did was confuse me. Everyday it was something else..

I stopped riding the horse because of horrible habbits it had while riding.

You will use a saddle in this program because riding like that is at a very high level

 

[lotzahenz]

I live in Lexington, supposed Horse Capital of the World. You must come next year to the World Horse Games. I think you should follow your passion and get an Equine Management degree, offered here at University of Kentucky. There are several schools here that offer that though, and we have Equine Hospitals and Equine Therapy Barns, and Equine Ambulance and many many riding schools as well as a Horse Park. You can get internships at some of these, and many of our area Horse Farms offer scholarship programs and boarding. Many schools allow you to Good luck with your choice, it will be hard to narrow it down to just one. There is Equine Nutrition with some of the big companies too, or riding instructor. Hunt Seat and Saddle Seat are both real big here in this area, oh, so many options. KY HenZ

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yeah, but that's where jobs start out

If you are willing to start out mucking stalls and grooming and feeding and doing turnout, and be a working student and pick up progressively more lessons and rides as time goes along, that would be the best thing. That is a pretty traditional and reliable (if not super fast) route to getting good jobs int he horse industry.

If a person is *not* willing to invest some time starting out in a job that involves mainly mucking/turnout/etc, then the horse industry may not be the best place for them anyhow...

I want to learn to train horses. Do they not have schools for that?

I'd really suggest NOT going to "a school" to learn to train horses. There are of course a variety of colleges that offer degrees with that sort of name on the piece of paper, but you honestly do not learn much and it does not make you very hireable in the real world after you've spent all that money and time.

What makes you hireable is to have worked with one or more good trainers, probably starting off as a working student (i.e you are not generally paid, or if you're lucky you get some sort of room provided or even room and board). That is the "school of the real world" that will TEACH you things and GET YOU somewhere

As long as you are willing to work very hard, behave yourself in a pleasant and reliable manner, and not shrink from starting "at the bottom" or near to it, you should be able to find a position like that to get you started.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Good Post Patandchickens!

And I do remember hearing CA say all his apprentices start out muckin stalls and doing the dirty work.

 

[Cara]

Something else to bear in mind, real life experience and contacts are far more important than a piece of paper in the horse industry. Training horses has far more to do with instinct and experience than it does book knowledge. Would I hire a trainer that's just graduated? Probably not, I don't know how good their teacher was. Would I hire a trainer that has done a good job for a friend? Absolutely.

Some of our best horse trainers probably wouldn't graduate from college, they'd be too busy looking out the window

 

[SarahFair]

Im deff more of a hands on person than I am a book person.
In fact I would probly fail at school..
I was too busy day dreaming. Im just having problems trying to do the unpaid hands on experiance due to having children.
I couldnt afford to put my one not in school in day care with only my SOs income..

Thats why Im kinda spinning in circles now on what to do with myself.

 

[ametauss]

Here in KY there's a program that helps pay for school for large animal vets.... You would not believe how few LAV there are...

I fear getting a horse for not being able to get a LAV to treat it...

As it is my local Vet will see my goats but I have to bring them to him....

It is a Sad day when you have to think beyond today to your future.... I remember that day and believing that I was making a lifelong choice... Don't worry some 20 years after making that decision, I've changed careers, and married twice and had two beautiful kids.... Life happens, just try to choose something that you like... You may never own a horse of your own but you may work and be able to ride everyday depending on what you choose.... There are horse mounted police officers, there are horse inspectors, working on a horse ranch as a ranch hand.... think out of the box and find a way to be around your beloved animals....

Good-Luck