Over the years, everybody that applied for employment with me wanted to become a trainer. They wanted to ride horses when what I really needed were stall cleaners, grooms, bookkeepers, groundskeepers, etc.
There are more opportunities for support personnel than trainers. If one can be an accountant, attorney, consultant, groom, groundskeeper, stallion manager, mare manager, veterinary assistant, etc, etc, one will always be able to find employment. A person will not be dependent on one breed or one discipline for employment.
Often I am asked how to get into the horse business. My question in return is to ask what the person is doing now in his 9 to 5 employment. For some reason, people think that you have to be a trainer or own a big horse facility to be in a horse business. The average person can take his skills and education and have a business that involves horses and horse people.
People are constantly searching for attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, real estate agents, and business consultants to answer their questions and aid in the planning and managing of their horse business. They need landscapers, carpenters, plumbers, leather repairman, and office help to maintain and run the business.
In this age of specialization, I would caution you that it is better to know a little about a variety of jobs and to know one job very well. Why? When one is looking for employment with an employer, if you have knowledge of many things and how they are done, you may be employed even if the position does not involve your area of expertise.
A person who has professional training in any of the previously mentioned fields can increase their income by adding the horse industry to the areas they service. The horse industry is the same as any other business with few exceptions so one can utilize their training in their particular field to not only increase their earning potential but to be involved with horses and that lifestyle.
If one is really dedicated to becoming involved with horses as a trainer, a person must be willing to pay their dues. The community is not closed but the people who make their living with horses know how demanding it is. If you want eight-hour days, forty-hour workweeks and two-week vacations every year, this is not the place for you. If you want to start at the top, that won’t happen.
You will clean a lot of stalls, groom many horses, and get to ride some very tough animals before you get to do what you want. And along the way, you will wonder if it is worth it. That is a decision you must make.
On the other hand, if your parents or yourself have determined that advanced education is needed before you enter the horse industry, I commend you. Too often a person gets caught up in the doing and forgets the planning. If you are a trainer, and a horse injures you, what would you do if that were all you knew? The same applies to the other jobs that we commonly do around horses.
A personal note. When I was training, boarding and breeding, some of my clients asked me what I would do when I retired. They were of the opinion that horses were all that I knew about. That was fine with me because I knew that I could do other things and still be involved with horses. Now they know too.
Many of you have pleasant memories of working with horses when you were young. And now you are older, you have a family, your day job provides you with a comfortable living but—-what you really want to do is to be with horses. You want to recapture that feeling you had when you were young. You will buy a horse for your children and then try to relive your experiences through them. Or, you may buy a horse for yourself and then become disenchanted because it is not like the horse you had when you were young.
If one would first look at what his current employment entails then research to see if it can be adjusted to be of use in the horse industry. I think that you would be much more content and happy especially if you are successful in your career now and able to add your love of horses to the mix. A person would have time to develop their horse business while maintaining their current lifestyle with your day job.
There are many opportunities to participate in the industry. A stable owner or trainer would welcome someone to do their billing every month so they can do what they do best. If everything got billed that should be most of us would make more money than before.
If a person wanted a hands on position, you may want to be a groom responsible for the care and grooming of several horses. Don’t take offense if the owner of the barn or trainer wants to feed the horses, we just want to know how they are doing. But most of us would rather be on the horse than getting him ready to ride.
The average horse business owner does not know how much trouble they are in until the IRS or the process server shows up at the door. If you have a legal or accounting practice just educating those people will help you and them immensely.
Most horse people are looking for a property to put their horses on or to start their business. A real estate professional who has an interest in horses and takes the time to develop a reputation in the horse community can significantly increase their income.
Almost every occupation and business can be involved in this very exciting and challenging business. The decision is up to you.
Mr. Bain has been a horseman all his life and a professional trainer since 1955. He is an owner and breeder and has been employed as a breeding and stable manager. His intent on writing these articles is to educate horse people on how to operate a successful horse business. You may contact him at MRBAIN@msn.com with your questions and comments.
Also, look for his upcoming book
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