Do What You Love – Making a Living in the Horse World

If your idea of combining horses and careers is limited to training or being sentenced to endless days of cleaning stalls in frigid or sweltering temperatures, think again. Not everyone has the ability to train horses, or the patience to be a riding instructor or barn manager.

But some of us are brilliant with numbers, natural writers or skilled artists. There are ways to use your strengths to your benefit and find an equestrian-related occupation that is ideal for your particular talents.

The horse industry in America is thriving and any thriving industry needs qualified employees. An economic impact study, a decade ago by the Barents Group of Washington, DC, found that the horse industry was a $112.1 billion impact on the U.S. gross domestic product – higher than contributions from the motion picture industry. Today, we find that the horse industry’s contribution is just as large.

Nearly two million horse owners existed in the United States in 2005 with another two million who actually ride. Together, they create an industry that contributes approximately $39 billion in direct economic impact to the U.S. economy. With a high aggregate net worth, these equestrians enjoy spending their money on their passion – their horses.

Additionally, the equine industry produces goods and services worth $25.3 billion and involves 7.1 million people needs employees to keep it running. The 1.4 million full-time jobs provided by the horse industry rank above employment numbers for railroads, radio and television broadcasting and gas and coal product manufacturing, according to the study.

So what are these 1.4 million people with horse industry jobs doing? Name a field and there probably is an equestrian need for it. From hands-on horse care positions to horse-related careers, there is something for everyone.

Working as a barn manager, instructor or groom will give you daily contact with these amazing creatures we find ourselves drawn to. Numerous ways to earn a living working directly with horses exists - teaching young children or adults how to ride, exercising racehorses, grooming for a professional rider, managing breeding operations or becoming an equine vet, for example.

As with any job, experience helps. For some time, there were few ways to discern qualified people with an adequate knowledge base from those who knew just enough to, at best, get by and, at worst, be dangerous. However, more colleges and universities across the country are developing equine degree programs, offering quality training, experience and validity for students once they graduate.

Having a degree or obtaining certification through a respected organization will set you apart from the pack. There are training and instructor certification programs available through the Certified Horsemanship Association, the American Riding Instructors Association, and with breed organizations like the United States Dressage Federation, for example. Several groups are now offering stable management certifications – a great way to legitimize your horse handling and care abilities.

Preparing yourself for the workforce with qualifications is an important step in changing to what is commonly referred to as the “emotional slavery” mentality in the horse business.

"People are expected to work with horses because they love horses, not because they make a decent salary that can support themselves and their families,” said Libby Dufour, a rider and former assistant barn manager.

Working a job you love should not mean living paycheck to paycheck without basic benefits like health care and vacation that employees in other industries receive.

Changing this attitude is one of the main goals of Equestrian Management, LLC, the operations and management affiliate of Equestrian Services, LLC, an equestrian land planning and design firm. They are always seeking qualified and certified candidates for the equestrian facilities they manage in an effort to end the high turnover rates found in so many equine jobs. Benefiting facility owners and staffs equally, employees work harder to create a better service for the owners to offer to their customers.

Also, do not forget the other and equally important side of the horse industry, where your job may not involve touching a horse everyday but your work can be instrumental in the way horses are cared for and viewed.

There are too many facets of the horse world requiring educated and skilled employees. Scratch the surface and you can see the multitude of opportunities fro photography to accounting.

If you never go anywhere without your camera, maybe a career as an equine photographer is up your alley. Are you a whiz with numbers? Large breeding farms and equine product manufacturers need accountants. Scientists can do genetic research and nutrition management. Attorneys that specialize in equine law also are needed.

As just one example of an unusual way to put your professional skills to use in the equestrian world, equestrian and landscape architects or land planners, would be ideal for a position with Equestrian Services, LLC where qualified personnel spend their days planning and designing equestrian facilities, communities and resorts. This is.

Whether as a marketing director for a breed organization or as a hunter/jumper trainer, there is a niche to be filled and an industry that is expanding.

* According to an American Horse Council 2005 Study.