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What's it Like to Work With Horses in the Horse Industry

A. The limits of this discussion

No clear-cut line exists between careers that involve horses and careers that don't. Although a person who earns a living by training horses certainly has a career in the horse industry, it is also true that a person who sells western wear and a travel agent who books equine vacations are also associated with the horse industry. This article focuses primarily on careers that are directly associated with the horses themselves, but the reader should keep in mind that there are ways to be associated with the horse industry that are not covered. A variety of generalizations are made here. As with most generalizations, many exceptions can be found.

B. The basic character of the horse industry

At its heart, the horse industry is an agricultural industry. Underneath the glamorous advertising and beautiful farms or businesses that the reader may have seen exists an environment that is closer to a family-owned farm than to a corporate giant such as General Motors or AT&T. Even the largest operations with multiple ownership retain many aspects of the small businesses that we associate more with Main Street U.S.A. than with the Dow Jones industrial average. Many potential employers who start or purchase horse-industry businesses do so because they like horses, not because they are primarily interested in succeeding at business or even making a profit. Many well-respected stables, farms, and ranches got started because they grew too big for the owner to handle alone. For the potential employee, this work environment has two important characteristics.

1. In most horse-industry businesses, the breakdown of labor is minimal. No corporate-style structure exists where separate departments handle sales, accounting, public relations, data processing, etc. People working with horses frequently wear lots of hats. For example, the owner may perform all of the administrative functions plus help train the horses. The trainer may handle breeding and sales in addition to training. Farm help may handle daily care of horses as well as maintain pastures and fences. If you are considering working in the horse industry, a broad background and the ability to perform many different tasks can be helpful.

2. Horse-industry jobs are frequently offered by people who have little or no experience in personnel management. Candidates for jobs with horses should NOT assume that a potential employer knows what they are doing, understands business, and understands how to hire and keep good employees. Many employers do understand these things, but many do not. Each opportunity should be checked out as carefully as possible. Once a job is accepted, the employee may have to spend more than the average amount of time "working things out" with the employer. The employer/employee relationship will evolve and change. It will have smooth times and rough times. Be ready to "work things out" one more time unless you are absolutely sure that no more progress can be made.

Except in a few places like Lexington, Kentucky, horse-industry employers are spread out all across the country, usually in rural locations, and not in large numbers in any one area. These factors provide special challenges for the job seeker. An ability to relocate easily is frequently an advantage, and uncovering the right opportunity can require greater than average amounts of time and expense.

C. Types of people that seem best suited to the work available

Given the fact that horse industry employers are spread out geographically, people who have a minimum of commitments that tie them down seem to be more successful overall. Children, financial obligations, or a spouse who works in a different line of work may make building a career in the horse industry more difficult or even impossible. Success seems to follow people who are willing and able to move wherever the right job is offered and people who have minimal financial needs. A few people do well in a single location and make high salaries, but they are the exception.

D. The role of college education

For the most part, a college education is not a requirement for obtaining work with horses. Most employers are primarily concerned with hands-on experience. A distinction should be made between the background needed to "get" a job with horses and the background needed to "do" the job after being hired. If you want to be a doctor, for instance, an M.D. degree (or the equivalent) is necessary both to "get" a job as a doctor and to "do" such a job. Because most horse-industry employers are essentially indifferent to equine-related college degrees, the dynamic is quite different with horse-industry jobs. College education may be one of the ways to gain the skills needed to "get" a job with horses, but it is by no means the only way, and it may not be the best way. The most valuable reference a candidate for employment can give a potential horse-industry employer is not a college degree but a reference from someone the employer knows, respects, and trusts. For instance, if your desire is to become a trainer, an apprenticeship with a well-respected trainer who will give you a good reference may be considerably more effective at "getting" you a job than a college degree, and it would certainly be less expensive. On-the-job training is very common in the horse industry. So-called "working student" relationships can be arranged to enable you to learn various types of riding, obtain certification as an instructor, gain barn management skills, etc.

College education has value, but it should be approached with an understanding of its role. A college education will do two things for you that the other approaches will not. (1) Broad-based skills such as writing, communication, and research are frequently a very important part of "getting" any job. If you are unable to communicate about your background and to research each potential opportunity properly, you will not get very far in any job market. Do not underestimate the value of knowing how to write a letter, speak clearly, be polite, be objective about a situation, and follow through on job leads. (2) The other advantage of a college education is that you may advance faster and move higher within the industry as a result of your education--even if the effects are not immediately apparent upon graduation. This may become more apparent over time. But remember: there is no guarantee that you will advance faster or move higher simply because you have a degree.

Consider all the alternatives. Be sure your area of interest is really an area where jobs are available and not just an area where the only possibilities are to teach or do research (unless that is what you want). One exception to these comments should be noted. A master's degree in Equine Reproduction can be an important step to becoming a breeding manager on a farm. It's not the only way to get there, but it is a good one.

E. The role of experience

Experience is where the rubber meets the road. Just as there is no substitute for maturity in life, there is little if any substitute for experience in the horse-industry job market. The experience does not have to be gained in a job context, nor does it have to be extensive. Many people gain experience with their personal or family horses, go on to get jobs based on little else, and move up the ladder through on-the-job training. People who know how to care for horses on a daily basis are in high demand. Skills like cleaning stalls, feeding, watering, and handling horses will qualify you for a stable help position. This type of work always needs to be done on a daily basis, and it is difficult for employers to find competent people willing to do such work day in and day out. This means that there is generally a lot of turnover in positions such as stable help and groom, and new opportunities are coming along all the time. Even if you have little or no background with horses, six months or a year of volunteer work at a local stable on weekends may be all the preparation you need to move into a paid position. As you move up the ladder, more specialized experience will be needed. As a rule, if you try to keep all your options open and be a "jack of all trades," you won't fare as well. It is best to decide on your long-term goal early in your career, determine how to get there, and go for it. As you work your way up the ladder, you will find that jobs are not only more specialized but also become more competitive. Because the vast majority of horse-industry businesses are smaller low-key operations, it is possible to arrive at a level of experience where most operations can't afford you and don't need you. This usually takes 20 years or more, but keep in mind that the career ladder does not keep going up indefinitely and that people with higher skill levels fit into fewer numbers of jobs.

F. The work environment

The work environment in the horse industry feels more like working "down on the farm" than in a "corporate office." This means that the hours are frequently long and irregular. Many jobs require that you be "on call" during much of your off time. Even at the higher levels, the work may require a great deal of physical strength and stamina. People with back problems or other physical disabilities may not be able to do the work required in many situations. Frequently, employers expect or even require that you live on their premises. This will restrict your personal freedom to a degree, and it may influence your ability to "get away from your work" emotionally. Travel can frequently be part of your job. Although this can add to the variety and excitement of the position, the demands put on you at horse shows, races, or events can cause stress. Work with horses can also put you outside in all kinds of weather, sometimes when you would give anything to be in an office behind a desk.

G. Compensation and benefits

Many people consider work with horses to be a fringe benefit in itself. Working with animals in general, working in a natural environment, working with your hands, being outside most of the time, avoiding the 9-5 world, working with the cycle of life-- these are all things that can be found in jobs with horses. These benefits are so popular that many people will take a cut in pay just to obtain them. Therefore, in comparison to many other lines of work, the horse industry pays poorly. Entry-level stable help and groom positions may pay between $150 and $250 per week plus a place to live, with utilities paid (sometimes). Upper-level positions of any type begin to drop off dramatically above the $20-25,000 per year level. Some positions provide for commissions on lessons or sales. Some provide incentives or bonuses based on wins or profits. The most common benefit is housing. Housing provided by employers varies greatly; it may be a barely livable room in the barn or a beautiful multi-bedroom home. In a few situations, housing may be available for a family even if only one person is actually working on the property. The most common arrangement seems to be a mobile home. Long-term employment usually involves time off. One day per week is the most common arrangement. Somebody or even everybody commonly works holidays. Paid vacations may be provided, but they are usually not more than a week or two. Health insurance coverage is not common, but it does occur. In some specialized types of work, such as at a summer camp, meals are included. Occasionally an employer will provide a vehicle for personal use. Work expenses are customarily reimbursed. Sometimes employees are given a "road fee" when traveling. A "road fee" is a set figure per day for meals and other expenses, and any expenses in excess of that figure come out of the employee's pocket. Retirement benefits are extremely rare.

H. Career building and the search for job security

If you've read this far and have not given up, you can see that there are many reasons to consider a career with horses carefully before jumping in with both feet. Ultimately, you will have to decide if you are sufficiently suited to the lifestyle and to enduring the special difficulties related to the work. It is hard to make this decision without actually giving the work a try. If you have little or no job experience with horses, it would be good to do some investigating. Talk to employers, and talk to workers. Find out what they think and what they are looking for. Find out how people in upper-level positions got their jobs. The answers may surprise you. Do some volunteer work on weekends, but make sure you work a full day to get the true impact of the workload.

If you have decided that you want to seek full-time employment, here are some things to remember. In the beginning, pick your employer more carefully than the job you will be doing. It is better to start out cleaning stalls for a well-respected, financially sound, established farm than it is to be called a "barn manager" in a backyard operation going nowhere. Pick an employer who is "people oriented." This will provide you with a better work environment, and the farm's customers will receive better treatment, which will in turn result in more business and a more profitable operation. Investigate each opportunity as carefully as you can. Try not to accept any job before interviewing in person with your potential employer at the place of business where you will be working. If you are hired, consider arranging for a trial period of 4-6 weeks after which you and your employer can assess how well the relationship is working.

Job security in any field is built by providing a service that the employer needs at a price that the employer can reasonably afford. Remember that you are selling a service. If you earn $250 per week and work for an employer for 5 years, your services have cost the employer $65,000. That is not "small change" in anybody's book. To build job security, continue to improve your abilities, spend time being sure that you understand your employer's needs, and be careful not to ask for salary increases that price you above your competition. If your employer can hire someone for less money than you, who can also do better work and with whom he can maintain a better relationship, you may find that your job disappears. Because many horse-industry businesses are not the sole or even the primary source of income for their owners, such businesses come and go at a somewhat higher rate than some other types. Even a top job may end unexpectedly, and job security depends on the ability to provide what future employers are looking for. If you specialize in an area that is in low demand, such as an off-beat training technique, and you must continually try to convince employers that your way is best, you may find yourself out of work much of the time.

Good jobs can be found and sound careers can be built in the horse industry. If you take the time to investigate carefully, are realistic about what you expect, and can provide what employers are looking for, you are likely to do quite well.