| I wish someone would offer me an opportunity to apprentice to a
vet (equine, of course!). Or, maybe even better, to a famous trainer
whom I admire.
DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RE #2: Good idea, for the practical side of us all.
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| I would try it if you could get a leave of absence so you have a
way back to the TECHIE world if you need it.
(And you need to consider if you can make enough to make up the
difference in insurance, vacation, and a biggie--RETIREMENT--
benefits. I know several "aged" trainers who will have to keep
training forever or starve.)
Many moons ago I trained horses and riders and boarded horses in
order to put myself through college. This was a full time job for
at least 3 years.
I loved it for a while. Being able to do the thing I love most
all the time! But one morning I woke up and thought--oh cripes...I
HAVE to work 6 horses, I have 8 students coming today... All of
a sudden the thing I loved most was becoming something I HAD to
do. During this time I was injured by other people's horses. Had
to depend on the whims of other people whether I got paid or not.
Had to deal with horses I wouldn't otherwise choose to deal with.
Didn't have time to enjoy my OWN horses.
I wouldn't trade that experience for ANYTHING in this world. I
did not have the disposition to continue in that line of work.
Other people do and I admire that in them. So, now I enjoy working
my own horses (which I select for myself) and competing as an
amateur. (And giving MY trainer a hard time ;-).
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Go for it but give yourself an out with the leave of absence.
I remember when I got the dream of my life. I moved to a ranch in
Colorado with my horse and my honey. It was my dream come true...
until I lived it for a year. Ranch life was rewarding in some ways
but also, lonely,poor,boring and most of all hard. Like the winter
I spent in Elbert Colorado when the snow was so deep the propayne
truck couldn't deliver. Ever had your toliet water freeze solid?
Or find a horse trapped in a drift that was killed by coyotes? Or
had one freeze to death in the corral? Herding cattle on horseback
wasn't near so much fun as I thought it'd be either.
It's always good to live your dream even if it's to find out you
didn't really want it afterall. If you don't, you'll always wonder.
liesl
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re:5 yea i know what you mean, mostly poor.
i lived in ft lupton, we had oil fields and rodeo, then some showing...
just to keep in bussines for the aqha industry :^)
there were times that there was so much money that we didnt
know what to do with it, other times we almost lost everything,
barn, horses, horse trailers and rigs.....
re;4 i got bored i think,,,,,,,,
i saw things flash before me, i just wasnt the type of person to
live liek that i wanted too much...something else was always calling
me...
oil fields went down, my career as a barrel racer was just about
shot...
yea i've been there, and i must say working for DEC was the smartest
move i ever made, other than getting outta denver and away from
my husbnad to be ;^)
i would say, go for it, but i would get set up first and if you
could run it part time, that would be even better...and then maybe
after that do the leave of absence,
and do like we did ... a must is get good help,
its tough to find a good manager, but if they are just starting
off, help them and they will help you.
then you can just kinda relax....
i have some friends that have been in the horse business for 25
years and she still works, just so they can make ends meet some
times, some years are better than others, and also think aobut what
if you get laid up, (hurt) when you are 45-50 years old its kinda
hard to get just another job, just make sure you have something
to fall back on...
sorry for the book, well enough of my rambling, yea i'd do it again,
.... maybe......
good luck with the decision, it is a hard one, especially when it
comes to horses and the lifestyle....!!!!
wendy.
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| Early on in my involvement with horses, I got close enough to the
"business" side of things to cure me of any romantic notion of making
a living with horses. Long hours, little money, repetitive and
ultimately boring work, contrary customers, etc:, didn't exactly
go along with any idea of freedom from the daily technical grind.
When the flighty horse you been trying to shoe for the last hour
kicks out at you (and connects) for the fifth time it may bring
a different perspective. In ten years time will you still feel the
same enthusiasm for your new found calling?
Horses will remain for me rest, relaxation and a release from this
lunatic organization we all work for. On the other hand I would
be bored out of my mind by the repetition inherent in the horse
world.
However, there are those folk who have done as you are proposing
and enjoyed it. I think it depends on how well you know yourself
and what really motivates you.
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| As someone who spent two years after high school working on horse
farms, training, teaching, mucking, you name it - I'd say get a
leave of absence. The horse business is very demanding, and
Burnout is a real problem. By testing the waters first, and not
burning any bridges (ie DEC), you can make up your mind if this
is what you really want. I thought it was for me, but after two
years realized it wasn't fun to get up every morning anymore, and
ended up going to college and playing around with horses for FUN.
Joan
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