For many youngsters who are either lucky enough to own their own horse or pony or who have lessons at a local riding stable, it is a dream to work with horses when they grow up. Of course for the majority the realisation that most equine jobs involve long hours with little pay end that dream. However, for some a livelihood in horse care is like a calling.
One of the most well known and well understood jobs is as a horse groom. Though the hours are long there is a great deal of reward to be found in working with animals and any horse grooming is a relaxing and bonding experience. A pet grooming guide can be used to get tips on the tools needed and how to groom a horse. There are courses to be taken at most colleges in rural locations which teach the basics of horse care, from recognition and treatment of common ailments to clipping and trimming a horse. If you are going to apply for a job as a groom then one of these qualifications plus lots of experience at working in a local yard are essential.
For those who have achieved well at school and plan to study at university a job as an equine vet is possible. This will take many years of study as you will need first to qualify as a general vet and then to specialise as an equine vet. However, once you have qualified, horse vets are in great demand and it is one of the few jobs in horse care that pays a decent wage.
If you don’t have the qualifications to become a vet but are still interested in horse health care then you could consider one of the newer specialisms of equine therapy. This involves treatments such as hydrotherapy, sports massage and balancing the hooves through work with a specialist farrier. This is another area where it is possible to take a college course for training.
Tags: equine jobs, equine therapy, equine vet, horse care, horse groom, horse grooming