HI Spy: What’s Your Horsey Dream Job?

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    Have you ever caught yourself daydreaming at work or school, imagining an existence where you get paid to work with horses every day? Few horse lovers have not at least considered the possibility of turning their passion for horses into a lifelong career.

    Would you give up everything tomorrow if you could become a professional rider? Do you dream of taking young, green horses and shaping them into show-ring superstars or reliable family companions? Do you aspire to share your skill with horses as a riding instructor? Can you see yourself saving horses’ lives and careers as an equine vet?

    Maybe the daily horse world grind doesn’t appeal to you. But imagine if you could create your own dream job. Would you spend all day guiding trail rides along Mediterranean beaches? Or become head carrot-feeder for the horses of the United States Equestrian Team? Or work as interior designer for Martha Stewart’s stable of Friesian horses?

    Finally, if you’ve already landed your dream job in the horse world, share your story. Is it everything you hoped it would be? Are you working your way toward another horse industry career?

    Click “Submit a Comment” below to share your equestrian dream job with other horseillustrated.com visitors. Some responses may be selected for publication in a future issue of Horse Illustrated.

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    110 COMMENTS

    1. After I graduate from college, I plan to become a riding instructor and horse trainer. I am 17 and have already trained my Arabian mare, who I got 2 years ago when she was 12 and only halter broke. I now compete in gymkhana with her and go on trail rides. I have also given many young girls riding lessons for free on my friend’s 24 year old Arab mare. I love teaching people how to do what I love, and I love the reward you get from all of the hard work you put in to training a horse.

    2. i want to be a Horse & child therapist. and help the children learn to ride horses and give them freedom on the back of a horse. although i am only 13 yrs old

    3. I dream about going to compete in the Olympics for showjumping! It has been my dream since I was 6, and I am working my hardest to reach it. No matter how impossible it sounds, I beleive just like any rider, you can make it there if you keep trying! 🙂

    5. Riding instructor! Now it’s my turn to boss people around. Joking! Seriously though, I love to help people and watch them learn. So why not incoorperate my love for horses?

    6. i would love to be a riding instructor. i have seen my instructor at work and he seems like he is having so much fun! i also love working with children, so that is another plus.

    7. I want to work with horses, like buying and selling them. Maybe a bit of breeding here and there so I can raise the foals, and have fun training them. I love organizing events, and whatnot, so I think I’d be fairly good at that.

    8. I have Thoroughbreds that I bought to be retired. One I could bring back. But TB’s is what inspired me long, long ago…the Thoroughbred racehorse. So beautiful and magnificent, their veins popping out of their skin because of the excitement and anticipation. I would love to be an active owner/trainer and have horses do well for me in racing as I would commit myself to my horses, as I do now, but for pleasure.

    9. I fully intend to be a horse trainer-but not be giving up competing in show jumping. I will train my clients’ horses using Parelli Natural Horsemanship methods, as well as retraining my own rescue horses. I will continue competing my Arab in show jumping and learn some dressage, too.

    10. My dream job is to be a top trainer at a saddlebred barn and work with great trainers like Emily Doll,Martha Thompson-Hoyt,and Anne Conway.

    11. My dream horse job is just to be a stablehand. Turning out, feeding, grooming, stall mucking, and maybe some ride time coud be stuck in there. I just want to be around horses, and to get paid to do so would be amazing.

    12. My horsey dream job and real-life aspiration is to be an Arabian horse breeder/trainer. It’s a job where you can immerse yourself in every aspect of horsewomanship…from the romantic to the nightmarish! It’s not an easy job, but, of course, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    14. I already have my dream job- working with a wonderful horse that gives everything and learns to the best of his ability.

    16. I would just love to be a groom. I like grooming horses, and I don’t mind cleaning out stalls or anything, I think it would be neat to be with all those horses. I would also love to breed horses and train them.

    17. I think it would be so awesome to exercise Race Horses. Thoroughbreds are beautiful horses and since I’m really tall I cant actually race so that would work better for me.

    18. i would love to own a big horse farm where i would ride train and compete oldenburgs thouroghbreds and others(: i think it would be awesome to also rescue and train horses that need it the most to give them a second chance to be someones best friend! (:

    19. my dream horsey hob would be to own a big riding stable and give lessons. I would also like to go the big horse shows as an eventer.

    21. My dream job would be being a horse groom for the big horse superstars in all disiplines, I love to pamper the horse to perfection, help the rider by having them not worry about the horse. When I retire I want to open a bed and breakfast farm where we let the clients ride horses on a trail and in lessons.

    22. My dream job is to be a broodmare manager on a big breeding farm. That’s why I went to college and majored in stable management and equine reproduction. Unfortunately, after college, I was stupid and got married and had kids. Little kids plus the horse industry equals “go away”.

    23. My dream horse job would be to be a vet. Thank way I could help horses heal. Also, I want to be a therapeutic horseriding instructor, and help handicap children. Right now I volnteer at a therapeutic riding center and I love working with both horses and children. I’ve always felt like God meant me to be with horses, and being a vet or therapeutic riding instructor can let me work with horses and make a difference.

    24. ohhh, there is a lottt…
      * equine journalist
      * writer (about general horse stuff)
      * barn manager
      * trainer (for riders and horses)
      * equine massage therapist
      * professional equitation/hunter/jumper rider
      * saddle maker
      * show groom
      and pretty much anything else to do with horses. sooo…. let’s cross our fingers 🙂

    25. I want to do it all. I want to be a judge for dressage. I also want to train horses and people. I want to be a course designer for Stadium and XC. I want to train off track TB’s and work with Andalusian’s and more AndalusianX’s. I want to design barns to make them more practical/organized and safer for both horse and rider.

    26. My Dream job would have to be a Trainer for horses and Kids! Like my Best friend (trainer) I would like to become a collage graduate in equin sience. So i can pass on the love of ridding and the love of working with horses to kids of all ages like my trainer.

    27. I would love to become an children’s riding instructor. I also think being a show groom would be tons of fun and of course, if I was ever good enough, it would be amazing to be on a professional riding team.

    31. I want to ride for the USET in either dressage or eventing (probably eventing), but I would also like to be a professional instructer, barn owner, trainer, and breeder. On top of that, I’d love to be an equine vet, too! 🙂

    32. I would love to be a groom for either the United States dressage or show jumping teams. I love grooming and braiding and turning out horses to the best of my ability so this would be a dream job. Plus you get to travel!

    33. I would love to be an Olympic rider in either show jumping or eventing(most likely eventing). then I would want to be a trainer, an instructor, a breeder, and a barn owner!

    35. I would, eventually, love to become a ‘problem solving’ horse trainer, using a sort of equine detectivery to discover and solve the root of behavioral issues.
      But in the meantime, I would love to try trail
      guiding, grooming for big horse trainers/competitors, and working for equine theater shows (like Arabian Nights or Cavalia).

    37. Horses are dreamy!! If I could own a barn full of many different breeds, and just charge people to veiw them to pay for feed, vet and farrier. I would have my dream job of feeding and mucking. My pay would be just enjoying their company.

    38. I would love to be a trainer at a high level Hunter/jumper barn to help young riders reach their goals and for adults to improve their riding.

    39. I would love to become a horse groomer. I always catch myself getting overecxited when I get to care for friends horses on weekends. No horse goes around dirty or scraggly at my place!

    40. One day I would love to be an equine vet. I want to be able to find a new way to fix a broken leg. I’ve always been the one that knows a friends horse that has a wound iwould be the one help cleaning it out or vet wrapping it or anything. Its my dream job.

    41. To move out to a place where I can keep trail horses (Peruvian Pasos) in my back yard along with a Shetland for my (future) kids. But have a nearby stable that I work at as a Junior Instructor and where I board my “working” or “show” Friesians and horses. I help my instructor already so to be the instrucotr would be amazing.

    42. I have a dream of owning a horse adoption facility in Kentucky when I grow up. I’m going to get abused/neglected horses, and re-train them so they can be adopted by caring families.

    43. My horsey dream job is to be a colt starter/trainer. I would teach young horses ground manners and riding skills. When I was done working with the colt I would tell his/her owner what I thought its gift was. Whether it be western or english and what specific event too. I would just love to see young horses get great starts in life, so they can become an amazing horse in the future.

    44. My dream job would be to save horses who are neglected, ill or sentenced to death, for reasons that are unfair. I would then bring them back to health and train for adoption. I will help them become adopted out, to someone I know would care for them.

    45. My dream job is to rescue horses from abusive places, re-habilitate them, and use them in an Equine Therapy program! For the horses that arn’t happy being therapy horses, I would adopt them out to make room for new rescues. I would call it Helping Horses, Helping People. My rescue mare inspired me to help other horses and people.

    46. My dream job is to be and Equine Vet. I love helping animals, espcially horses, and being a vet is one of the best ways to help them. I think it would be so cool to see an animal as big as a horse be started on the road to recovery all because of a vet who cared about them.

    47. I have multiple dreams for my equestrian future. First on my list is to become an equine vet. I enjoy riding horses and being around them, so I feel that helping them would be an amazing experience and the perfect way to make my living. However, I am not sure if I would have enough time to be a vet and ride. If not, then my back up plan is to be a horse trainer and a profesional show jumper. I have read books on Monty Roberts and Join-up and would love to learn how to do it and actually try it out on horses then bring the horse to its full potential. Like any rider, i can’t stand being out of the saddle. What makes riding even better, is jumping. Even though I am not a terrific rider, I still love to soar over jumps. And working at something to become a better rider, motivates me to achieve my goals.

    49. Ever since I started volunteering at an equine-assisted therapy center, I have wanted to become an occupational therapist and work with horses and the disabled.

    50. I have actually been able to start my dream job, and I’m not even out of college. I work as a barn manager at a local horse farm. I get to work with sixty thousand dollar warmbloods. What else could I ask for?

    51. I would like to treat problem horses and train them. Cause then I could deem like, wow I might of saved a horse from being put down because of the horses problems!! <33 I think that would be really cool!

    52. I’m some what already a trainer with my new horse and I’m going to be a larger & small vet but when I’m retaired, or I might do some when I’m a vet, I’ll be a horse trainer and alittel breeding.

    54. My job right now is training my 5 year old Blue Roan Appaloosa Few Spots Gelding. I love this job but my dream job would be to rescue horses that were neglected! I would also like to be vet because I think it would be awesome to save the life of an animal who needs to be helped.

    57. My dream job would have to be to breed friesias and gaited horses for saddleseat, dressage, and showjumping. I would love to be on the olympic dressage and showjumping teams. Also, to be on our saddleseat team. i can’t wait for these days of dreaming to actually become my life.

    59. My horsey dream job would be a horse trainer, because I love to look back when the horse first came to what they have acheived since then. I got my 1st horse 8 months ago, and i couldn’t even lunge him, now i lunge him with no problem each time before i ride. I just love the feeling when i know i have achived something.

    60. My dream job would be a famous trainer. I have been training horses and ponies for a couple years now, and I grew up watching my dad train all our horses. I want huge ranch and own lots of horses!
      The first horse I ever trained is my 4 year old pony Jake. I couldn’t even touch him he was so scared. Now I am training him on barrels for my two nieces to run barrels on him. He has come such a long way since I got him. Whenever I work with him I remember that first day getting him and all the dreams and excitement!

    61. I actually plan on going into the equine field after I graduate. My dream is to go to attend, and graduate, N.C. State University, and to go on to become an equine vet. I eventually hope to open up my own practice for all animals. I love horses, and I want to be able to do whatever I can to help them, and I feel like becoming an equine vet will give me many opportunities to do so. I still want to train and compete, but not as a career.

    62. Horse trainer,or a pro barrel racer.I think that a horse trainer is a good job because you can work around horses, and common,who doesn’t love to work around horses?A pro barrel racer would be neat to,but I think it would be harder though.Travel,fans,competitions.I think, above all, a trainer would be my #1 absolute dream job.

    63. I would love to be a therapy riding instructor someday. I love how a relationship with a horse can help someone with a physical or mental disability live a happier life.

    64. I’m not sure if it’s my dream job. But I go to work everyday and work with horses. Granted cleaning stalls is not the funnest. But being able to be around horses most of the day is great. I love being with the foals and yearlings. But a dream job would be one day spending all my time with the horses and not the cleaning end.

    65. I think its a great article because I would dream of working with horses. I would love to have a job training ethier racehorses, or event horses. I love to jump. I only have 3 horses as of now Sign this card. A.K.A buddy he is a Appaloosa 6yrs old, and the sweetest boy ever! Then I have a Danish Warmblood that is 10yrs old that I rescued from slaughter I love my Duchess. And last but not least is Chessie my liver chesnut Quarter Horse. She is 10 and I have had her since I was in 6th grade. She is my best horse ever! I would never sell her she is a pleasure horse. Her show name is Zipolene.

    66. I’ve always wanted to be an equine dentist and be one of the few people who are in this career. I would like to make decent money and provide the best possible care and the highest quality equipment for my horses!

    68. We would love to write a book or do something to educate people on things to do with your horse that does NOT include riding. Our gelding, Jack, is retired due to a variety of hoof and joint ailments, particularly navicular disease. He loved riding so much that when he entered retirement, we had to think of new ways to keep his life interesting. Now, we do lots of hand grazing, grooming and doting, and teach him tricks. He has learned how to kiss, how to help lift and carry water buckets, and how to pick up the manure fork with his teeth and rake through the bedding. Through these fun things we do on the ground, we’ve learned to trust and respect each other more, as well as learn about each other’s individual personalities in ways that you never could in the saddle.

    69. Recently I’ve been thinking about what happens to horses when they can no longer work or be ridden. Some of them are lucky enough to stay where they are, with the people who love them. Sometimes they’re not so lucky and their fates are thrown away. But others have the chance to move to a barn where they can laze the days away and their families can come visit them whenever they want. That’s what I want to do, run a retirement barn, provide a safe and beautiful place for people to keep their beloved, aging horses. Every horse deserves respect and loving care, no matter their age or health.

    70. I love horses so much. I am planning on being an equine vet when I grow up. Horses are my most favorite thing in the world. My friends are going to be vets with me but I don’t think that they will be equine vets. I know al most everything about horse characteristics. I can’t wait until I get to be an equine vet!!!

    71. My dream job would be to compete and train with all of the upper level jumper/eventers. My dream is to compete in the Rolex and all of those other big competitions, high dreams huh!

    72. My dream job is to have a hunter/jumper barn for young riders who have the talent, but not always the money to follow their dream of competing. I don’t have the luxury of getting to compete at A rated shows often with my pony, although we have talent. It’s a dream of mine to some day compete at those shows and be known for my talent and I think having a riding program for kids like me someday would be a wonderful thing.

    73. My dream job would be to be a horse trainer or a vet. I always want to work with horses and help them in every way. I fell great whenever I help someone with their horse, or I help a horse that needed help. My horse really appreciates whenever I take great care of her and I know that I am that muh closer to reacking my dreams. We just got a new young horse that is going to need alot of care and work. I have been working with him already and he has made great progress!

    74. My dream job is to be horse trainer and bording/lesson barn owner riding instructor.
      I work at a barn now and I just love it! I love all the hard work and all the horses!

    75. I have been volunteering at a therapeutic riding barn for 4 years and have seen the amazing benefits and healing powers of the horse. If all goes well, I should be in a certification program to become a TR instructor this time next year, and leave my white collar, professional career behind. Brings tears to my eyes whenever I imagine my first day on the job doing something I truly love.

    77. My dream horse job is the one I have! I am the Equine Science Teacher at WB Saul High School, in Philadelphia Pa, the largest Agriculture school in the nation. I have 9 beautiful, well bred American Quarter Horses that I use with my students. I get to work with kids and horses, someone else pays the bills and they pay me for this!

    78. My horsie dream job would be a “horse masseuse” I’ve dreamed about helping horses by just massaging it’s muscles/limbs. I would love to live in Kentucky near a race track and be on call! I would feel so good, knowng that I would be helping a horse everytime I go to work!

    79. Aithough my dream job is simple, I would love to groom horse(s) for a traveling group. Maybe for a “dancing on horses” group, or someting like that.

    80. My horsey dream job would be to breed horses. I want to make my own company. It would be called “Gonzalez Thoroghbred and Quarter Horse Breeding.” Any horse with registration or without could be bred.

    81. my dream job with horses would be something along the lines of having a big ranch with alot of horses and give rides to people who are disabled.

    82. My horse job would not be a fancy, high paying job. I would love and dream of working in a horse rescue center. Just the feeling of helping a horse, not ten, but just ONE horse would feel amazing knowing that your efforts are not in waste. And watching that horse, that you rescued, fatten or over come the fear of being touched, or near a human would be amazing! Or even just grooming or mucking out their stalls would also be amazing knowing that your little part helps take place of that big step forward. And maybe some day i will be able to work at my dream job, who knows i might even run one some day. 🙂

    83. I would like to be an equine photographer, but not just any equine photographer. I would like to start a horse rescue and take pictures of my horses there, to show the world what amazing horses go to slaughter or suffer in other places. I would also show the world that even though they have imperfections, they are still beautiful.

    84. I want to be a horse breeder/trainer. I love just about everything about horses, so I would want to be a groom in my own stable.

    85. I have loved horses since I was a little. I have two horses of my own.
      I would like to have my own equestrain center. I have already drawn pictures of what I wanted it to look like and everything.

    86. I would want to be the owner of a horse retirement operation with a thousand acres where unwanted, used up, golden year horses could roam free and receive the love and medical attention necessary to help them carry out the rest of their time here on earth with the best quality of life possible.

    88. I think I will have to use almost every kids’ dream job… an equine vet. I would choose this because saving a horse is something I always will want to do.

    89. I would love to be a jockey, but my dreams were crushed by my growthspurt a few years ago. It would be amazing to fly along so fast, as I saw the jockeys go diring yhe Breeder’s Cup!

    90. My dream horsey job is to become an equine vet and specialize in leg injuries because my horse has bad legs and they tend to get injured a lot. I have wanted to be an equine vet since I was in kindergarten

    91. I always wanted to be a jockey but then i grew a lot and now my dreams are crushed but in my heart I will always be a jockey.

    92. I started loving horses like most of us as a little child. At the time my parents couldnt afford to get me a horse so I just kept telling myself I would have some when I got older. When I was 15 a friend of mines mother rode horses and asked me to join them one day. I was in heaven it seemed. That got me started in barrell racing, had the time of my life. Now I’m 26, married with a 4 year old son and my love of horses has been passed on to him. I have two regestered mustangs that are part of the family.
      My dream job isnt one that would enable me to earn a living. I would love to be able to open a rescue center for unwanted horses. I hate seeing horses that the owner has just put out to pasture and never tends to or has decided they cant afford them and just leaves them or sell them to slaughter houses. If I could take in every unwanted horse, I believe I would be living in my own little piece of heaven everyday.

    93. My horsey dream job is to own a boarding and lesson farm and to be the instructor! I would also retrain rescue thoroughbreds right off the track!

    95. I would love to be a jumper on the U.S. equestrian team! But if thats not possiable I would want to open a stable and start lessons where I was the instructer!

    96. My horsey dream job is to be an Equine Rehabilitation Therapist. What could be better than saving a horses life? The warm fuzzy feeling you get after you do something nice would be everlasting!

    98. I would want to be head trainer or groomer of a barn or ranch that trained barrel horses. Such as the Judd Little Ranch! 🙂

    99. I’ve dreamt of working with horses all 14 years of my life. In the span of a month I miraculously ended up with my own horse Carmel and a job breaking and training yearlings and ponies. I have learned a lot in the two months I have worked there and my boss now leaves me alone to work with the horses. So here is a word of advice for my fellow horsemen and women, don’t give up on your dreams because even if it seems hopeless the impossible really is possible. Good Luck!

    100. I have always wanted to become an equine veterinarian, and am hoping to pursue my dream of going to college and getting a degree as a large animal vet, and specializing with horses, and setting up my own clinic and shelter for abused or unwanted horses in my hometown.Especially because my horse was unwanted before i got her, because another horse kicked her left eye out.

    102. I want to become a trainer, and have a horse i trained go to the WEG or even the olympics. But as long as i am working with horses i will be happy.

    103. It would definetly want to board horses. I would love to work with all kinds, Spooky, Bombproof, English, western, crabby, sassy…

    104. Ever since I was very little I have always wanted to live on a horse ranch. I don’t think that I would want to do anything else that’s not a career with horses! My ranch would have 50 horses plus my personal riding horses. I would have every horse that I have ever dreamed of it would be more than a dream come true!

    105. I would love to work for a publication, company or organization to promote the great sport of horseback riding through social media, marketing or public relations. Hey, someone hire me – I’m fabulous!!!

    107. I would love to work and train with underprivaliged kids that don’t know or understand love what love it, because horses have given me healing that a person could never give me. I want to give kids the opprotunity to love and be loved back.

    108. My dream job would be a professional rider. But because practically there is not really any jobs like that in my area, I am considering becoming a holistic veterinarian (specializing in nutrition). That way I can still work with(and hopefully ride) horses and also help other animals.

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