|
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
  
| I have heard thousands of quotes about "living your dream", and my dream is to make a career out of barrel racing. I know some horsemen and women who have started from scratch, and have become very successful at what they do, and are able to do it for a living. I want to become a futurity trainer, and pattern and season barrel horses. I'm sixteen and plan on going to college and working with horses on the side, or trying to get an internship with a trainer. I want to hear your stories, how you've became sucessful and made a living off of horses. I would appreciate any advice about how to start out! | |
| | |
 Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
 
| You are going to have to get into the futurity world and be very successful before you can make a living doing this. I used to train my own horses (not for futurities) and decided that a trainer could get a lot more done in less time so I just started sending mine out. You need to consider the costs of feeding etc. If you don't own you own facilities, that is a major expense. There is no way you can make any money if you have to board the horses you are riding.
My suggestion is to choose a career that will fund your horse activities, buy a horse that you want to train for futurities and start there. Futurity competition is extremely tough. | |
| | |
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| I wanted to do this too, before I realized that it just wasn't gonna happen. So now I'm going to school to be a vet, and I'm gonna specialize in equine reproduction. To fund the horse addiction. haha | |
| | |
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 878
Location: "...way down south in the Everglades..." | I think Streakysox is spot on with the advice. Pick a degree that has a sound profession and take into account the time restraints with that career. Some careers with obviously give you more flexibility to pursue your dreams and passions than others will. No matter what career I think you should highly consider taking a good core of business, accounting, and marking classes. In particular the marketing because you are going to truly need marketing skills to "market" yourself in this industry.
Put a great plan into action about getting your own place...otherwise the expenses will eat you alive. Watch your credit score and save, save, save.
Definitely do a summer intership or a part time job (with full time in the summer) with a futurity trainer. Not even necessarily barrel racing, look at reining, cutting, etc. It will give you a real idea of the expenses, time, and efforts needed to make it in this industry. And on the side work, work, and work at perfecting your riding and training abilities. Your name is what will make you or break you. Morals, maturity, hard work, and ability are absolutely crucial. Don't let others crush your dreams, but be realistic this is a very long and very hard road if you really want to make it. Good luck!
| |
| | |
 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | streakysox - 2015-08-13 10:55 PM You are going to have to get into the futurity world and be very successful before you can make a living doing this. I used to train my own horses (not for futurities) and decided that a trainer could get a lot more done in less time so I just started sending mine out. You need to consider the costs of feeding etc. If you don't own you own facilities, that is a major expense. There is no way you can make any money if you have to board the horses you are riding. My suggestion is to choose a career that will fund your horse activities, buy a horse that you want to train for futurities and start there. Futurity competition is extremely tough.
very well said | |
| | |
Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | I would bet that most who have made it in this horse world have had somebody with deep pockets behind them to get started. | |
| | |
 Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | Speedy Buckeye Girl - 2015-08-14 9:07 AM I think Streakysox is spot on with the advice. Pick a degree that has a sound profession and take into account the time restraints with that career. Some careers with obviously give you more flexibility to pursue your dreams and passions than others will. No matter what career I think you should highly consider taking a good core of business, accounting, and marking classes. In particular the marketing because you are going to truly need marketing skills to "market" yourself in this industry.
Put a great plan into action about getting your own place...otherwise the expenses will eat you alive. Watch your credit score and save, save, save.
Definitely do a summer intership or a part time job (with full time in the summer) with a futurity trainer. Not even necessarily barrel racing, look at reining, cutting, etc. It will give you a real idea of the expenses, time, and efforts needed to make it in this industry. And on the side work, work, and work at perfecting your riding and training abilities. Your name is what will make you or break you. Morals, maturity, hard work, and ability are absolutely crucial. Don't let others crush your dreams, but be realistic this is a very long and very hard road if you really want to make it. Good luck!
Very well said.
I would suggest apprenticing with a BIG Name trainer, the contacts made and experience gained is very valuable. Do a good job and be able to have them as a reference if a training job for a big place becomes available.
| |
| | |
Expert
Posts: 1599
| Before I moved to TX I was enthralled with the AQHA industry....names like Carol Rose and Babcock and Rita Crundwell and Steve Heckaman were huge and they were always hauling around fancy trailers etc. Once I got here, I realized how much smoke and mirrors it all was. Carol Rose and Babcock both have had dispersals because the had millions in debt and back taxes, Google Rita Crundwell to find out what a crock she was....I envied her at one time for all her wins and huge buses etc.
Bottom line is that it's really hard to make an honest living in the horse industry. The other trainers I know either married into money ro have a spouse that helps support the biz with their career, or came from family $$.
I got out and sometimes regret doing so, but I can still ride my own and buy/sell and pay the bills.
| |
| | |
Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | Learn a trade! | |
| | |
Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| Speedy Buckeye Girl - 2015-08-14 8:07 AM
I think Streakysox is spot on with the advice. Pick a degree that has a sound profession and take into account the time restraints with that career. Some careers with obviously give you more flexibility to pursue your dreams and passions than others will. No matter what career I think you should highly consider taking a good core of business, accounting, and marking classes. In particular the marketing because you are going to truly need marketing skills to "market" yourself in this industry.
Put a great plan into action about getting your own place...otherwise the expenses will eat you alive. Watch your credit score and save, save, save.
Definitely do a summer intership or a part time job (with full time in the summer) with a futurity trainer. Not even necessarily barrel racing, look at reining, cutting, etc. It will give you a real idea of the expenses, time, and efforts needed to make it in this industry. And on the side work, work, and work at perfecting your riding and training abilities. Your name is what will make you or break you. Morals, maturity, hard work, and ability are absolutely crucial. Don't let others crush your dreams, but be realistic this is a very long and very hard road if you really want to make it. Good luck!
Thanks For all the advice!! I am thankful to have great facilities on my parents property, big indoor and outdoor and some stalls/ pens and pasture. I will inherite a small acreage about three miles away with a barn and enough room for two or three horses. It's kind of a fixer upper, but I will still be close enough to use my parents facility daily. My parents want me to get a degree in ag, and I'm looking into Ag business/ management. I've never thought about marketing classes but that's a really good idea! I know it's really hard to start out, but I hope with enough hard work it will work out! | |
| | |
Veteran
Posts: 170
| Being close with a few very successful couples in my area I can tell you it's a non stop, 24/7, 365 job. You will be LUCKY to break even. You will probably go without insurance and benefits and hope you can make enough to put some away for retirement.... You need to have the ability and God given talent to do what others can't in a short amount of time. You won't make your money in winnings, you will make it in training and selling high dollar horses. Most successful trainers and jockeys have wealthy people sending them extremely nice horses to train and campaign and then they get a cut. Then you can start making and training your own to keep the "profits" (use that term extremely loosely.) Starting out under a reputable trainer is an awesome way to do it. Getting your foot in the door, sucking up EVERYTHING you can learn and working your ass off. Bottom line is you have to be good, GREAT at what you do. You have to be able to offer something that other trainers and jockeys can't.... It's a tough, tough job. It is a tough job on your mind and body, on your finances and on your faith. Most of the successful trainers have one or two side jobs, along with their partners. Whether its farrier work, cattle, part time office jobs. You don't get sick days and you don't get vacations. You never have to work in 4 walls, you are your own boss, and you get to ride horses all day. You will find out really quick if the back breaking labor is truly your passion. I wish you the best of luck! :) I suggest getting an education and riding under a reputable trainer in your area as step 1. | |
| | |
 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | at one point in my life I thought I wanted to do that, train for the public, etc... I do take the occasional outside horse but now that I've done it, theres no way I could do it as a living. I decided I would still find a career with horses or animals, so I am in vet school. But I don't recommend that job if you want flexible schedule to run and compete all the time. I decided I could either just do it myself with one or two personal horses because I have the knowledge/training to, or pay to send one out if I do not have the time. But I will have a lot of student loan debt to pay off first, so I may end up having to sell my babies so they get the chance to futurity until I have the money to play the game.
It can be a really cool world, but I definitely suggest getting some sort of training or degree first so you have some form of income while you prove yourself to the sport. A friend of mine has a SWEET set up getting to do exactly what you are wanting to do. | |
| | |
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 364
Location: Texas | I love this thread! Please keep the responses coming! I want to train not necessarily be a futurity trainer. So this thread is very helpful! | |
| | |
 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Well, just my thoughts. If your parents are set up as deeply as you make them out to be, you need to study, study, study NOW. Get your hands on as many jacked up, screwed up horses as you can. Take them to the barrel pattern, figure out what they're doing wrong, then get them to an amazing vet. Pour the money into fixing those horses, because a huge percentage of the time, they quit working because of something medically wrong. Learn the difference between a horse that will do his job, and the horse that really wants his job. There's just...that...extra...step given that you didn't ask for...can't explain it, it must be learned. To truly train well, you must be able to spot soreness before it's bothering the horse on the pattern.
You need to learn about treatments, and the smoky mirror products that are out there compared to the concrete products that really do help.
You need to study bloodlines. Review the types of horses that there are in the world. There's all different shades of red when it comes to barrel horses. What kind do you, as an individual, click with?
You need to learn what makes good shoing, and what makes bad. You need to learn about fitting horses for competition and sales. You need to be able to learn how to take a horse that looks like hell, and get him working the pattern, and all at the same time pour the right groceries and love to him to get him shining like a new penny. You need to learn about all the tricks there are with drugs, how to use them, and when to not use them and just turn the horse out.
You need to learn how to pull money out of thin air, and how to really truly befriend the tradesmen that can make you or break you: the banker, the shoer, the equine dentist, the chiropractor, and the vet.
Go really, truly, work for a professional. This can speed up the process light years if you're paying attention. Do whatever kind of filthy, dirty, stall cleaning, doctoring, driving, miserable everyday work it takes, and GO LEARN.
Finally. Go to school. Get a really solid career going, then when you've got your life set up to the point where you can get a group of colts together that YOU like, then YOU put them down the road. When you start training your own winners, people will come to you. | |
| | |
Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| classicpotatochip - 2015-08-14 7:14 PM
Well, just my thoughts. If your parents are set up as deeply as you make them out to be, you need to study, study, study NOW. Get your hands on as many jacked up, screwed up horses as you can. Take them to the barrel pattern, figure out what they're doing wrong, then get them to an amazing vet. Pour the money into fixing those horses, because a huge percentage of the time, they quit working because of something medically wrong. Learn the difference between a horse that will do his job, and the horse that really wants his job. There's just...that...extra...step given that you didn't ask for...can't explain it, it must be learned. To truly train well, you must be able to spot soreness before it's bothering the horse on the pattern.
You need to learn about treatments, and the smoky mirror products that are out there compared to the concrete products that really do help.
You need to study bloodlines. Review the types of horses that there are in the world. There's all different shades of red when it comes to barrel horses. What kind do you, as an individual, click with?
You need to learn what makes good shoing, and what makes bad. You need to learn about fitting horses for competition and sales. You need to be able to learn how to take a horse that looks like hell, and get him working the pattern, and all at the same time pour the right groceries and love to him to get him shining like a new penny. You need to learn about all the tricks there are with drugs, how to use them, and when to not use them and just turn the horse out.
You need to learn how to pull money out of thin air, and how to really truly befriend the tradesmen that can make you or break you: the banker, the shoer, the equine dentist, the chiropractor, and the vet.
Go really, truly, work for a professional. This can speed up the process light years if you're paying attention. Do whatever kind of filthy, dirty, stall cleaning, doctoring, driving, miserable everyday work it takes, and GO LEARN.
Finally. Go to school. Get a really solid career going, then when you've got your life set up to the point where you can get a group of colts together that YOU like, then YOU put them down the road. When you start training your own winners, people will come to you.
This is some amazing advice!! Thank You so much! | |
| | |
| For me, I thought I wanted to be a vet all of my life. But after spending numerous hours with my vet, I decided it wasn't for me because I needed to separate my passion and my job. That way I had something to look forward to. So I am fixing to be a junior at A&M studying aerospace engineering - yes I may be the only female barrel racing engineer on the planet - but i had an internship last summer that in itself got me enough to buy my dream saddle and my dream 3 yo that I can prove myself with. I've spent every other hour that j am not doing schoolwork, learning as much as I can about the barrel racing/futurity industry, but the main thing that I find the most important is learning real horsemanship. So as others have said, get a career that can fund this expensive hobby!! | |
| | |
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
| Ride other people's horses, very hard i love to train but i have a career that supports my hobby i just didn't have the talent in the show pen to make it big unfortunately i choke and have never been able to get over it?? | |
| | |
Expert
Posts: 1611
| i've done it and won 100k races, 15 horses in the barn, and had a decently large bank account....times were good. I've also had no insurance, got hurt, $1200 in the bank, and 8 horses in the barn that I couldn't ride but some real loyal owners.
I started out working a full time job (sometimes over time) then coming home and riding until 1am and doing it each and every day. Hard work paid off and I quit my job to make it a career. Over the years my owners quit, got too old and quit, moved on to other things, or fired me when a colt didn't work and went in search of a different trainer. I've been asked to move to ppl places dozens of times and many big names did go and now their ranches are big names but I had family obligations and couldn't leave.
I started back working recently mainly for insurance purposes. I now take in only around 10 or so horses at the most but i'm busting my a$$ every single day. Its hard for an honest trainer to make it in the world and unless you have money backing you its hard to make it period.
Have a plan for retirement and insurance no matter what. | |
| | |
Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
| lopnaround - 2015-08-14 10:17 AM
Before I moved to TX I was enthralled with the AQHA industry....names like Carol Rose and Babcock and Rita Crundwell and Steve Heckaman were huge and they were always hauling around fancy trailers etc. Once I got here, I realized how much smoke and mirrors it all was. Carol Rose and Babcock both have had dispersals because the had millions in debt and back taxes, Google Rita Crundwell to find out what a crock she was....I envied her at one time for all her wins and huge buses etc.
Bottom line is that it's really hard to make an honest living in the horse industry. The other trainers I know either married into money ro have a spouse that helps support the biz with their career, or came from family $$.
I got out and sometimes regret doing so, but I can still ride my own and buy/sell and pay the bills.
Carol Rose is heir to the Herseys chocolate fortune. Her dispersal is because she is old and she really was forced to downsize. Babcock ranch went bankrupt because of Mia management. All the Babcock horses were purchased by some church and given back to Babcock ranch by the way. It has founded in 2003 so not very old. This IS a good example of having to buy facilities to get started.
| |
| | |
Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| Go to farrier school and dental school as well was being a trainer. | |
| | |
Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| Go to farrier school and dental school as well was being a trainer. | |
| |
|
Making Horses a Career