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It is believed that if you enjoy what you do for work then it doesn’t really feel like work. With work taking up such a big chunk of our lives, it’s so important that we pick a career path we enjoy. If you are a horse lover, then good news, you can actually make a career out of working with horses.

In this article we will look through some of the best and most popular jobs out there that involve working with horses. 

7 Jobs Working With Horses

Jockey

For those of you that don’t know, a jockey is responsible for riding a racehorse at a racing event, or race meet as they are called. A jockey has the important job of taking the horse on race day and winning cups and competitions, which is one of the most important tasks as it  is what the horse trains for all year round with the exercise riders. 

People wager big money on horse racing and jockeys take on the huge pressure of making sure these wager become profitable for the punters. You can take a look at Smarkets betting exchange to find the best horse racing odds UK and see what the next upcoming horse racing meets are and which jockeys are involved.

As a jockey, you can decide whether to race flat or hurdles. Flat jockeys have to be a minimum of 8 stone, whereas huddle jockeys can weigh up to 10 stone. Be mindful of this strict weight limit before contemplating pursuing a career in being a jockey.

Yard Manager

As a yard manager you are in charge of looking after the stable or barn and making sure everything is under control and everyone is doing what they are supposed to be. It isn’t your job to get your hands dirty, like cleaning out the stables, but it is your job to take bookings, manage calendars, make sure everything is stocked up, schedule vet visits, plan activities and much more.

Being a yard manager is quite full on and can be hectic, however it is perfect for horse fanatics and you would love every moment of it.

Horse Trainer

A horse trainer is exactly what it says on the tin. It is your job to train the horse and make sure that they accept the rider. Training a horse is not so straightforward, especially ones that have to be trained to a certain standard. It takes a highly qualified and skillful trainer to train a champion racehorse for example.

Some of the responsibilities would include muscle development, strength, flexibility, getting young horses used to wearing tack and teaching them different movements like stop/start and how to change direction etc.

With older horses, trainers will need to focus on their muscle development, how they move and also teach them more advanced tricks, a very difficult task. There are many degrees and apprenticeships that you can take to become a horse trainer, so if it feels like the perfect job for you, why not look into it today?

Riding Instructor

If sharing your knowledge with the next generation of riders is something you could thrive from, then consider becoming a riding instructor. There are many important responsibilities such as ensuring the safety of the rider and horse, assessing riders in order to certify them, teaching them the appropriate riding manners and providing feedback in order for them to excel as riders. 

Equine Vet

A job that requires great qualifications is an equine vet. An equine vet doesn’t just take care of horses, but also mules, donkeys and ponies. Being an equine vet can be hugely rewarding and also massively important as it is your job to diagnose illnesses, diseases and injuries. Not only do you diagnose but also treat the above.

Other key responsibilities include surgical procedures, checkups, putting animals to sleep in some circumstances, x-rays, scans, administering drugs and medication and so much more.

Show Manager

A show manager is another hectic job with high importance. It is up to you to choose venues that fit the show, book judge, create a schedule, provide help on the day of the show, market the show and more. It is by no means easy, but certainly rewarding, not just financially.

If you want to become a show manager, the first thing you need to look into is volunteering. This will show you have a real interest in becoming a show manager because you are prepared to offer your current skills and learn further skills for free.

Show Judge

A show judge has to go through a lot of training and exams to get to the level of becoming a show judge. Every decision you make as a show judge is massively important because not only are you judging based on your opinion, you also have to consider how the audience saw it as well.

You need a really good eye for detail, you can’t miss a single move as that could make your overall judgement inaccurate. Most importantly, you need to be unbiased.