Calling all long time riders, breeders and trainers.?

Question

Hi, I'm only 15 and I'm pretty good at riding. I've cantered (bareback & saddle) and basically perfected the rising trot. I'm just worried that I won't have enough time to get my dream. Now what I plan on doing is going to Meredith Manor (no comment, I know a lot of people hate that place here but tough) and then work at some top stables in Germany until I get enough money to get a few good mares and studs. How long do you think that will take? I'm so worried I'll be 50 by the time I get my own stables.

Answer 1

Most top trainers today make around $80,000 a year, few if any graduates from Meredith Manor who are still training make much more than $40,000 per year. Go to a good University get a degree in Veterinarian Medicine and you will be making $200,000 a year in just a few years then you can buy a place big enough to raise what you want to raise and purchase good quality mares a few at a time from your customers and a good young stallion with a good show name and a good disposition and raise and train what ever you lack.

Answer 2

The way to make $1 million in the horse business is to start with $2 million. Just sayin'.



Breeding is a fickle business, and one that takes a lot of knowledge to produce top horses. There's no money in mediocre horses ;-). Before you jump into breeding with both feet, I would work at some good farms, study pedigrees and conformation, learn about the science of genetics and breeding, study pedigrees and conformation, learn about business and marketing, and study pedigrees and conformation. See a pattern here? You have to know about science, business, and how those breeders end up with those top dollar horses. The horses have to be athletic, trainable, and have a lot of heart/desire, but for sales potential, they also need good conformation and a pedigree known to produce top competitors.



Personally, I wouldn't want to own a stud. There is a LOT that goes in to training, showing, and marketing a stallion to promote his get and stallion services. Let someone else do that for you. Consider the goal of managing a breeding farm, one that boards and stands stallions owned by other people. Once you learn the ins and outs of running a breeding farm, you can consider building your own and buying some good mares.



Good luck and remember, you never stop learning. You can learn from anyone, even if it's what not to do. Also remember that there are as many opinions as horse people. Be open to all of those opinions and use what works for you. But don't forget those that don't. You might need to call on those ideas one day to help you solve a problem or rethink your plans.

Answer 3

Haha ..you probably will be 50 (or older) ;)



Start working with great trainers in your home country. You are much more likely to get to Germany with solid experience rather than simplistic/generic training from Merideth Manor.



I completely agree with the others. Go to school for a well paying career. Once you're making some money, you can decide what path to take. I pay a lot of money to work with some of the best trainers in the US (my opinion of course).

My goal isn't to own a farm, but to learn how to train high level dressage. The knowledged I've gained wouldn't be possible from Merideth and certainly wouldn't be possible without my well paying job



I'm 40 and could probably start a farm in 10 yrs. 50 is not that old ;)

Answer 4

I'm 16, so I get what you mean! I've been riding for 12 years, and I do not come from money. I'm just leasing my first horse this week.



Honestly, do not go to Meredith Manor. It is not respected by trainers in the horse world at all. My trainer is a Mini/Grand Prix rider and Olympic hopeful, and she despises that place. They aren't nice to their horses, and their facilities are unclean (and I mean that in the worst way possible.. Because what IS clean around horses?)



Second of all, do you understand all of the work it takes for top stables to want you? It's not just like walking into a barn and saying 'hey, can I work for you?'. No. They want the best of the best. They want trainers that a proficient in Dressage, Jumpers/Hunters, and Cross Country. Sorry, girl, but perfecting a rising trot isn't really going to get anywhere in the horse world.



Thirdly, a few good mares and studs? Do you understand how much studs cost, or any horse for that matter? What you really want are a couple good broodmares, with proven records and bloodlines, and ONE (or two, depending on your income) amazing stud with a great show record/breeding.



Go to a regular university, work hard in school. You can't make it big in the horse world anymore unless you come in with money and horses to prove you're worth anything. You may be 80 by the time you get your first foal! But that has to be something you want for yourself and to work your whole life for.



Best of luck!

Answer 5

MM sucks, but they need your money to stay afloat.

So, go donate your time and money there, for sure!



That said, I suggest going to a Psychic who can see into your future, to find out "how long it'll take"

Seriously, do you think there's anyone here or anywhere who can predict your future?



No one here has ever seen you even ride, or what kind of horses you've ridden.



If you're serious, then go to a trainer and get evaluated.



I think you'd get more out of just going to Germany and being a slave (a stable groom that works long ridiculous hours and gets treated poorly in exchange for lessons). That's free and there's trainers willing to teach you as long as you're willing to clean their stalls and their tack.



Be a trainer's assistant.

You get way more out of that than some lame college where you spend money for no real education.



By the way, it'd be a smart idea to take business courses in college (not horse related) so when (not if) you have to land a regular job so you can eat and pay bills.



There's no money in horses, really. Why start out giving it away to some piss poor "college" like MM?

Be a trainer's assistant.

It's free and you'll learn more, get connections and be able (if you're any good) to get PAID by real clients eventually.

Answer 6

Agreed with Kit.

You just can't make enough money in the horse world to support a stud unless you are in the top percent of trainers/riders in the world. And unfortunately, you do need money to get IN to that top percentage, as well as raw talent.

My boss, who runs a small-scale breeding farm, started out wealthy. She has a wealthy family, and a very wealthy husband. Her and her horses live on her 'super' pay outs from the bank.

She does have a stallion at stud- but any money she makes off him is peanuts compared to the cost of keeping 12 horses. Her young stock sells irregularly. She may sell 3 in one year, and then none for a couple years- and then perhaps have another sale.

You just CAN'T make a living out of it unless perhaps you own a thoroughbred stud selling racehorses into the industry.... even then the successful TB studs I've seen have something like 10 stallions and hundreds upon hundreds of mares. Each stallion is serving 4 mares a day during breeding season.

So yes, they make money

But how are you going to purchase hundreds of horses and keep them fed/cared for until you start making an income? Where are you going to find the money to purchase well-bred and successful stallions? Do you know how much successful/proven stallions sell for??? Google it. It will blow your mind.

Near impossible unless you already have a large fortune.



So here's my advice- either keep following your dream and be content with one mare for breeding and no other horses, or get a job in a well-paying area of the world (i.e. go to college!) and keep horses as your hobby. Then you may be able to afford a couple mares and perhaps a stud in the long run.



Or win the lottery.



With training.... a better choice- but you better be a darned good trainer if you're going to fill your books. It's a hard life too. My friend trains for a living, and she is constantly hurt by aggressive horses, or ripped off by shady horse dealers.... you better have good insurance! ($$$)

I also dabble in a bit of training, and I get minimal wage the same as every other horse job I've had. You can't fund horses on a minimal wage- trust me! I've tried.



Don't let this discourage you, I'm not trying to be mean. Just realistic.

I had the same dreams you have (and still do!) but realistically, I probably won't see them happen until I'm mid-age or older. That's just the way of it.

I'm waiting for a rich husband to come marry me haha!

Answer 7

I just can't get over the "basically perfected the rising trot" comment. Either become a world class equestrian so wealthy investors who made their fortunes outside the horse industry. Buy you nice horses to ride and fund fancy facilities for you to train in. People like Charlotte Dujardin are the exception not the rule. You will be pretty well off if you attain your dream by 50.

Answer 8

You've answered your own question. At very least fifty. Unfortunately in this world economy, there is absolutely no money in horses unless you're at the very top, and even then, theres not a whole lot and no guarantees.

I know the idea of getting paid to spend a lifetime with horses seems appealing, but unless you decide to go into veterinary medicine, it's just not realistic unfortunately. With horses there are no guarantees. No guarantees anyone will buy any of your stock,no guarantees your horses will remain healthy and sound and no guaranteed pay check. This means if you base your life around making money off of horses, you often don't know when and where your next pay check is coming. This also means you won't necessarily have the means to pay feed and vet bills when they arise. Not to mention the cost of your mortgage, maintenance, medical insurance (and trust me, you'll need it), just to name a few. Many many people have thought they could make a living off of horses, and because of that coupled with a very poor economy, there is an unsurmountable number of rescued, abandoned and given up horses in the United States. This is not a situation you ever want to be forced to be in.



A more realistic practical goal to keep yourself involved with your passion is exactly what the other posters mentioned, go to college, focus on a good practical career where you'll be able to make enough money to support yourself, and your hobbies. (law, environmental, medical, health and safety are all in demand..) This way you'll be guaranteed that pay check to keep your dream alive. You can still own a stud and breed one of your mares every few years, but you're not dependant on this as your primary means of survival.



Were really not telling you all of this to crush your dreams, but it's quite likely that everyone who's told you to look into a different career path is an adult with strong ties to the horse industry, and who realizes that as must as you hope and try, there is just absolutely no money or livelihood in horses alone. This is just one of those hard truths you learn as you grow up.



Personally, I've managed to get a degree in Biological Sciences, which has helped me to afford a few horses, which I raise, bring on and sell, a hobby farm property, and a nice home. It is achievable to do, you just have to be realistic and look into different routes of getting there!

Good luck!

Answer 9

Honestly, you would be better off going to a regular university, and getting a good paying job that will allow you to save enough money to do what you want.

Unless you are a well established, top trainer, you're not going to make much money in horses.

You need to be a whole lot better than "pretty good" to be a top trainer, and there is a whole lot more to riding than perfecting the rising trot.



Good luck!