This week’s letter is Y (sorry, no horse jobs covered that start with X – yet!). If you missed last week’s Friday Feature, take a look at Website Design (Equine).

I believe it takes a special kind of person to be able to educate and turn out any yearling to a high standard for sale.  This tends to be done year round in the racing industries and because the northern and southern hemispheres work on different seasons, it can be done year round by the individual willing to travel.

A yearling handler is often involved in:

• Teaching young horses to lead
• Feeding and grooming
• Introducing horses to rugs and to being brushed
• Washing perhaps for the first time
• Holding for the farrier
• Pulling manes
• Turning out to a high standard
• Parading yearlings to clients and putting through the sale ring

If you find yourself enjoying this sort of work, it really is possible to travel around the world – or even the states of your country – and attend different horse sales.  Some may argue that the best (or worst) bit of working with yearling sales preparation is that every 8 weeks you’re working with a new set of horses and the cycle starts again.  Just don’t get attached – they’re being prepared for sale!!

For some posts that relate to this topic on Equus-Blog, take a look at:

• Melbourne Premier Yearling Sales 2009
• Networking at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sales
• Positions Vacant
• Yearling Handlers
• Yearling Management

“Never give up. For fifty years they said the horse was through. Now look at him – a status symbol.” – Fletcher Kneb

This week’s letter is W. If you missed last week’s Friday Feature, take a look at Veterinarian (Equine).

There are many people out there who can design websites for a fee; there is perhaps a small niche who can do so with an understanding of the horse industry.  Someone who is familiar with horses and has a skill in website design can offer a little more than someone who is ignorant to horses:

• awareness of what makes a good horse photo to add to a website
• awareness of horse related websites that would be good to promote the business on
• knowledge of what horse owners are looking for when researching particular equine businesses

Being able to market yourself and provide website design and hosting to the equine world could generate a feasible income.  For those with a bit more IT know how – creating an equine program on a site that people have to pay to use could also generate income.  If savvy with graphic design, this will help to add to the appeal of those looking for a classy website.

For some posts that relate to this topic on Equus-Blog, take a look at:

• A Place to Vent Online
• Mixing Horses and the Internet
• Working From Home With Horses

“A camel is a horse designed by a committee.” – Author unknown