Horses and money are two of my favourite things. Education I believe is the key to improving in both of these areas.

An example – undertaking a course about horses as we have students doing at the National Centre for Equine Education helps to learn more about horses, reinforce what is already known and gain a piece of paper to say they’re qualified if competent at the end of the course. This is an example of sticking to what you know (horses) and adding to what isn’t known (learning more about horses).

Where does the money come into it? Students who completed their course last year have gained contacts and practical skills that led to employment on stud farms. Horses have the potential to be your job, or your career. What’s the difference? I guess that depends on who you ask.

For me, a job is one that you do to earn an income. This is possible solely by sticking to what you know about horses and doing this for someone else. A career for me involves adding regularly to:
• your skills base
• your horse related contacts
• your potential annual income (a higher qualification, more responsibility and capabilities can increase this)
• industry related aspirations (do you have a bucket list?)

Consider another example: this blog. This blog birthed from what I knew about horses and education, but was added to as I researched and learnt more about possible disciplines, courses and careers with horses.

Unexpected (but welcome) requests to advertise on this blog have led to earning sporadically based on what I’ve written. Adding to this, I sought out other ways that I could earn for writing about horses (hence Suite101).

A downside of writing for another and relying on that as a source of income is if things go wrong, you may be left without this financial source.

However, if I stick with what I know (this blog) and am only adding with what I don’t know (Suite101), then I can always fall back on the blog as my main source of writing horses and potential income. Anything from another source is a bonus, but shouldn’t be solely relied on.

So! Do you have a job in which you can rely on, but are able to branch out and improve your skills and possible sources of income at the same time? Perhaps this is a way to build up an impressive resume and put away a substantial amount for future goals.

“Don’t give your son money. As far as you can afford it, give him horses.” – Winston Churchill

Every horse person should have a resume. It can help in a multitude of ways. Initially, it allows you to determine what skills and qualifications you have currently. From here it may:

• Help in securing your first job
• Help you to realise what an incredible addition you’d be to someone’s team of employees
• Be ready made when someone offers you a job and suggests you give them a copy of your resume
• Be added to as you achieve more with regards to skills

There’s an online networking website called LinkedIn. On here you can list your resume, which can be a great way for potential employees to see what you’re capable of and what you’ve achieved.

The site is called LinkedIn because the aim of it is to connect (or link) with people who could help you progress with your career. These people could be work colleagues, employers, business owners, company starters, self employed – you name it! The great thing about LinkedIn, is that once you’re connected with someone directly, then you’re within contact reach of all of their connections.

For example, if you look up Christine Meunier on LinkedIn, you ask to connect with me and I accept, you’re then connected by this one contact with people that:

• Manage studs
• Work for racing organisations
• Teach equine studies
• Run their own businesses

The list goes on. If you’re not already on LinkedIn but are serious about increasing your contact base and showing off your resume, I encourage you to do so. There are also discussion groups on many topics that you can join and participate in.

And added bonus is that your connections can endorse you for the work you claim to be able to do.  Check it out!

“The delicate and exquisite horse is itself a work of art.” – Bertrand Leclair