Just a short note to say that I’ve gotten off my backside and finally finished the page Vocation 100… or at least gotten it to a stage where it’s able to be posted – I’ll be adding more vocations to the list as I write more pieces for the blog.

So feel free to check it out and let me know what you think! It currently covers 56 different possibilities relating to work with horses.

“We have almost forgotten how strange a thing it is that so huge and powerful and intelligent an animal as a horse should allow another, and far more feeble animal, to ride upon its back.” – Peter Gray

Wandered up Euroa way on Friday night to catch up with some mates before heading on to one of my last classes for my Certificate IV in Training and Assessment on Saturday in Shepparton. Of course talk turned to horses as we’re all in the industry and a few little birdies told me of how many studs are looking for workers at the moment.

So if you’re looking for work on a Thoroughbred stud and are able to get yourself to Victoria, Australia, perhaps it’d be worth contacting the likes of Blue Gum Farm, Fulmen Park, Rangal Park or one of the others surrounding the area.

Or if you’re a bit of a fan of foal watch (the season is only a few months away) it may be worth heading up Hunter Valley way in New South Wales. I’ve shied away from stud work this year to be able to teach but have also found it easy to earn more money for less hours doing office administration work part time. I find it infuriating that I can earn more doing something that requires less skill as far as I’m concerned and that I don’t enjoy as much but while saving for a house, will continue to do this work.

One of the same little birdies mentioned that the industry is short on night staff for foal watch at the moment and in the season just passed, night staff were making $200 a night, working four nights on, four nights off. Now I wouldn’t complain about a weekly wage of $800 with four days worth of work!

If you’re looking for stud work in Australia, consider one of these two states that are desperately seeking workers.

“Once a horse is born, someone will be found to ride it” – Hebrew Proverb

tag: australia, thoroughbred stud season, horse stud, seasonal work, foal watch

Are you carrying out a job or your vocation? I was at church on Saturday night and our pastor was talking about being a church without walls – that is, reaching out to the community and he clarified something that really hit home for me. Am I in a job or a vocation?

Job – what I get paid to do.
Vocation – what I am on earth to achieve . It’s where my gifts meet the world. It’s my calling in life!

Now this is why I want to set up a page titled Vocation 100 where I list at least 100 different possible careers with horses. If horses are your life, then surely they can be your vocation!

At the moment I’m carrying out both – working four jobs and saving for a house – 3 of these jobs are horse related; 2 I adore doing and would do 24/7 if I could! These are my vocations, the things I’m passionate about and feel that I can really bring something to.

Work is introduced in the bible in Genesis 1:28 –‘Then God blesed them and he said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” The words fruitful, multiply, govern and reign all conjure up images of work for me and successful work at that!

If you’re in your vocation already, I encourage you to not forget the blessing you have in doing what you love – many don’t! Yet.

If you’re in a job, carry it out with the same passion as you would your vocation. “Be diligent and hardworking – look for opportunities to become invaluable.” You should find rewards in this and/or opportunities to move up – maybe on towards your vocation.

“Vocation without vacation leads to vexation.”

tag: australia, job, vocation, career, horse goals