How much of your day/week is related to horses?
The awesome thing about this question is there is rarely a day that goes by let alone a week that isn’t related to horses in one way or another. I can be on the road working as a Certified Saddle fit Technician for Schleese Saddlery from early mornings till late at night.  Still somehow I end up at the barn where I board my horse even if it is just for a quick brush or ride.

I am also a Registered Equine Massage Therapist.  When I am not fitting saddles or with my own horse, I might just be found at another barn treating a horse.

What is it exactly that you do?
Being a Certified Saddle Fit Technician, my role is creating the optimal saddle fit for horse and also rider. So there are certain territories that I travel along with a client success manager.  In Ontario I take on both those roles. I am responsible for booking all my appointments in Ontario and servicing the saddles.  Some are refitting existing saddles or helping new clients find the right saddle for their horse(s) and themselves. I spend most of my time on the road travelling from barn to barn.  I also work trade shows and do lectures in barns. The lectures are on the areas where a saddle should sit and also where it needs to stay clear from to allow for optimal long term riding to prevent any long term damage.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
This has most definitely become my full time profession. I would say “yes” you can earn a liveable income.  It is just like anything, the more you put in well of course you can see the more comes out!  My response to this question as it is the same for Alexa and myself, is the same answer.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
Saddlefit4Life is a non-profit organization that provides education and certification in the assessment of saddle fit for horse and rider. I encourage anyone interested in assessing and fitting saddles to research Saddlefit4Life, the fitting philosophy, and upcoming courses and events.

Saddlefit4Life offers a range of educational opportunities.  This is from introductory seminars to intensive courses for those interested in learning more about pain free saddle fit.

Favourite horse memory?
When the Obrigado model came out and I was able to take it for a test ride.  I can’t really put into words what the feeling was like, I will try though… It is like that feeling when you just become one with your horse. With the shorter pommel sitting over the horse’s strongest point of their back lets you feel like you can lift them up so lightly with every stride and just float.

I feel blessed to have a technical feeling when it comes to saddle fit. Horses can feel a fly land on their skin.  So when I can make what might feel like a small adjustment, to them it feels so big. I have such a large box of great memories.  Especially during every saddle fit appointment when you can see that horse moves more free, taking that bigger stride, and the rider saying the “shoulders feel so much freer” just makes my day!

Future goals?
I am always looking for ways to better myself and learn ways to help horses. My goals are to help as many people suffering with lower back pain, something I have had in the past.  Knowing what I know about how saddles can help with that, drives me to help anyone that has maybe stopped ridding and could possibly ride again. Which in turn follows our saddle fit 4 life in protecting as many horses and riders from long term damage as possible 🙂

Best thing about your sport/profession?
Working with the horses and people I get to. Most people may think “horse people” are sort of their own breed.  They may not be far off, but I wouldn’t change for a minute to people I have met over the years.  And seeing their horses change in positive ways over the years.

Every time I measure a horse and get to go over the numbers with the owner is such an added bonus. Most times it shows how well the owner has ridden the horse.  And how positive the changes are and with that is its weight in gold. The smile on their faces, knowing how well all their hard work has paid off is just an awesome feeling.  I am so lucky I get to share that with them.

Horse trainer Bob Bilger was kind enough to answer some questions about the work he does at Horse Training with Bilger.  You can find his answers below.

How much of your day/week is related to horses?
All of it, and many weekends as well.

What is it exactly that you do?
Education and truth about working with the horse and also how to quickly be respected and a leader by any horse.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
Yes, especially if you are an expert at what you do, a good listener and also a great teacher.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
Apprentice with someone that is a true expert in their field. This is not something to be learned from our educational systems in place today.  Or from the Internet, CD’s, DVD’s, Etc..

Favorite horse memory?
Last ride in championship jackpot sorting cattle against the clock, 2 men, 10 cattle, 34 seconds start to finish, in order, to win the whole thing! Best part, was riding my favorite paint mare out of the pasture, bareback with spurs on and sand flying 🙂 !

Future goals?
STOP the USA Bureau of Land Management from removing, traumatizing, killing and stockpiling Wild Horses and Burro’s that Federal Laws were passed to protect!

Best thing about your sport/profession?
The rewards every day of working with a horse and also developing a true partnership that allows the horse to choose to respect the human as a leader.  This makes a safe and excellent learning experience for both!

“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes. ” ― William Shakespeare

What is it exactly that you do?
I am a Real Estate Agent specializing in horse property, farm, ranch and land. I own 5 horses so I know what it takes to purchase property that suits their specific needs.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
Yes it can be very lucrative. But my focus is more about helping people.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
Over 600 hours of study and a state exam and license approval by the Texas and National Association of Realtors.  Plus continuing education each year to maintain my license.

Favourite horse memory?
That’s a hard one. Was it my first ride when I was 3, was it when I won a first place ribbon for jumping when I was 12? Or was it when I bought my first horse Chochese an Appaloosa when I was 21, was it when I purchased my heart horse KoKo 10 years ago?

Or when I decided to take a new softer approach to training because she had shut down. It took about a year and a half to gain her trust but when I first saw her with a big swinging walk and a very confident tail lift as if she owned the world. I think that was it.

Future goals?
My future goals are to help people find that perfect horse, farm, ranch or land to build their dream home. I love helping people find the right fit for their specific needs.

Buying a ranch or farm or next home is usually the largest investment people will make in their life. I want to help make that investment/home for their families and animals be everything they want. Most of my business comes from referrals and I’m proud of that.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
I get to work with horse people mostly, I understand their needs. It’s not just a home to them it’s a home for their horses and horses have special needs. I know what they are.

Being outdoors showing properties in the country is something I love. I also love talking about horses but any farm animals, or crops or whatever their focus is. I have a Farm and Ranch Certification, I am a preferred Texas Veterans Agent, I have a GREEN certification, and am a Premiere Luxury Marketing Consultant.

Blair McKissock was kind enough to answer some questions about her work with Strides to Success.

How much of your day/week is related to horses?
60+ hours of what I do every week is related to horses. This includes direct service with clients, the marketing and training program coordination, proctoring online coursework and facilitating training programs.

What is it exactly that you do?
I am the director of education for Strides to Success in Indiana. My job is to implement and coordinate special programs.  I write the programs up to be published as curricula and resources for the industry, and facilitate the HorseWork Education training program.  I also coordinate the online courses, provide direct service in equine assisted learning and therapy.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
Yes!! If you create a diverse stream of income.  Also, collaborate with other organizations in your area, do your homework on the program planning process to accurately match your programs to the needs in your community.  And if you are passionate enough to persevere through the hard stuff.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
Certification through a credible program, experience and skill with both horses and humans, good partnership with a barn or barn of your own, desire to never stop learning!

Favourite horse memory?
There are so many it’s hard to choose.  This one in particular was the foundation for the Equiyo-yoga on horseback book so is it special to me.

I had been working with a client with multiple sclerosis.  She would get on her horse and proceed to canter lap after lap. She was very high energy but would never talk about her diminishing ability to maintain balance and her decrease in strength as the disease progresses.

Every lesson it would take her a long time to mellow out and encourage the horse to walk. You could tell that the horse was clearly reflecting the excess energy and whirlwind that must have been in the rider’s head. One day we spent time focusing on breath work and talking about her situation before she even got on.

After she mounted we moved through some basic yogic breathing and posture work so she could feel the horse move under her. She began to talk about her fear related to her decline. As she talked, the horse took a huge breath and immediately the horse calmly walked. Once she acknowledged that she kept herself busy so she intentionally didn’t notice or pay attention to what was going on in her body, things changed between her and the horse. It was amazing to see!

Future goals?
My goal is to continue doing what I am doing but take it to the next level. My professional goal is to continue supporting the industry through committee work with professional organizations.  The aim is to develop guidelines so that as we move forward, we will be on the right track to protect the integrity of what we do.  This will help keep both clients and horses safe.

I also want to create more curriculum and resources that have been on the back burner for a while.  As well as take this work and teach more on a regular basis at the University level to help establish academic programs for training and certification.

Currently I teach online courses through Strides to Success including an online therapeutic riding apprentice course.  I want to expand those to make continuing education as affordable and accessible as possible. My hope is that things are set up for the next generation of equine professionals to take the reins and go further than we have dreamed of.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
The best thing is that it is just the beginning. We are learning more and more every day about how interaction between horses and humans can be so beneficial to both. There is so much more to learn and explore.  And lots of opportunity for people to jump into this industry and help blaze trails! This can also present quite a challenge to people who are just starting out and are trying to figure out how to get the training and experience they need to do the work safely and effectively.

Every person who hangs a shingle and facilitates equine assisted learning and therapy as their profession represents the entire industry. Since we are growing and becoming recognized, that means we are under ever greater scrutiny.  Therefore we need to take our ethical and professional responsibilities seriously.

There is very little oversight or accreditation within our industry currently. There are organizations beginning to go through that process and things will change. But it is highly recommended to new professionals that they do their homework on those they get training through. There is a great resource on the PATHIntl.org website on equine assisted learning competencies and guidelines. These can be a great benchmark to compare the content and outcomes of a training you are considering before you invest money.

Debbie Anderson, the executive director of Strides to Success and I spent years working with PATH International.  This was alongside a fabulous team of industry experts to develop those and hope they become a resource for the industry moving forward.

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