Gini Woodward of Saddle Exchange took the time to answer questions about saddle fitting as a career.

How much of your day/week is related to horses?
All day at least 5 days a week every week.

What is it exactly that you do?
I’m a saddle fitter.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
Yes.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
You need to undertake an apprenticeship.  Our agents and retail partners take anything from 9 months to around 2 years to train.

Favourite horse memory?
This is a difficult one… so many. I’ve had so many moments of joy with my own horses but I think my best memory of the last year has to be when I found out a customer of ours who we had worked very closely with and I had seen grow hugely in her horsemanship and who’s pony had improved immeasurably in the 18 months I had known them had just won the European Pony eventing Championship.

I still get emotional when I watch the video of her cross country and show jumping, sentimental old soul that I am!

Future goals?
As our brand awareness now spreads around Europe, our goal is to have a team of retail partners and accredited agents through the UK , Europe and the world, who can fit saddles where ever and whenever they are needed without having to wait a month or more for a visit from either me or my husband.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
I get to spend my days with horses and their owners.  There is immense satisfaction in providing a well fitting saddle to someone who has had problems and then coming back in 3 months, 6 months, a year and seeing how they have improved.

“No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle” – Winston Churchill

How much of your day/week is related to horses? What is it exactly that you do?
Firstly, no week is ever the same. I teach riders, and train horses. But I also, do holistic therapy for animals and humans. This last week, every day was involved with care of horses, but I only did two equine Bowen therapies, and no teaching. Tomorrow I will ride/train and possibly teach.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
As far as being able to earn a full time living — yes it’s possible, but I will never be rich. Though I consider myself lucky to do something I love, and get paid for it.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
Anyone can train to do Bowen. There are several colleges world-wide. However to become qualified in equine Bowen, you have to become qualified in humans. Both courses took about a year each.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
The best thing about my work is the reward of helping a body back into alignment. Especially horses. They look at you with such gratitude when you have released a trapped nerve, that they have been having to work with for a long time.

Favourite horse memory?
My favourite memories — too many to mention. But each time a horse turns his head towards you, to say thanks; be it, that you’ve released them from pain, or told a rider to stop doing something, that you know the horse hates, is always special.

Future goals?
My goals are to take my teaching of riding and therapy to a wider field. I have worked in KY and TX. I would like to also visit CA and NE.

“Amazingly fast, incredibly strong, tirelessly proud, fantastically gentle, he is a huge dark beast that touches the hearts of all who meet him.” – Anna Sewell

Equine body worker Noni VanSon kindly took the time to answer some questions about her profession and business The Right Touch Equine Sports Massage and Rehabilitation.

How much of your day/week is related to horses?
At least 40 hours a week are devoted to horses–probably more if you add in all the time that I spend thinking and talking about them.

What is it exactly that you do?
I am an equine body worker. I am certified in equine sports massage, equine rehabilitation, and balanced equine structural therapy. I mostly use sports massage and body mechanics (both mine and the horses’) to alleviate chronically over-used muscles and over-stretched muscles, passively mobilize joints, and initiate exercises to generally improve the horse’s performance and comfort. I also provide the owner/trainer with exercises to reinforce the work that I have done and/or build strength in the horse’s core or other targeted areas.

I also spend considerable effort in educating owners and trainers and help them to coordinate saddle fit, farrier and dental work, veterinary work, and their training programs to enhance the horse’s physical well being as well as his or her performance. I strive to work as part of a team by improving communication between the various professionals and nonprofessionals who are responsible for each horse.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
Yes, it is possible to earn a livable income, but it takes time to build the reputation and clientele to do this. I would say that it makes a better second income for a family than the only one. However, if you are single, it could be done as long as you have some type of support while you build your business.

I worked part time during the first 8 years of my business, but was finally able to only do equine body work as my only income. I think the area you live in and your connections have some impact on how fast you are able to build a business. Certainly an area with fewer horses and lower per capita incomes would not provide a livable income doing this type of work.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
I think certification or course completion in some form of equine body work is a must. I highly recommend Dino Fretterd’s Equine-DO Institute in California and The Animal Rehab Institute in Florida. Having said that, professional horse experience is also important to success.

One must know how to handle horses quietly, firmly, and with respect. The course one takes will definitely influence how well you do, but your mission statement and follow-through will also affect it. Additionally, you have to look at your career as one that involves continuing education and continual improvement.

Favourite horse memory?
My favorite horse memory is knowing that as a child I had no one really to help me with my horse addiction. We lived in an area where there were few horses, but many farms. My parents who knew nothing about horses, bought me a pregnant mare. I foaled the baby, raised him, started him myself, and rode him through the countryside without a care in the world, sometimes for the whole day.

And I never had him gelded! This stallion took care of me and never dumped me or even scared me. I never knew that it was dangerous. When I went to college, my mother gave the stallion to a friend of hers that had a herd of ponies that he wanted to breed for larger size.

A year later, I went to visit him and rode him bareback up the hill and away from his herd of mares to where my mom was. He never even looked back! Knowing what I know now, makes me feel that this entire relationship was a miracle of sorts and I am very thankful for the memories.

Future goals?
My future goal is to obtain funding for an equine rehab facility with a water treadmill, cold water spa, Theraplate, therapeutic ultrasound, effective body work, and employees who love horses and learning. This would be a place where horses could not only be rehabilitated, but actually improved and the people working with them would be treated with respect.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
The best thing about my profession is that I am an educated equine advocate. I help horses in real and tangible ways and I can also help their owners/trainers to achieve their goals for these horses.

“His is a power enhanced by pride, a courage heightened by challenge, his is a swiftness intensified by strength, a majesty magnified by grace, his is a timeless beauty touched with gentleness, a spirit that call our hearts to dream.” – Author unknown

Nancy McLean of Stonecrest Equine kindly took the time to answer some questions about her work as a Stübben saddle fitter.

How much of your day/week is related to horses?
Since I keep my horses at home, I find myself working with horses nearly everyday. Saddle fitting for Stübben North America can mean working three days a week or five. It is whatever the “fitter” makes it. Some days I am at shows and other times I am making barn visits. I make my own schedule according to what my clients need/want.

 

What is it exactly that you do?
I fit Stübben Saddles for the Custom program. I also fit Stübben standard models and used Stübben saddles. I have been trained on how Stübben constructs their saddles, so I feel very confident in my ability to make/suggest corrections or alterations in fit. I fit the horse first, and then the rider.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
In this field, whatever effort you put into it, is what you will earn from it. I have a working farm with Thoroughbreds, so my Stübben business is part time some weeks. Other weeks it is a full time endeavor, due to demand. I also use a marketing strategy that has required building a platform and that can take time, but it will pay off in the end.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
Learn good saddle fitting skills. Apply to Stübben (or another brand). Visit their headquarters as often as possible to learn your Brand and Models, and the particular construction techniques and nuances.

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and I do believe in using those learned processes and precepts in all my equine endeavors. It’s a great foundation builder.

Favourite horse memory?
Getting my excercise rider license, in 1999, on my then two year old filly, Pretty Greta. I passed my gallop test because she made me look soooo good! She is still living with me at 17 years old! Love that girl!!

Future goals?
I am always wanting to improve upon the previous year’s sales. My goal is to eventually step up and take on more business and become the “go to” Stübben fitter/representative for my area.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
The horses!  I also treasure the flexibility to be able to take care of my own horses and work with Stübben as a fitter. It’s a great combination!

“There are only two emotions that belong in the saddle; one is a sense of humour and the other is patience.” – John Lyons

Brigita McKelvie specialises in real estate that relates to horses.  She was kind enough to answer some questions about her profession.

How much of your day/week is related to horses?
Since I mostly deal with horse properties, most of my work is related to horses. From time to time, if someone is either downsizing from a horse property or moving up to a horse property, I will work with them on a residential property.

What is it exactly that you do?
I am a Pennsylvania licensed (#RS297130) real estate agent that specializes in rural and horse properties and farms, with my expertise in horse properties. Since I am a horse owner myself and involved in many equestrian aspects, I am quite knowledgeable to assist other horse owners or potential horse owners with their properties, whether it is finding a suitable property for their needs or selling their current property to another horse enthusiast. My brokerage firm also specializes in horse properties with all the agents working together as a team.

In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
Yes, it is possible.

What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
The first thing to do is to get your real estate license. Once you have your license in hand, then find someone that can mentor and help you in the field so you can acquire experience.

Favourite horse memory?
I have so many. Hard to narrow it down.

Future goals?
I hope to continue helping fellow horse enthusiasts with either finding or selling their horse properties and improving and continue educating myself about horses and real estate along the way.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
I finally found a career with horses, well, at least in the horse community, helping fellow horse enthusiasts. I have always wanted to find a job working with horses and this is the closest I have come. I love it!

“You Know You’re A Horse Person When… you consider a golf course as a waste of good pasture land.” – Author unknown