How much of your day/week is related to horses?
I am currently working at a race stud, waiting to start due to the Melbourne Cup and am quite excited to get started. This is will be covering most of my time, however, I do other horse things while I’m not working such as I work with my horse and sometimes my sister’s horse many times throughout the week. My mare, is worked up to 4/5 days a week due to behavior issues and it can be up to an hour or two ride. (When the weather isn’t stormy like it is at the moment!).
The products that I make for horses, take up to 2-3 weeks depending on my availability and time.
When I have time, the first thing I have to do is collect all the materials which sometimes can be either the easiest or the hardest, painting is the next bit and may take a while depending on weather. If it is warm, I get most of the painting done, (there are 4 edges + 3 coats of paint, every 2 hours to dry, it adds up). Once everything is painted, it takes a few hours (2-3) to put everything together!
What is it exactly that you do?
Currently, I make Horse Jumps, Horse Poles, Cavaletti and Dressage Markers, however I am still learning to make dressage cones, and the new glitter horse jumps! This is just a start of my career, I am currently undergoing a horse riding instructor course, so will be teaching soon!
In this field of work, is it possible to be a full time professional and earning a liveable income?
At the moment, I am able to work a full time job and earn a nice income and am currently saving up for a house and a new horse so I can teach Jack to ride. This is just a little hobby I have started to do in my spare time, as well as spending some time studying about horses and how to achieve my dream career.
What are the general steps taken to be employed in such a role?
I have started out small and basic, by thinking about how to make my own jumps as I was competing soon and didn’t have anything to practice on and our barrels just rolled away in the wind!
I knew basic carpentry and Jack was good at measurements and ideas so we thought of doing this together and doing research. I am currently doing a riding instructor course online to be a qualified instructor and doing a bachelor of equine science course next year.
Favourite horse memory?
My favourite horse memory is quite a few and I can’t decide. My first ride on a quarter horse, he was called Ninja and could do anything! He even shook hooves/hands.
My second was my first ribbon on my mare, we won first place in a walk and trot dressage test against 9 others! Recently it has been the musical ride, we had been struggling on behavioral issues due to an injury to her hind legs/rump. We pulled this idea together at the last minute with my sister and a friend, we did pirates of the Caribbean musical ride and received first place! It was my first ribbon this year.
Future goals?
To make this easier, I am going to list off my future goals as I have a lot in mind:
- Currently compete in Pony Club and achieve many of the Patches (D Certificate at the moment)
- Completing my Level I and II Riding Instructor Course
- Completing the Bachelor of Equine Science
- Try and get into AI (Artificial Insemination)
- Horse Breeding (with my own stallion and mare)
- Horse Training
- Horse Rescuing and Rehoming (Saving horses from the doggers and rehoming)
- Agistment (For those who cannot have a horse where they live but love to ride)
Best thing about your sport/profession?
I enjoy making customers happy and I have always been an animal lover and the day that I started riding and doing things that I loved, it made me realise that this is my dream. It is a great feeling creating jumps for others and teaching others the basic of riding and jumping.
“I frequently dream of being on these horses’ backs and running across a field. And the horse and I are one.” – William Shatner
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