Careers in the equestrian sports

A wide range of careers in equestrian sports

When it comes to choosing a career, young people face the challenge of finding a life's work that not only pays well but also matches their own preferences and abilities. Those who have felt drawn to horses since childhood often feel a desire to work with them professionally. However, many people have concerns, partly triggered by their parents and environment, that a job with horses means hard work that may not be possible until retirement. Today, however, the range of options in this area is greater than ever. And by no means every job with horses involves physically hard work into old age. Ultimately, jobs involving horses have the advantage that for many people involved, they represent a real calling, a passion they want to devote themselves to around the clock. However, everyone should ask themselves this question before getting involved in this field: Do I want to turn my hobby into a career? Do I have just as much fun being surrounded by my favorite animals 24/7?

Why a job with horses?

“Choose a job you love, and you'll never have to work again.”

That's what the Chinese scholar Confucius once said – and it's still true today. Yes, the author herself is one example among many. She has been enthusiastic about horses for as long as she can remember. She has been enthusiastic about reading since kindergarten and about writing since first grade. So when she got asked the question in high school, she knew: “I want to be an author. I want to write, nothing else.” And how do you find a niche here that only a few cover? By dedicating yourself to your original passion: horses. Thus, it was that even during her cultural studies degree, the first commissions became possible through a great deal of personal commitment. She continued to gain a foothold in the equestrian journalism niche, and today a proud freelance journalist has been working in this field for over 15 years. She knows that the quote from the wise Confucius is as true as words can be. The author cannot deny that it takes a great deal of willpower and commitment to fulfill such a dream: But it's worth it! It is always worth fighting for your dreams. In your professional and private life. And horses are a unique opportunity to live your personal passion every day in a wide range of professions.

Now there are even more direct professions with horses than working as an equestrian journalist could ever be. Above all, it is what these animals give us every day that you can hardly experience in any other profession.

Training and study opportunities

Do you want to know more about the career opportunities with horses and get an overview of what is possible in this field? Then let's go into more detail and start with the most common ones.

In addition to working in the respective training company, the trainee receives vocational school instruction once a week or in blocks. The content of the training is varied and partly specialized to the respective sector. However, there are also topics that apply to all apprentices. These include, among other things, animal-friendly horsekeeping and horse feeding, animal protection and animal health, training and preparation of horses for breeding and performance tests, operational procedures and organization, business management contexts, horse breeding and rearing, equipment, use of machines, devices and operating equipment, structure and organization of the training company, labor and collective bargaining law, safety and health protection at work, environmental protection, nature conservation, ecological connections and sustainability.

After an intermediate examination, which tests general knowledge as well as practical riding skills, the final examination usually takes place after a corresponding preparatory course. In the field of classical riding training, the intermediate and final examinations for all federal states take place at the German Riding School in Warendorf. Only in the federal state of Bavaria are the intermediate and final examinations held at the Bavarian State Riding and Driving School in Munich-Riem.

After successfully passing the examination to become a horse trainer, there is the option of further training to become a Pferdewirtschaftsmeister (master of equine management). This qualification allows you to train apprentices in your own company.

The German Equestrian Federation provides information on which specialization is suitable for whom, and you can also find a lot of helpful information on its website to help you decide.

While you can start the bachelor's degree programs immediately after graduating from high school or graduating from a technical college, you must have a bachelor's degree in a relevant subject or biology or a degree in veterinary medicine to be admitted to the master's program.

In addition to these 'classics', other courses of study with an equine focus are also possible. The FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg and the DOSB are cooperation partners for the part-time B.A. Sport Science. This is the right choice for those who see their future (for example as managers) in clubs and associations and would like to work as trainers.

For vocational trainers who have already completed the master's degree in equine management in the field of riding training, there is the option of completing a diploma trainer course in cooperation with the DOSB's trainer academy in Cologne and acquiring the “diploma trainer riding” qualification.

In addition to these courses of study, veterinary medicine is another major area. Those who want to specialize in horses usually first complete a general veterinary degree and have a license to practice before they can train to become a specialist veterinarian for horses.

There is also the opportunity for law students to specialize in horse law. However, this step is preceded by a general study of law.

In addition, the IST Studieninstitut offers a whole range of further training opportunities, which, however, are not equivalent to a traditional course of study. Nevertheless, they can open up new professional perspectives.

Furthermore, there are many trainers (Monty Roberts, Eckart Meyners, Marc Nölke...) who offer corresponding qualification paths at special private academies or through seminars.