Make Money with Horses!
I’m one of those people who’s had horses in my blood since I was little. Why, I’m not quite sure – no one in my family had anything to do with horses. My father was allergic, and my mother was terrified of them. But my biggest dream as a child was to work with horses and earn enough to put food on the table.
I often heard that it wasn’t possible to make money from horses – that they only brought costs, and big ones at that. But I was determined and convinced I’d find a way. And I did. I became a saddlemaker, a breeder, and a horse dealer.
In fact, becoming a horse dealer happened by chance. I started with a couple of ponies and gradually worked my way up until I could eventually buy many horses, some of them from Hungary. I loved finding good horses, and my intention was always to provide them with a good home – while being able to support myself. I had realized that it was hard to make ends meet as just a saddlemaker.
For the most part, things went well, and I had many satisfied customers. But occasionally, I encountered skepticism – people thinking that as a horse dealer, I only cared about money. I always aimed to match the right horse with the right rider and offered honest advice to buyers. But sometimes, I’d hear comments like, “You just want to sell the most expensive horse to make more money.” That was far from the truth. Better horses cost me more too, and I didn’t necessarily make more profit on them, but they were often easier to sell because of their quality.
I don’t actually want to focus too much on what it was like to sell horses, but rather to share an important point: Those of us who work with horses usually do it because we’re passionate about it, not just for the money. If, for example, you’re a farrier, you don’t recommend shoeing a horse just to make more money, but because it’s what’s best for that specific horse. If you sell feed, you want to recommend the best feed so the horse owner has a healthy and thriving horse – so the customer comes back, happy and satisfied.
If you want to work with horses and have an income, there are many professions you can train for where you can actually make a good living. Many might first think of dealing or training horses, which can be hard work. But there are other paths too, like massage therapy, equine therapy, chiropractic, veterinarian work, or becoming a farrier if you want to work directly with horses. And if you’d prefer to work indirectly, there are opportunities in feed consultancy, equipment sales, saddlemaking, selling trailers, fencing, stable fittings, and much more. Things have changed a lot since I was young, and the horse industry has grown, both for better and for worse.
So don’t believe the myth that you can’t make a living with horses! 🙂
