Everyone loves horses, but did you know you could make them your career?
Horse Trainers carry out a variety of jobs to prepare horses for riding, breeding, racing, work, shows or competitions. They do this by spending lots of time working with the horses and focusing on their nutrition, health, and behaviour. They also work with owners, riders, veterinarians and other professionals to get the best outcomes from the training.
If you are a patient, outdoorsy type who loves being around horses, then working as a Horse Trainer could be perfect for you.
What skills do I need as a Horse Trainer?
- Passionate about horses
- Patient & persistent
- Experienced rider
- Empathetic & soothing nature
- Enjoys outdoor work
- Investigative & perceptive
- Good communication skills
- Energetic & physically fit
- Knowledge of horse anatomy
- Confident & assertive
What does the job involve?
- Performing basic daily tasks e.g. saddling, feeding, grooming, maintaining stables and equipment
- Training horses to accept equipment, riders, or vehicles
- Teaching verbal and non-verbal commands
- Addressing behavioural problems
- Observing horses and creating or adapting a training regime
- Monitoring horses health and nutritional needs
- Training horses to perform in competitions
- Consulting and reporting to owners and veterinarians
- Keeping accurate records of accounts, horse health, performance and training
What industries do Horse Trainers typically work in?
- Arts & Recreation Services
- Education & Training
- Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
What Career Cluster do Horse Trainers belong to?
Horse Training is a very hands-on role, which is perfect for Makers, who work with their hands as they monitor, build, fix, grow, and maintain. This sort of job could also suit Informers, because Horse Trainers use their skills and knowledge to support and guide other people.
What kind of lifestyle can I expect?
Horse Training is a very involved career, with most in the industry working full-time and an average of 54 hours per week. It’s uncommon for Horse Trainers to work part-time. It’s not a typical 9-5 job, and you will probably be expected to work after-hours and weekends/holidays. Because of this, it is common for Horse Trainers to live and work on-site in places like stations.
You’ll be up early in the mornings and may still be working late at night. Attending to emergencies or helping out at events mean that you could be working out of normal hours, too. You may also need to travel and adjust your schedule to work around clients.
Check out this week in the life of a Horse Trainer to see the kind of lifestyle you could be living in this role.
How to become a Horse Trainer
Although you don’t necessarily need formal qualifications to work as a Horse Trainer, having relevant experience could create more job opportunities and allow you to progress faster. Completing Year 10 is usually a minimum requirement, and completing Year 12 could provide you with more opportunities and make you a more competitive job applicant.
Some employers might require a relevant vocational qualification with at least two years of on-the-job training, such as a Certificate III or Certificate IV.
Some relevant VET qualifications include:
- Certificate III in Equine Studies
- Certificate III in Horse Care
- Certificate IV in Racing (Racehorse Trainer)
- Diploma of Equine Management
There are also lots of short courses and units you could do that will provide you with insight and experience in the world of horse care and training.
You might also like to consider doing a Bachelors or postgraduate degree if you’d like to learn in depth or want to get ahead professionally. Some examples include:
Some Horse Trainers also choose to specialise in one particular area, such as thoroughbred or harness racing, events, show jumping, dressage, polo, or equine therapy.
If you’re in high school and you’d like to find out if a career as a Horse Trainer is right for you, here’s a few things you could do right now:
- If you haven’t already, immerse yourself in the world of horses. This is the most important step toward becoming a Horse Trainer. Work with them, ride them, spend time just observing them, and soak up as much knowledge as you can.
- Volunteer or take on part times jobs at stables. You should be prepared to do lots of mucking out, grooming and feeding. Hard work is part of this job and not only is it a great experience, but you can network future connections at the same time.
- Find a reputable Horse Trainer in your area, and see if you can shadow them for a day or train under them.
Here are 5 important tips that helped Saddlebox‘s Krista become a Horse Trainer:
Find out more about how to become a Horse Trainer here:
- Thoroughbred Industry Careers
- Queensland Skills Gateway
- American Quarter Horse Association
- The British Horse Society
- Courses Australia
- Victorian Skills Gateway
- Horse Safety Australia
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