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- Horse Health Issues
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- Evaluation the Equine Athlete from the Outside In
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- Horses & History
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- Halter Horse Show
Traditional verses Specialty Equine Education
03/30/2009
Choosing between traditional and specialty equine education is a matter of looking at the pros and cons of each program.
If you are passionate about horses, the thought of an equine or equestrian career can be tantalizing. Some people come to the revelation that they want to work with horses early in life, while others decide after they have spent years in a different field. In order to achieve an equine career, a certain amount of formal education is required. Depending on your circumstances, you might have to decide between horse colleges or special accreditation. Choosing between traditional and specialty equine education is a matter of looking at the pros and cons of each program.
Traditional equine education is taught at horse colleges, and is most popular with individuals who know early in life that the equestrian world is for them. Horse colleges are similar to traditional universities: you can receive an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree while taking non-equine courses like literature or geology. Horse colleges teach equine health, equine management, and equine science along with riding and teaching instruction. After receiving a traditional education from these horse colleges, students can go on to receive master’s degrees or PhD’s in business, science, and technology.
There’s no doubt that horse colleges can get you into some of the best and most lucrative jobs in the horse industry. The connections you’ll make at horse colleges will be with some of the top ranches and companies around, where graduates often start in entry level positions while quickly moving up. But horse colleges are not for everyone. If you don’t have 2-4 years and $80,000 at your disposal, horse colleges can seem like a waste, especially if you’re entering the equestrian industry later in life and already have a BA. This is when specialty equine education comes in.
Specialty equine education is a specified education at a trade school or an apprenticeship. Unlike horse colleges, the only classes you will be taking are those in a particular field of study, such as equestrian teaching or equine massage. These classes take from a few weeks to a year, but they are ideal for individuals who know precisely what area of the equestrian market they want to pursue. They generally cost a few thousands dollars, making them substantially cheaper than the tuition at horse colleges. Be aware that generally speaking, those who graduate from horse colleges make slightly more than those who achieve a specialty education, but a lot of that is subjective. If you are starting up your own equine massage business, and you can market yourself well, you can easily make more money than graduates of horse colleges.
For those who are contemplating a career change, specialty education and trade schools may be the way to go. But another option to consider is accreditation. If you have been riding all your life and are interested in teaching riding, you don’t necessarily have to go to horse colleges to do it. If you’ve built a relationship with a particular ranch or barn, simply becoming an accredited riding instructor is all you need to begin teaching lessons. The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) offers classes around the country to help certify individuals in various instructor levels across the equestrian disciplines. These classes cost around $500, making them an economical education solution. But be aware that if you don’t have connections with ranches (or own your own), you may find it harder to market yourself with only an accreditation to your name. Many ranches prefer some form of degree, whether it’s from horse colleges or horse trade schools. Still, if you live in a small area and your wants are small, a simple accreditation will do.
