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Jobs in Equestrian Industry
Working with your passion and horses is a lot of horse lovers dream. If you wish to work in the equestrian industry, there are a range of opportunities to educate yourself and work with what you love. We have looked into some of the jobs available for you to consider. The top 15 most popular jobs in the Equestrian Industry are: 1) Horse Groom As a horse groom you are usually hired by a proffessional rider, work duties include grooming the horses, riding, overseeing the horses feed, turnout times and competition schedule. You mat also require a truck license to be able to drive larger horse trucks to and from events. 2) Professional Rider Working as a proffesional rider can be difficult to start as a lot of riders rely on either a second part time job or a sponsor that makes sure they can afford their expensive lifestyle. This is more common in Europe and North America, as the equestrian industry is bigger there than Australia and has more financial backing. 3) Farrier A farrier looks after the horse's feet and make sure they are trimmed and shod correctly and regularly. This is a very common job in the equestrian industry and easy to get started with. Please note, a lot of farriers suffer from back issues after years of bending forward - so make sure you are young and fit before you consider this profession. 4) Vet Studying to become a vet is a minimum of 4-5 years and it is quite challenging. However if you has the passion and drive it can be a very rewarding profession. Working as an equine vet is usually better paid than small animal vet. 5) Horse Photographer A professional equine photographer can specialize in either just event photography (such as dressage competitions, showjumping or eventing days) or target individual horse owners with private photo shoots of their horses. It is generally quite expensive to get started (purchasing all the equipment), but there is usually a lot of business for a good horse photographer as once you build a network in the industry - you have clients for years to come. 6) Horse trainer/Breaker Working as a horse breaker requires a lot of knowledge and a bit of talent and feel for animals in general. Make sure you have years of experience with horses before you try this profession as young horses can be unpredictable and accidents happen, Horse breakers usually focus on one area of equestrian riding - for example horses can be broken in for english riding, western riding or the racing industry. Each breaker will use their own system for this. 7) Saddle fitter A saddle fitter makes sure that the saddle fits perfectly over the horse's back and wither and its not pinching or tilting in either direction. This profession is great for someone who enjoys traveling around in their local town and enjoys dealing with the everyday rider and riding schools. It is a challening yet rewarding job. A lot of saddle brand try to partner up with saddle fitters for them to recommend their specific saddle brand, so their may be extra perks and commission to make as well as a saddle fitter. 8) Horse shop assistant It can be difficult to get a job as a retail assistant in a shop for horse supplies in your area as it is usually a very sought-after job for young equestrians. Don't give up though as working with horse supplies will teach you more about all the different supplies available and meet like-minded people on a daily basis. 9) Equine Sales Agent An equine sales agent is like the real estate agent but for the equestrian industry. You basically put horse buyers together with sellers. There are a number of websites who advertise horses too but some people prefer to go through an agent as they have connections to find the perfect horse for you, and you will feel more secure going through an agent that works in the industry and knows the ins and outs of horse buying and selling. 10) Horse Riding Instructor This is a very common professions for horse riders, and you usually only require a few years experience plus the basic certificates to work at a riding school. Please note working as a horse riding instructor may give you evening and weekend work hours. Make sure you are ok with this before you commit to a full time job as a riding instructor. It is also a plus if you like kids. 11) Stable/Yard Manager Cleaning out stables, sweeping, filling up waters and feeding are all jobs all equestrian centers requires doing. So for a yard worker or stable manager - there are always jobs to find. This can be a great place to start when wanting to get into the equestrian industry. However this job is generally tough on the body and usually not the best pay. 13) Horse Event Organizer Are you a planner and a perfectionist? Then an event planner for equestrian shows may be for you. It is a very challenging profession as there are a number of things that can go wrong at a horse event, catering to the horses, riders, horse owners, audience and the weather is a challenging task. If you do want to go down this path - it can be a great place to study events planning in school and then also try to broaden your connections in the equestrian industry as this is usually not a job that is advertised for, its almost always head hunted. 14) Horse Riding Influencer (Youtuber/Instagrammer) This is a fairly new profession but it is defintely possible in this day and age. Are you competing on a high level, have a unique horse or just love social media? Then why not give it a go. A lot of horse riding youtubers create educational videos, horse instagrammer post funny or inspirational content and make lots of money through sponsored posts. 15) Horse Massage Therapist A horse massage therapist takes a bit of studying first, but it can be a very rewarding job to help individual riders with their horse's issues. A lot of riders can tell a big difference when riding their horse before and after the massage therapist has been out as it can soften the horse's back and neck and release a lot of tension in the body.
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Stock Whip Cracking
Getting the idea and technique for stock whip cracking can be difficult and tiring. We have done the training for you, and broken it down to 3 simple steps. 1) MAKE SURE YOU USE THE RIGHT STOCK WHIP The number 1 most important rule for stock whip cracking is to get a stock whip suitable for you. Make sure you get the right length for your needs. If you are unsure what size to get, read our stock whip sizing guide here. 2) DON'T USE TOO MUCH FORCE IN YOUR CRACK A common beginner mistake is that people try to hit the whip with alot of arm force to the ground. This is not the right way to use a stock whip. Instead start by holding the handle of the whip correctly in your dominant hand, with your feet shoulder widths apart. Once you bring the whip up smoothly, then just let your arm fall instead of jerking it. Let the weight of your arm do the work instead of your muscles. 3) DON'T RUSH THROUGH TO TOO ADVANCED CRACKS Another common mistake is that people advance too quickly to advanced cracking tricks. Make sure you master the basics first. Simply start by practicing the forward crack by bringing the whip to 12 o clock position right above you and then cracking it in front of you with your elbow in a locked position and letting your arm do the work. Looking at training videos of other people performing cracks may also help as you can see what it is suppose to look like.
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What Size Stock Whip Do I Need?
Stock whips comes in a range of sizes, and it can be confusing to know what size to go for when you are just starting out. The first step is for you to determine is; What are you going to use the whip for? Whether you use the whip on foot or in saddle makes a difference, and if you are experienced or a beginners or short or tall. Furthermore you also need to consider its use - will you be practicing tricks or mustering cattle. As a general rule, the following sizes fits the following stock whip purposes: 4 FOOT STOCK WHIP - Easier to use, therefore suitable for beginners - Suitable if you need it when on foot - The preferred length for kids due to it being shorter - Performs whips/tricks faster and requires less strength/power 5 FOOT STOCK WHIP - Suitable for close stockyard work and confined spaces - Suitable for most women and children due to its length - suitable for when you are on foot, and for most cracking tricks 6 FOOT STOCK WHIP - Suitable for horseback riding work or in the paddock. - The Australian stock whip competition standard - Popular for trick work and flowing routines 7 FOOT STOCK WHIP - This was the length used for the whip in The Man from Snowy River - Most popular whip length for when working from horseback - Horseback work needs longer lengths to avoid cracking the whip too close to the horse 8 FOOT STOCK WHIP (and up) - The longer the whip, the more limited uses - Longer whips can usually only be used for 2-3 different cracks - Suitable when working on horseback
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Australian Stock Whip
Australian stock whips are becoming more and more popular worldwide due to their durable material (kangaroo or Redhide leather) and the fact that they are usually hand made and comes in a range of sizes and designs to suit your individual needs. It can be confusing searching for the perfect Australian stock whip when you are first starting out, as you need to consider the thong, cracker, fall and handle sizing and material. Kangaroo hide is durable and lightweight which is why its usually the leather of choice for stock whip makers all over Australia. There are more and more overseas manufacturers offering cheaper options made in Australian stock whip designs. However they usually don't last long as users can quickly determine the difference from a quality whip and a cheap manufactured one. Things to look for: is the whip australian made, what leather was it made of, is the weight of the whip leveled or unbalanced, does the thong handle all types of cracking or are some techniques not possible due to its poor design, have a closer look at the plait (can you see glue in between or inconsistencies). We have listed the top 3 Most popular Australian stock whips right now: 1) Affordable & Beginner friendly - The Red Hide Stock Whip This stock whip suits beginners who are just starting out. Shorter stock whips (4 foot by 4 plait) is a faster whip for tricks. Hence its easier to use for inexperienced stock whip users. They are usually also the Number 1 choice for kids due to its shorter length. 2) Quality prioritized - The 12 Plait Nemeth Kangaroo Stock Whip If you want the best of the best - we recommend the 12 Plait Australian made kangaroo stock whip made by Nemeth. It is currently on sale and comes in 3 sizes (6 foot, 7 foot or 8 foot). This stock whip will last you for years as it is the top of the line of all stock whips. 3) All round - use both on foot and in saddle - The 6 foot Stock whip The 6 foot stock whip is usually the choice for people who need an all round whip to both use on foot and in the saddle. It is not too long or too short. It is the approved length for Australian competitions and is not too fast or too slow when performing tricks.
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Horse Tack Insurance
We always recommend Horse tack insurance for any more expensive horse tack items such as saddles. Horse tack simply includes every tool that comes with having to own and work with horse. The work of having to kit out no only yourself but also your horse can be extremely costly and an investment for life. The bridles, saddles, bits, saddles pads, lead ropes, halters, whips, horse boots are some of the simple minimums that a rider will require. Thus will be multiple if you have a number of horse and a number of riders. The tacks used will have to be appropriate for the various applications and uses that are required. The equipment will also have to be appropriately fitting without injuring or straining the horse in any manner and maintaining the security and comfort of the rider. Thus ensuring that all of this equipment is well secured and well kept is of the greatest importance. It is key to have all these things well organised and in place whenever it is not in use. The greatest shock would be to go back to your stable or place of storage only to realise that all of your equipment and tools are all gone and you have no means of replacing them in any manner. The frustration and anger that comes with such is certainly of great immensity. Making an immediate replacement is certainly most important, but this may be well-nigh impossible considering the great cost of preaching all of the equipment. Therefore having and keeping an insurance policy for the safety of your equipment is important. Many of the insurance policies that are available for horses and their riders include the saddles and tacks and the rest of the equipment that comes with owning a horse. The saddle and tack is covered at an extra cost, but the cost is certainly worth it. It will certainly come in handy incise the equipment is lost, damaged or stolen. There is also the option of having your equipment postcode marked or even micro chipped with RFID equipment or other forms of transmitters. These will allow for easy tracking and tracing incise of theft or if they go missing. The policy will require the owner to always divulge any information that would warrant a change in the agreement terms, or incise of any loss or damage. This will allow the team to carry out brief investigations to ascertain that the matter is true before paying off the insurance policy for immediate replacement. The replacement of saddle and tack is done in the shortest span of time possible. The service charges for the insurance policy varies depending on the number of equipment to be covered and this is discussed with the customer team who advise on what is the best way to go depending on the customer’s budget. The payments can be done each month or each year deepening on the final agreement and defaulting is certainly never allowed. They payments can be done through bank transfers or through cards or cash. Some of the main horse tack insurance providers in Australia include: 1) Pet Plan Pet plan will not only insure your horse, but also your horse tack. They are currently the market leader of horse tack insurance in Australia. You can find them here. 2) Affinity Equine Insurance Affinitty equine insurance will also insure your horse and your horse tack as an add on service. They accept applications online and you can get a quote in just a day for your specific needs. Check them out here.
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3 Steps to Proper Saddle Fit For Horses
Fitting saddles to horses can be lengthy, expensive process. However doing it right will save your horse's back and you'll have more relaxed enjoyable rides. Here are the 3 main steps you need to take when properly fitting a saddle to a horse: 1) Saddle Gullet size The most important area to consider is the saddle gullet and saddle tree size. To ensure proper saddle fit, make sure you work with a saddle fitter to get it right. An ill fitting saddle can cause back problems for your horse and a sour horse that does not enjoy being ridden. When you put the saddle on the horse. Please note: there are correctional saddle pads available if the saddle to top forward and back too much. No saddle is 100% perfect especially as horses tend to change size as they grow so it is a bit of trial and error, make sure you work with an experienced saddle fitter to find what works best for you and your horse without a saddle pad underneath to check the wither clearance. The saddle panels should sit naturally on the horse's shoulder blades with the general rule of 4 fingers between the pommel and withers. Make sure your saddle is not positioned too far forward or back. It should sit so that the girth can be fastened easily just behind the horse's front legs. Common mistakes include riders putting their saddles too far forward, putting pressure on top of the withers. 2) Saddle Length You will also need to consider the length of the saddle from the front of the pommel to the back of the cantle. Make sure you discuss saddle brand options with your saddle fitter, as they can recommend saddles makers for shorter backed horses or longer. Certain saddle brands tend to focus on one unique style and specially in either longer or shorter saddle makes. 3) Rider Seat Size The saddle needs to fit both the horse and rider. Once you've established what brand, size etc you need for your horse you need to decide on actual size for the rider. Both for comfort, balance and to ensure rider weight is distributed evenly. Read our guide to finding the correct rider seat size here.
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What to do if your saddle is slipping forward
It is a common problem for riders that have horses with 'flatter' withers that the saddle slips forward. Don't worry there are solutions out there for you to fix this problem. We have done the research of what the most common strategies are to best solve the problem for saddle slipping. These solutions apply mainly to english saddles such as jump saddles, all purpose saddles and dressage saddles. 1) Saddle fit The number one area to look at if your saddle is slipping forward is if their may be a saddle fit issue. Make sure you get an experienced saddle fitter to look at the tree points of the saddle and why the saddle moves. Remember that even if it is expensive to get a saddle fitter it will benefit both you and your horse in the long term. 2) Correction Saddle Pads Once you have established that it is not a saddle fit issue - then you can start looking at correction saddle pads. There are a lot of saddle pads out there that can stop your saddle from sliding by putting extra padding under the front of the saddle or under the saddle panels on the rear of the saddle (depending on what your problem is). Once the riders weight and seat bones is adjusted by the correction pad, this might solve the problem of saddle slipping. You can further address the problem by also using a shaped girth which will assist keeping the saddle in place. However please note the girth area is very sensitive so make sure you get a quality girth, preferably anti-gall. Acavallo is known for their anatomically shaped girths.
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Best Treeless Saddle
We stock a range of treeless saddles, suitable for different disciplines. In terms of sales and feedback, our customers have ranked the following treeless saddles the best (within their discipline). You can browse our whole collection here. 1) Treeless Syd Hill Saddle (Western) This treeless saddle is the most popular amongst western riders because of its comfortable seat, durable leather and stunning design. Available here. 2) Treeless Endurance Saddle (English) Our synthetic treeless english saddle is extremely lightweight and easy to clean, very popular for endurance riders and amongst horse trainers riding young horses. Find it here. 3) Treeless Bareback Saddle (Suitable for both English/Western) Looking for even closer contact? Then a bareback treeless saddle may be for you. This bareback pad offers more support that most bareback pads, while still keeping you secure and upright. Read more about it here. Are treeless saddles good for horses? Read our guide here.
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Are Treeless Saddles Good For Horses?
There are ongoing discussions amongst horse riders and saddle fitters whether treeless saddles are good for horses. In theory it sounds like a treeless saddle would be more gentle on the horses back, however this is not always the case. We have done the research and there are 3 things you need to consider before buying a treeless saddle. 1) Keeping The Riders Weight Off The Spine One of the major concerns for treeless saddles is that they can put pressure on the horse's spine, which is obviously a very sensitive area. If you damage your horse's spine it is usually permanent damage that can not be fixed. A treed saddle has a deep channel that makes sure that the riders weight does not touch the wither. 2) A Treeless Does Not Have To Be Fitted A treeless saddle is not only lightweight but it doesn't have to be fitted onto each horse as it shapes after the horse's back. It is therefore very popular to use for horses that have difficult withers to fit. 3) The Absence of Scientific Research Facts cannot be certain unless hours of research and testing have been poured into the field. However there are not many scientific articles or tests that have been done in relation to treeless and treed saddles. The research that have been done focuses on the issue whether treeless saddles puts pressure on the spine as mentioned above. There are a handful of articles that implies that treeless saddles creates pressure points on the rider seat bone and stirrup fastening. However there is not enough evidence at this stage whether treed or treeless saddles are more/less gentle on the horses back. An incorrectly fitted treed saddle can cause more damage than a treeless saddle with light pressure points. Conclusion - Are Treeless Saddles Good For Horses? It is evident that more research and testing together with technology is required, there is currently no right or wrong answer. The shape of horse saddles and manufacturing has not changed much in the last 100 years. However in todays technological environment it is just a question of time before the next generation of saddles that are easier to fit, more gentle on the horses back with no pressure points etc are developed. In the meantime we recommend either making sure that you have a correctly fitted treed saddle or a treeless saddle as long as you are a 'lighter' rider. Make sure you discuss options for you and your horse in relation to brands and fit with your vet and local saddle fitter. Treeless Saddles Pros Easy to fit on the horse Lightweight Usually cheaper than solid tree saddles Closer contact Treeless Saddles Cons Can cause more pressure on spine/riders seat bones/Stirrup fastenings Rider not as secure as in a treed saddle (more unbalanced)
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