Becoming a horse professional?

Horse riding has been my passion and in all honesty, it's the only thing I'm really passionate about. I've tried everything I thought that I might possibly be interested in pursuing as a career, but they all fell through. I come from a non-horsey family so it is a lot harder for me to accomplish my goal of becoming a horse trainer. I have looking into Meredith Manor (I've also looked at some of the threads about it on here) and found it as something I was looking for. I'm not high maintenance, so the bad dorm rooms wouldn't bother me all that much.

Do any graduates/drop outs from MM have any feedback on it? Both good and bad is greatly appreciated

Also, are there any other schools that offer some what of the same services that MM offers? Any experiences from anyone?

Finally, do any current trainers have any tips for me?

Again, anything is greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone

Sounds like you are really into it and I think you should go with it. But warning you some people may say you cannot make a successful career out of it but you can if you find the job. But what I think you should do is in Vermont don't remember what college you have to check but they have Equine Studies. And you can learn about horse from hoof to head and many other things. You do get a degree and that should help alot with getting a equine career.
Good Luck!

I had planned on attending Lake Erie College and pursuing an equine degree but decided against it even though working with horses for a living is all I can see myself doing. I just couldn't shake the feeling that being a good trainer is not about having a piece of paper saying you completed so many classes. It's about what you know and can do. So I'm getting a business degree instead because I'd like to run an operation. I'm also finding trainers to shadow and learn from. Just keep in mind that a degree doesn't mean you'll succeed. Spending some real time with someone in the business and learning what it's REALLY like and REALLY takes is where you'll learn the most.

Pick what discipline you wish to pursue and visit the successful stables in the area you want to live in and find out who they would hire. Ask questions and research which equine colleges have the largest success rate of placing graduates and which degree the big, successful barns think is the best.

Then make your choice.

I do believe having a degree/diploma from an accredited and recognized college (not the college of horseyness no one has ever heard of) is worth it. This shows you can apply yourself to a curriculum, you have language and study skills and you have the drive to succeed. It also shows you have the most up to date information on horses in the field you've chosen.

The barn that hires you will teach you the nitty gritty of the business, introduce you into the equine circles you need to be known in, and give you that polish you'll need.

In MO there is a unviersity called William Woods. I got a bunch of info about it and a DVD and it sounds SPECTACULAR! They have an amazing facility, wonderful trainers and have school horses every where from unbroke colts all the way up too world champions which gives the students a wide varity of horse's to work with. They say that they are the best Equestirian University in the US, and I don't know if that's true but I was totally sold on it! They have four main disiplines; western, hunter/jumper, dressage and saddle seat and you must take 3 disiplines but each disipline has "sub disiplines" like if you take western you also learn halter, showmanship, trail, ect. I really want to go there, but right now I'm just getting my basic credits done at a community college, lol.

I looked it up and it does sound very very good! However, the tuition was pretty expensive for me, considering I would get the out of state rate haha. I know WTAMU has equestrian studies and was on the top ten list for the "horse schools" list. I was already really interested in going and was scouted by their equestrian team. They're also dirt cheap which is a major plus!

And thank you everyone for the tips!! Down here in Florida I know of a trainer that constantly has other trainers or students riding for her since she's much older. My current trainer is great friends with her and we also know eachother very very well. She has helped me out at shows a ton, so I figured that if I go to college and get my degree (AKA- basic knowledge so I don't go into something completely green ), then I could possibly ride for her so I could get my name out there? Who knows. There are so many possibilities!

A lot of schools offer a dual degree (double major) which can often be completed by only taking an extra semester or two. Business is a great major and gives you a fallback for other job prospects. I wouldn't switch all the way to an equine degree if I were you but I would consider double majoring in business and equine whatever. That also would give you a firmer grasp on the business side of things. As an accountant, I'm shocked by how poorly some horse businesses are run business wise.
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Totally agree with you. I think WTAMU offers that but I'm not 100% sure... And my father is a CFO so he could really help me with the accounting side of things! :)
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I attended morrisville college ( NY state school ) for equine science for a year and left without a degree. Afterwards I got a very good job on a very prestigious farm and realized how happy I was not to have wasted anymore money on an equine science degree. Every single person I know who has a degree in equine science regrets it. Not because they didnt learn anything but because they could have gotten the same hands on experience plus some as a working student, or like me just getting a job on a great farm.

If you really need a way to get your foot in the door then I'd say maybe do it but, there are so many opportunities on great farms that will pay YOU as a working student that it seems silly to pay a school. Check out yardandgroom.com , there are so many awesome opportunities available all over the world. If you really want to learn how to ride and train I think that's your best bet.

I'm in the same position as you, and I've been researching/applying to schools. Two others I know of are SCAD (Savannah College of Art Design) which has an equestrian studies program and a seemingly gorgeous facility, and John and Wales, who also have an equestrian business management program. Just thouhgt you may want to look into them. I'm in Florida too, so I like SCAD, seeing as it's not too far from here(: