I've heard pretty much only bad things about the program. Really bad student housing, the horses are all in bad shape, etc. Also the price seems pretty steep for how short it is and what it involves. Honestly if you really want to be a trainer, a degree won't matter, studying under the right trainers and taking on projects will get you out there.

 

My personal opinion is that if you want a job in the horse industry get an apprentiship with a trainer. That holds more weight in my experience than any 'Equine Degree' (and cheaper too!)

 

It wouldn't be a degree, I would just get a lot of hands on learning time. Trainers go through help in a snap and usually want people who are already on the higher end anyways. They don't have time to teach me to do things so that I can do them. That's been the experience with other girls in my current college with working for trainers.. I just feel like the specific and intense riding with people telling me how to do it and how to train horses would work nice, more like a 9 month clinic rather than working for someone who already doesn't have time to teach me?

 

So you want to go to the school to learnt the basics it sounds like? I've worked under a trainer before, and I was riding several horses a day and getting free lessons at the same time. She really helped me a lot, and I learned a lot. Perhaps your friends are just working under "trainers" and not the good/right ones. Or perhaps the trainers feel like they lack the skills? I've never heard of working under a trainer being a bad, pointless thing.

 

I know how to ride I would say intermediate. I've never had lessons or really anyone to show me exactly how to ride right so I can ride just fine in my own standards and jar had little instruction through the years but I just think I need to be more advanced to work with a trainer or something? I'm not sure who I would look into that would offer that.

And just like carol rose is who a lot of people I know go to and they are in and out. If they don't ride the way the trainer likes they can find a new person to ride for them etc type experiences. Not saying everywhere but that's what we hear a lot
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"I've never had lessons or really anyone to show me exactly how to ride right"

You need years of training, lessons and showing before you will be any good to a real trainer. Meredith Manor is not the place you need to start.

 

Yea that's what I'm trying to say as far as working for a trainer I just don't have the knowledge and experience for that.

I've been on a NVRHA team with my current college for over a year and I'm not a bad rider by any means I just haven't had many "technicals" taught to me. I've had opinions on how people do it and all but never much of a structured lesson. I do versatility shows but that's all I've done and I'm still learning how to improve on those.

But yea I already know I am no material to shadow any trainer right now, so that's not really an option lol

 

I've more or less self taught. I taught myself over the years how to ride and watched videos on how to improve myself with my seat and all that and how to work horses and I've had people over the years show me little things but yeah that's about as far as my learning has gone. Mainly I just have taught myself, so I don't have the technicals and all that like people who train or take lessons do.

 

Then unfortunately you are quite far away from being a trainer, like Dreamcatcher said, you need years of lessons, showing, and training. I really don't think Meredith Manor will do you any good, perhaps start with lessons and go to college for something else in the meantime? Because unfortunately being a trainer isn't really in any near future...

 

I don't want to be a trainer anytime soon lol that is a life aspiration and not a top one lol I wanted to open my own stables someday and be able to give things like lessons and just have a good facility, but I also want to improve my riding and learn to show horses and or train horses as an aspiration on top of running stables.

Just those are my overall goals I guess. I want to work in the horse industry and whether it be riding peoples horses, which means improving my riding or even getting into massage therapy and looking into doing that at big events. Those would be goals. Im just looking for a good overall equine school to start that direction.

 

IMO you would be as well to try for a working student arrangement. That's a huge amount of money for what you could get paid for while receiving lessons.

 

Yeah I agree. From what I was reading a moment ago about MM, the students they are graduating don't know jack about horses or how to ride and if they are allowing things like that to happen, makes me question their teaching ways and if they actually care. That came from lots of people who hired MM graduates.

So given that apparently I won't be wanting to go there and especially for the cost, what is a working student arrangement?

 

Working student positions suit some, but not others. They are very popular over here and while I'm not a huge fan when it comes to people who are well schooled and have a lot of experience I think it may suit yourself.

It is really a job, with very little pay. In return for the work, you normally receive lessons, hands on experience and accommodation. Some supply basic food and daily basic care. It is normally a lot of work, including weekends/shows/events/whatever else BUT can teach you a huge amount about all aspects of the care/riding of horses and it also tends to open doors when you become a familiar face at the shows/ect as other trainers will get to meet you.

 

If you intend to eventually own your own stables, you'll be owning your own business. You may think you want to be a trainer or stable owner, but when it comes down to it, you want to be an entrepreneur. The best thing you can do for yourself is get a degree in Business. I don't think I can stress that enough.

If you ever watch the show "Shark Tank" a lot of people go on there and pitch their great ideas, but they end up getting turned down because they have made terrible business decisions. Owning a business is hard enough - but actually understanding how to and actually making money takes a decent education and lots of experience.

My current trainer, who happens to be the best trainer I've ever worked with has gained her experience by being a working student and various well known farms around the country. She toughed it out for several years, but it's paid off greatly.

Personally, seeing 'Meredith Manor" on a resume wouldn't mean a lick to me. But seeing many barns and trainers that you have worked with does!

 

If you ever watch the show "Shark Tank" a lot of people go on there and pitch their great ideas, but they end up getting turned down because they have made terrible business decisions. Owning a business is hard enough - but actually understanding how to and actually making money takes a decent education and lots of experience.

My current trainer, who happens to be the best trainer I've ever worked with has gained her experience by being a working student and various well known farms around the country. She toughed it out for several years, but it's paid off greatly.

Couldn't agree more.

However, until you actually visit and spend some time at MM you should take comments with a grain of salt. I once too thought about MM and went to visit as well, ya sure the "school/barn" looks more like a backyard rider type place, yes the "dorms" were a bit small, but the structure of the program kept me interested. The horses were not kept in an unhealthy environment and were physically fit. It also seemed to me that you were given the chance to interact with a wide variety of horses through out a single day! In which, you gain a lot of experience in just handling different horses. I never attended MM, only visited, my life took me to other avenues. I also personally visited Averett University, University of Findlay, Otterbein College, and Robert O Mayer Riding Academy....All I'm saying is that you never really know until you go and see physically for yourself and spend a little time.

 

For the working student positions at our farm, we don't mind inexperience around the barn or less experienced riders. Typically it is fairly easy for a trainer with 30+ years experience to shape a less experienced rider, but it takes MONTHS to undo bad habits or incorrect riding! We have an amazing barn manager who loves to teach and bring the working students along to a high standard of barn management (though she can be demanding), and as the head trainer, I enjoy teaching people to ride and balancing and correcting flaws in the seat. My assistant trainer is excellent and teaches when I am away giving clinics or showing, so there are no days without lessons unless we all decide on a "blow off "day and go trail riding!!! I sent you a private message. Our program may be what you need for your jump start!

 

If you want to talk with a former MM student, here I am. I attended Meredith Manor in the early '90s.
Meredith Manor is an elaborate fraud. Your money would be put to better use as toilet paper.
1. I have yet to find a college or university that will accept MM credit.
2. I have yet to meet a graduate gainfully employed BECAUSE or in spite of their MM degree. -This exclude MM employees.
3. All positive reviews I've read on MM were either written by employees or students desperate to believe they aren't being cheated. Magazine articles are very often unobjective since their sources are either interviews with MM staff or info-mercial style articles written by MM staff.
4. I have yet to meet an employer that has something positive to say about a MM graduate.

The facilities are crap. The horses, though often decent enough are rescue horses, student horses, etc. The one or two premium horses you will only ride if MM needs to impress you or your parents. If you need to impress MM, forget about it. They have too many students and parents to impress first. Yes, they are very mercenary. The instructors are under qualified. Some very much so.

I'm not the only graduate that feels this way about MM. If you were even tempted to go to Meredith Manor, stop, turn around and run away, very fast. They are complete frauds, that are only after your money. Get yourself a real degree, from a real accredited college or university, preferably in business management so you can run a farm. Better horsemanship can be learned for next to nothing as a working student. If you want certification, go to Britain and become a working student and take the British Horse Society exams. It'll cost you pennies to the dollar what a MM certificate will cost and is far more widely recognised.

 

If you want to talk with a former MM student, here I am. I attended Meredith Manor in the early '90s.
Meredith Manor is an elaborate fraud. Your money would be put to better use as toilet paper.
1. I have yet to find a college or university that will accept MM credit.
2. I have yet to meet a graduate gainfully employed BECAUSE or in spite of their MM degree. -This exclude MM employees.
3. All positive reviews I've read on MM were either written by employees or students desperate to believe they aren't being cheated. Magazine articles are very often unobjective since their sources are either interviews with MM staff or info-mercial style articles written by MM staff.
4. I have yet to meet an employer that has something positive to say about a MM graduate.

The facilities are crap. The horses, though often decent enough are rescue horses, student horses, etc. The one or two premium horses you will only ride if MM needs to impress you or your parents. If you need to impress MM, forget about it. They have too many students and parents to impress first. Yes, they are very mercenary. The instructors are under qualified. Some very much so.

I'm not the only graduate that feels this way about MM. If you were even tempted to go to Meredith Manor, stop, turn around and run away, very fast. They are complete frauds, that are only after your money. Get yourself a real degree, from a real accredited college or university, preferably in business management so you can run a farm. Better horsemanship can be learned for next to nothing as a working student. If you want certification, go to Britain and become a working student and take the British Horse Society exams. It'll cost you pennies to the dollar what a MM certificate will cost and is far more widely recognised.

honestly, probably one of the best comments given on this thread. You have very valid points, and coming from a prior student as well. I have noticed everything you have pointed out, and your post only helps really clarify the reality of it. I can see that they are definately more concerned about my money and impressing everyone to get it, it is VERY costly from what i looked into. I also have never heard a good comment about a graduate from an employer. Also what you have said about the posts, articles, interviews is true as well. Definately a no-go for me and i hope i can forward some of this information on to others i know looking into it. thank you!!!


***on a side note, I am currently finishing up my associates for farm and ranch management (includes farm agriculture, cattle & equine and a lot of business classes plus generals of course) and looking into getting a bachelors, but havent decided exactly where or what yet. I chose my associates because i feel its a very versatile degree with lots of business courses as well. :lol:

 

^Wow, that's so unfortunate... But sort of as I expected... ):

 

I doubt MM is very professional. I made an enquiry about one of the MM courses 2 weeks ago, and yet received any replies though they continually send me "junk" every 2 days! I've crossed them out - and just read one of the postings about how bad they are!

Anyway, if you wish to start your own business in the future, I recommend you to take an Equine Business Management course. Whether it is a diploma or degree course, I do not know.

 

I looked into going to MM but all I heard was bad reviews so I crossed it off my list..

 

MM has some very bad press and it's viewed as a horsey "diploma mill" in many circles - you don't see many of it's graduates working for anything more than your typical run-of-the-mill boarding establishments (honestly their "Alumni" page is pretty sad), and their schedule is a rather grueling one (literally dawn to dusk 6 days a week is pretty intense and one of my big deciding factors) when put up against any establishment. I considered it at one point in time, but decided against it since I didn't think a career in the horse industry was for me.

Since you are already in Nebraska, I would suggest looking for college-based programs in Wyoming that focus heavily on riding and training - there are quite a few that have riding and training programs, and an accredited school is going to lend more credence to your future job searches and you may even find other graduates willing to help you.

 

Know a woman with a "degree" in Equine Nutrition from MM that fed corn exclusively as grain for years. She also did not know fescue hay was bad for pregnant mares . . . Two stunted foals who should have been worth a whole lot (colored TBs out of exceptionally nice parents with buyers already waiting) and two colic surgeries later she found out.

So I have no trust in the program.

 

If you're interested in a college setting, looking into William Woods University. They have a great equine program (150+ horses of all types, located right on campus), tons of opportunities for showing (and the clubs that are available in every discipline allows you to work off some of the showing expenses so it isn't completely out of pocket). There are tons of different things you can do with their program! Since it's a university, you can also major in something else so that you have a backup.

I'm currently attending, so if you want any info or have questions feel free to PM me.

 

I second William woods. If my scholarship would have allowed me to go out of state, that would have been my dream school.

 

A good place to look would be yardandgroom.com I am currently looking there as well for internships. A lot of them show that they have a focus on teaching you more and allowing you to grow in the skills. Yes most would prefer you come in with a basis but you have that. There are actually quite a few on there that I have seen that say no previous experience needed just somebody that wants to learn. As for specifically meredith manor it does not turn out the best riders/trainers i've seen. They were amazing back in the 80's but they're really rolling off of that reputation and not keeping up with their facilities or their horses. If you get an internships you will meet clients and trainers, get show experience, hours a day in the saddle and much more. Most are even stipend with housing. So why pay for mediocre training when you could be paid and get all that with it. Hope this helped

 

Also, I am at Murray State. I ride varsity on the IHSA hunt team and I am the incoming president the horseman's club on campus. I can personally say that MSU offers a great Animal/Equine Science program. they offer actual training courses where you take a green horse and train it all semester under supervision. We have amazing facilities and great horses. I adore my professors and coaches. If you have any other questions feel free to message me!