Graduating college! And rethinking my career...

[Pony Someday]

I'm wondering how many other people might have gone through this process, and looking for some words of wisdom, too.

I'm a senior college student graduating in the spring with a Psychology degree. I enjoy my field of study, and I was very sure that I would go on to grad school and become a licensed psychologist. The plan was to take a year off after graduation, work to help fund my education, apply to graduate programs, and fetch my doctorate over the next four-five years.

However, as graduation draws near, I'm beginning to question what I really want, and I'm wondering where this is coming from. Am I just afraid of the pressures I'll be facing as I prepare grad school applications? It's a lot of work, and I could just be wanting to run away to horsey fantasy land. Am I pushing myself to do something because it's the "right" thing to do? What if I'm not going to be happy doing it?

I've been thinking a lot over the past week about what it would be like to pursue my dreams in the horse industry. Believe me when I say that I've read all the threads on this kind of talk (long time lurker here). I know it's not rainbows and butterflies and magic gypsy vanners. :cool: It's a lot of dirt and hard work, and at some point there could be physical/emotional/financial breakdowns.

I'm not trying to create a glamorous future with horses. What I am thinking of is getting work at a barn I used to ride with when I graduate and see what kind of opportunities unfold for me in the hunter/jumper world. At the same time, I can also be applying to grad schools, and then when the time comes, I can make the ultimate decision as to what is best for me.

I know if I get into a good graduate program it will be hard for me to turn it away. I'm just sad to let the horsey dream go. The horse show world brought a lot of joy into my life, and not much has compared. I know that when grad school comes around, horses will very much be put on hold much more so than they've been on hold in college. I don't want to accept that. I'll be a broke grad student with no time, when all I want is to be immersed in the horse world.

Does this sound naive?

[Void]

PMing you

[Abbeyroad1791]

I'm no where near graduating college yet and this is still a constant conflict in my mind. I'm a biochemistry major and have no doubt that when I graduate, medical school is the next step for me. I love what I'm studying and the entire field, but at the same time, horses won't just be on the back burner for me, I'll have to pretty much completely give them up. My friends keep joking that maybe Med school has IHSA. :/ I wish. At the end of the day though, I think you just have to weigh how much you love horses and how upset you'll be without them with how much you love Psych and how upset you'd be without that. If grad school is whats intimidating you, but the idea of being a psychologist at the end makes you really excited, then you might just have to push through and see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you're honestly thinking though that you don't really want to be a psychologist, then its time to reevaluate I suppose!

[jn4jenny]

I wouldn't presume to tell you what to do with your life, but here's some things to think about.

I'm a senior college student graduating in the spring with a Psychology degree. I enjoy my field of study, and I was very sure that I would go on to grad school and become a licensed psychologist. The plan was to take a year off after graduation, work to help fund my education, apply to graduate programs, and fetch my doctorate over the next four-five years.

How much do you know about what licensed psychologists really do all day? I mean that question very honestly--some people leave undergrad knowing exactly what their future would look like, and others leave with no idea whatsoever. If you don't know, now is the time to find out--BEFORE you leave college, or at the very least before you apply to grad schools. I am now 27 and have seen my friends walk down all kinds of professional career paths; these were smart people who were at Ivy-league institutions or the equivalent and had the whole world ahead of them. At least 75% of them were *wrong wrong wrong* about what their day-to-day life would really look like in their chosen field. Don't let that happen to you. Make sure you know what a licensed psychologist does all day so that you can compare that more fairly to the horse world.

Am I just afraid of the pressures I'll be facing as I prepare grad school applications? It's a lot of work, and I could just be wanting to run away to horsey fantasy land. Am I pushing myself to do something because it's the "right" thing to do? What if I'm not going to be happy doing it?

Yes, possibly. Get your hands on this book PRONTO and read it cover to cover. It will alleviate some of your anxieties and help you know what questions to ask, whom to ask them to, and how to give yourself the best possible shot at graduate school success:
http://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777

I'm not trying to create a glamorous future with horses. What I am thinking of is getting work at a barn I used to ride with when I graduate and see what kind of opportunities unfold for me in the hunter/jumper world. At the same time, I can also be applying to grad schools, and then when the time comes, I can make the ultimate decision as to what is best for me.

Certainly this would be an ideal time in your life to try it. However, ask yourself REALISTICALLY what those opportunities would look like. Professional groom? Become a trainer? If it's the latter, will you be able to build the creds you need to become the kind of trainer you want to be? (Up-down lesson trainer, local hunter circuit trainer, A-circuit trainer, etc.?) Ask yourself what it would take to get there. You might spend your year off exploring that answer.

I know if I get into a good graduate program it will be hard for me to turn it away. I'm just sad to let the horsey dream go. The horse show world brought a lot of joy into my life, and not much has compared. I know that when grad school comes around, horses will very much be put on hold much more so then they've been on hold in college. I don't want to accept that. I'll be a broke grad student with no time, when all I want is to be immersed in the horse world.

I don't mean to harsh your vibe, but in the grand scheme of things, graduate school is pretty short. 2 to 5 years sounds like a lot when you're 22, but your productive working life is about 35 years long. It's not a super-long time to sacrifice in order to ensure financial security (and therefore the presence of horses in your life) for the rest of your existence. If you get the psych degree and decide it's not for you, you'll be in a FAR BETTER financial position to enter another field--be it horses or something else.

And for the record, MANY people ride through graduate school. Heck, there was just a thread on Eventing about people riding during 3rd and 4th year med school (and THAT is insanity IMO). If you prioritize, you CAN ride 3 to 6 times weekly in grad school. I'm doing it right now and getting top grades, and I am hardly superwoman.

As for being a "broke graduate student", it's true that being a grad student is a financially tight time. But as someone who did it myself from ages 21 to 22 and is now doing it again (am now doing my doctorate), most grad students bring the poverty upon themselves. Their first mistake was mishandling the admissions process--my college advisor used to say, "If you're good enough to be in grad school, the school will tell you that by paying your way. You are an investment in the school's reputation--if they believe you will succeed, they will take a $100,000 gamble that you'll be famous someday. If even one out of 25 people that they gamble on succeeds, they win the game." Certainly medical/law/business school is an exception to that rule, but psychology is not--I have many friends who went into psych and were offered full tuition waivers + $20K+ yearly in stipends. That isn't a fortune, but it's enough to eat and it's enough to get you a roomate or two that will cut the housing expense. And if you know how to play the game, you can really milk it. I liked the financial offer that my current school presented to me initially, but I smiled and played polite hardball for a few more weeks. Sure enough, they offered me a few thousand more bucks a year to entice me. I'm SURE they wouldn't have bothered to dig in their treasure chest if I'd jumped at the initial offer.

Grad student are also often quite young and don't have a good handle on how to save cash. So spend your year off becoming viciously cheap. I was horrified the other day to learn that a classmate barely scraped together $200 to buy eyeglasses; my glasses were $15 shipped at glassesunlimited.com and they're CUTER than my friend's. Another classmate told me that she spends $4 on a six-pack of bagels and tries to make them last the entire week for breakfast. I pay $1.67 for Cheerios on sale + $1 for a half-gallon of milk, and that lasts me two weeks straight. That little stuff adds up. Some of them pay $5 a month to Comcast to rent a cable modem; I bought mine for $30 five years ago, and it has since saved me $270 by not having to pay that rental fee. Whether you go into horses or grad school, becoming more frugal will do wonders for your future.

Like I said, I can't tell you what to do. But that's my two cents from the "went to grad school for something that I love and that will give me a steady income for the rest of my life" side of the coin.

[carrie_girl]

My advice is to get a job in the field you are interested in so that you can see the real ins and outs of what you'd be doing. My dream was always to be a vet, and I worked hard to get the grades that would make that a reality. I knew that experience in the field would look good on my vet school app, so my junior year I took a job as a vet assistant at a local hospital. I worked there for 2 years, and learned enough to know that I didn't want to be a vet! I had always enjoyed teaching (taught up down lessons since I was 16) so I went into that field instead. I have to say, I am very happy with my decision! I have been teaching chemistry for 6 years, and love that I have time to spend with my family and horse. I will never be rich, but I am happy and doing something I truly enjoy, which I think is rare. I think a little experience in the field will make the decision much easier for you, and if you think horses are where your heart truly lies, go with what will make you happy.

[Pony Someday]

Thanks for all of the thoughtful input, everyone. It's very appreciated.

As I continue to think about this, I'm realizing that I'm not going to give up on grad school. Fortunately, I do feel educated about what a future career as a psychologist looks like. Not only do my classes give me that insight, but so do my professors, my mother (a practicing clinician), and two internships that I've had over the course of my college career. I feel comfortable with what my interests and possibilities are as a licensed psychologist.

On the other hand, I'm also seeing that the time I'm taking off before grad school is an opportunity for me to look at other options. I don't see anything wrong with that as long as I am responsible with the grad school application process. In the end, I might find out that I do have the cojones to make it in the horse world.

[WillRideForFood]

I'm in the SAME EXACT boat as you... My parents are encouraging the law school route and i'm not sure that's what i want. I see all the other juniors who aged out my year and are working for big barns, getting to ride/show every day, and making a nice living on top of it... it's tough

I've talked to a couple pros who went through the same thing and everyone i've spoken to encourage me to go the academic route because "horses will always be here".. as hard as it is to hear, I know they're right. As of right now, I'm still not sure what i want to do.. just trying to stay focused on graduating in june, applying to grad schools next fall, and then depending on where i get in etc, i guess i'll make up my mind...

Good luck to you, and thanks for posting this thread.. it's good to know someone else out there is going through the same thing :)

[klmck63]

I heard a really good piece of advice the other day, "Do what you do because you need to do it, not because you think you want to". Maybe not exactly pragmatic (the person was talking about becoming an artist/creative writer) but still, it's something I've been thinking about a lot these last few days.

I would say that it couldn't hurt to take that year off, work on grad school applications and give the horse thing a try. At least if you try it you'll never have to wonder what if.

[hunterpa]

I have not been in your shoes, but rather opposite of the situation you are in! I went to a liberal arts college, majored in Equine Studies, went to work for a fairly large riding stable right out of school, and started to regret it about a year or two in. It was a fun job, I got to ride a fair amount and go to shows and stuff but more often than not I was teaching 6-7 hours straight 5 days a week and having to squeeze in riding time and would do my grocery shopping at 10pm. It can get old really fast. The bigger the lesson program got, the less often I rode my horse because I didn't have time or I was just tired of being at the barn. I got really burned out after 3 or 4 years and resentful of the barn because it took up all my time and I got sick and tired of dealing with the crazy parents and spoiled kids. Since it wasn't my barn I couldn't just tell the crazies to shove it. So, now I don't work with horses and I have leased out my horse and I'm going back to school (at 28) for nursing. I know I'll be just as busy as a nurse, but I'll have the extra money to go back to riding :) So if I were you, I'd stick with psychology and make lots of money and go ride your fancy amateur horse on the weekend. Good luck!

[LovesHorses]

If I were you, I would take a working student position or something before you think about not going to grad school. I work for a very top trainer in Seattle, WA. I make decent money. Ok enough for my own small apartment, but the pay is nothing to rave about. Plus I make more money than any other assistant I know in California!

You have to be prepared to work 50 hour wks on a normal basis when at home. Horse shows are 6-7 days a week and 12 to 14 hrs a day.

Plus, don't think most assistants get a job and automatically get to show. Many work years and years before they get to show for a good barn. You are normally the person staying home teaching the lessons and riding ten a day. It is a lot of grunt work. I must have a screw loose as I thrive on the work and get excited to do it all over again the next day. Most people don't realize how much physical work and long days you have to put in before you get anywhere. Teaching up and downers day in and day out won't make you rich.

I went to college, finished my business degree and then went back to the horses. I always knew that I did not want a desk job.

[Hunter Mom]

I have no knowledge of working in the horse industry. I am a teacher, and did grad school while working & coaching full time (no horses at that time). At one time, I wanted to be a vet, but decided to take the route that got me out of school earlier. After I finished my second education master's, I went and talked to the dean of the vet school in our state, and had to decide if I wanted to do it at that point. Within a week, I found out DD was coming, and we just decided it wasn't the best route to go. I still wonder "what if" I had done what I wanted to then, without doing the sensible thing (getting done earlier).

I guess what my ramble is trying to say - do what you won't regret later in life. Life will become much more complicated after you've been out of school for a while. You'll have mortgages, car payments, significant others, children, etc, etc, etc. If you are in a position where you can follow your dream -even if you don't do it forever - do it!!

[hellerkm]

I heard a really good piece of advice the other day, "Do what you do because you need to do it, not because you think you want to". Maybe not exactly pragmatic (the person was talking about becoming an artist/creative writer) but still, it's something I've been thinking about a lot these last few days.

I would say that it couldn't hurt to take that year off, work on grad school applications and give the horse thing a try. At least if you try it you'll never have to wonder what if.

OH my gosh I love that quote!!! it is my mother to a TEE, she needs to do this , day in and day out even 35 years after she opened her first boarding/lesson/breeding farm, it is her SOUL and she knew this for many years. What GREAT advice and what and awesome quote!!!

[Pony Someday]

You guys are great! Thanks for all the advice and support.

I think what's going to be hard for me is having to tell my parents that I'm conflicted. I've had them so convinced of my original plan, that I'm sure they'll be somewhat surprised that I could possibly change my mind. They have been aware of my desires to have a career with horses, but I think they thought that I was past that and had made a concrete decision.

[Lucassb]

After you've been in school awhile... those barn-related jobs can look really attractive. After all, riding is the best fun there is, the horses are awesome... and studying, taking exams etc can be a bit tedious. Yes?

However, I would strongly urge you to get the degree you set out for. At worst, it is fantastic "insurance" that you will always be able to support yourself (and your horses!)... at best, it will afford you an opportunity for a satisfying career (that will support you and your horses!)

I have done both. I always loved barn management and I am great help; I've worked in very high end racing, breeding and H/J barns and pretty much loved every minute of it. However, I also had a lot of exposure to the reality of the horse industry, including the hours, physical requirements and lack of security that were common. I did *not* want to end up like some of the older workers I saw, who couldn't afford a sick day or to get hurt, had no retirement, insurance benefits etc.

So I stayed in school, got a good degree and then went on to do a master's. I have never regretted it; I love being able to afford a really nice horse that I enjoy immensely, and being able to keep him in a wonderful program with a BNT that I adore, and show more or less as much as I like. The trainer I work with, BTW, has not one but TWO masters degrees, as well as a doctorate - in psychology. She's amazing.

Put a little more time in. The people who've told you that the horses will still be there when you get done are correct. They will be there and you will have afforded yourself the means to enjoy them!!!

[Pony Someday]

Put a little more time in. The people who've told you that the horses will still be there when you get done are correct. They will be there and you will have afforded yourself the means to enjoy them!!!

But won't grad school still be there when I'm done with the horses? :D Haha. I know what you're saying, though, and I agree with you. Grad school is still important to me - I love education - so chances are that I will continue down that path. I think I'm just asking a new question here. How do I want horses to fit in my life as I transition into the professional world?

[Abbeyroad1791]

How do I want horses to fit in my life as I transition into the professional world?

Story of my life. Let me know when you find out.:yes:

[AllyandPete]

I went into a full time horse-related job right out of college...and its true...it gets old real fast when you are working 8-10 hour days cleaning stalls, teaching (and having parents try to bribe you to let their kids ride certian horses/jump higher), and riding, and then being too tired to ride your own horse, or just running out of daylight hours. Also, so many barn jobs are under the table and/or do not include those important adult things like health insurance, PTO, etc. Luckily I was 19 and still on my parents insurance when I was full time in the equine industry...but what do you do when you turn 20 and you have to get your own?

It did help me decide that I love teaching though, so I went to school for it. now I have the best of both worlds-I can teach during the week in a school, (with benefits and a salary), then on Saturdays I spend 7 hours teaching some beginners at my barn (a different barn from where I was working before) and over the summer when I am off I teach summer camp. I also occasionally groom at some "A" shows for fun and extra money.

There are many days (pretty much every day of summer camp) when I want to give up teaching in the schools and spend all day, everyday at the barn again. Then I think about what working 40 hours a week outside in a Buffalo winter was like and I am happy that I get to spend those hours in a warm school. haha.

[mvp]

Go do it and here's why:

1) You can apply to grad school any time.

2) You will have an easier time in grad school with some time spent in the "real world" under your belt. If you can treat grad school like a job, the PhD goes down easier. A "real job" or a "horse job" given a try will also help you not second-guess your decision.

3) Will you do clinical psychology? If so, what you learn in grad school is just a small part of what will make you a great therapist. IMO, you need to "walk the walk," try living a full life on your terms and deal with the pleasures and pains of your own decisions. I think you'd have much more to offer a client if you had spent some time doing what you wanted and not following a prescribed educational and career track. Chances are that your clients will be grappling with feeling or being somehow "other," too. Walk around in that for a while. I don't think you will have to apologize to some admissions committee for your decision.

[WB Mom]

First off, stop thinking of the next 4 years, think of the next 40 instead. I know it's really difficult to do that, but if you can, I think it will help make the decision a bit easier.
Continuing your education today (or shortly) will be easier than putting it off. It is also something you will always have to draw on for the rest of your life. It can provide you a steady income, the all important benefits and a very solid base to work off of. EVERYONE who loves this sport and our ponies hears the lure of the barn every day. However, those who can sit down and with the help of friends and family look at their situation as objectively as possible will end up in a better place in the long run.
Realistically, how many folks can make a GOOD living in this industry? Very, very few. Not that you can't but you never know what life may hold for you. What happens if you fall off and can't ride again? What if you get sick?
Lots and lots of questions to ask and answer. Good luck in making your decision, whichever way you go!

[Blackberry Farm]

When your outlet, your escape, your recreation becomes your job, it changes everything. This is true in horses or any career.I need a hobby, an escape. That is horses. Yes, it's more than just a hobby in the ordinary sense of the word. It is my passion, my pleasure, and I work hard to afford it.

[jn4jenny]

When your outlet, your escape, your recreation becomes your job, it changes everything. This is true in horses or any career. I need a hobby, an escape. That is horses. Yes, it's more than just a hobby in the ordinary sense of the word. It is my passion, my pleasure, and I work hard to afford it.

Yes but.

I know people who have deeply beloved hobbies and passions who simply COULD NOT make it their living. My sister, for example, is a master seamstress. She has sewn custom stage apparel for country music stars, made entire lines of custom clothing for morbidly obese women, et cetera. She really enjoys it--but the moment she tried to make it her job and involve all the business aspects, it wasn't fun anymore. I have another friend who would be a fabulous saddle fitter, both from the knowledge and people skills/sales sides of the coin--but she prefers the income she makes in a much higher-paying sales job, which allows her to keep her horse in the way she desires to have him kept.

To the OP, what this means for you is that you need to ask a lot of questions during your year off about how people handle the business side of the horse world. Some pawn it off on another family member or a business partner; some learn to handle it themselves and love it; some learn to handle it themselves and hate it, so they find ways to make the accounting and business issues as simple as possible; some don't mind doing the books but hate the People Factor so they go into some part of the horse business where one doesn't have to deal with people every day; and so on and so forth.

In other words, while you are busy stopping and smelling the hay and living the Horsey Dream, don't forget to look at the practical and sometimes ugly underbelly of the business. If you give it an honest look, you may find ways to skirt around the ugly sides and thereby make horses all the more enticing.

That is true in academia too. I spent three years between my MFA and my PhD figuring out how I could become an English professor (my dream) while eschewing all the things about it that really sucked (like the over-glutted job market, bizarre departmental and University politics issues, and an unspoken prejudice against teaching undergraduates, which happens to be my favorite part of the job). I found the gap and it happened to be in an area that I would consider "my hobby"--we could even say that hanging out at COTH forums is part of my research area!--but it took three years of talking to people and watching the drama unfold around me.

[starkissed]

I'm a sr. graduating as well. And I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to do. It has always lurked in my mind to become a veternarian. But I am sort of re-thinking that. That's my 'backup' plan, because in all reality I think I would love doing it.
But my major is environmental science. And very recently it dawned on me that I want to go to grad school- get a masters (prob not phd) and go that route. I kind of know what the vet lifestyle is- and I just want to do something new. ya know?

I never wanted to be in the 'horse business' any more than an equine vet, everything else can be pretty, well unglamorous!
I want to have enough money so I can enjoy my horse as a hobby. I think you should go for the degree- you don't have to be a college grad to be a horse bum so you may as well do something with the education and brains! And then if you really hate it, you can always go back to horses

[Pony Someday]

I think you'd have much more to offer a client if you had spent some time doing what you wanted and not following a prescribed educational and career track. Chances are that your clients will be grappling with feeling or being somehow "other," too. Walk around in that for a while. I don't think you will have to apologize to some admissions committee for your decision.

Thanks for saying this. I've been thinking along the same lines.

There's a lot to think about. I still feel the pressure to find a job after graduation that will more directly add to my clinical experience. Even though I have already interned with a treatment center, the more experience, the stronger my application.

Sigh.

I know I can still ride if I do end up finding a job that's more applicable to my grad school application. I just think the job will probably suck, and I'll be sad that I'm not taking a chance on a career with horses.

The decision is made, though. I will continue with grad school. I'm just wondering how I should go about taking that year off. And I'm wondering if maybe I should go with my Masters first.

[mvp]

I think that perhaps 70% of what makes a good therapist is the hard-won "emotional intelligence" they acquire through living their life, warts and all. What percent of empathy or clue to your clients' experience do you estimate clinicians get from course work? Yes, you will read about lots about types of disorders you have never experienced. In your opinion, what *else* makes a good therapist?

In a PhD program, you will most likely also learn about how to do research. Hope you like stats and big questions that must be shrunk down to a manageable/measurable version that seem mere vestiges of themselves!

You probably know whether your career aspirations require a PhD or MA. Keep in mind that it's usually cheaper to sign up for a PhD program and bail after your MA than to go the other way around. IMO, the only reason to do an MA first or on your own dime is if you don't think your current record will gain you admission to the PhD program you want.

There will be times in every career where you wish you could press a button and suddenly have something else printed on your business card. It's a whole lot easier to remain happy with your choice when you went out and tasted that something else.

At least it worked that way for me because I took a couple of years to try life as a way-under-capitalized young pro in a recession. I could see the good and bad of that profession for myself. Now, I'm a good ammy who can make her own horses more or less. I'm also a nicer client because I have walked a mile in shoes like my trainer's.

[Pony Someday]

Well, I'm actually applying to Psy.D. programs (doctorate of psychology). They're more practitioner oriented rather than research/academia oriented. Much more focused on the clinician and supervision. There are university programs that do offer funding very similar to Ph.D. programs, and I'll also be applying to a couple of Masters programs for back-up.

I agree that I need to live my life and experience and learn outside the classroom. One of my professors emphasized that a lot (she was great). I do think I'll look for some jobs working with horses after I graduate, but in this economy, it's really whatever I can get. Who knows where I'll be working in a year. When I'm interviewing at a grad school, all I need is to sell my work experience with horses as a positive component of my application.

I guess right now I'm just going to go with the flow, and hopefully I'll be able to work with horses and continue with grad school. :cool:

[Mukluk]

I only had my horse from age 13 to 17 then did my undergrad with a degree in biology (psych minor). Worked in a biology lab for a few years but it wasn't my thing so I finished a psych degree and went on to earn my Ph.D. Being a psychologist is interesting and challenging work- and I was finally able to buy my second horse last year (I think in most cases you will make more money with a graduate degree than working with horses). You may also consider shorter graduate programs such as becoming a licensed social worker. I think you have to really look at yourself and what you want. It may help to take off a year or two and do the horse thing. Life experience is a huge plus in this field- in many ways I think it can be better to take some time off between undergrad and grad school. If you go to grad school, try your best to minimize student loans and get through the program as quickly as you can. To become a psychologist, you will need to do a one year internship after you complete your coursework and you will need to be supervised for 1500 to 2000 hours after you complete your Ph.D before you can take the licensure exam. Good luck to you and whatever you do have fun!

[monalisa]

You can also go to grad school at night - that is how I completed my master's. It took 3 years and had no debt.

It is MUCH easier, you will discover, to have a good paying job so that you can afford to ride. I was not able to start riding again until I was in my 30's - could not afford it - but it was SO much easier to be able to buy nice horses, ride and show once I could afford to pay the bills.

Also, DO NOT GO TO LAW SCHOOL! That is, of course, unless you have worked in a law firm for at least a summer to see what the grind is really like. I speak from lots of experience.

[*andi*]

I graduated from university last year and I am in a professional program now. I would recommend trying to work at a barn for a bit. I always questioned whether that is what I would rather do (but got the degree for my parents), but I have put in some work over the years around horses, for various trainers, at different venues... and I very quickly realized that I did not want to work full time in the horse industry. I saw pretty quick that doing it full time was too much for me - it made a hobby I loved into work. This is just how I felt, and I know other people who have done it and it's all they want to do, so I think if you give it a shot yourself, then at least you can always go back to grad school. I ended up deciding on a career that would allow me to own, ride daily, and show... because I'm happy doing that.

[amt813]

I would recommend taking some time after college to ride or work in the horse world and see how you like it. Grad school is a long and expensive committment and you want to make sure you are truly following the career path you desire.

I am an attorney - but had the same hesitation that you are having before heading off to law school. For a year in between college and law school I worked at a horse farm - mostly riding. It was a great year - a wonderful learning experience and for the most part quite fun. However, it did convince me that I did not want to ride horses professionally for my career. I am really glad though that I explored the option of being a horse professional (for lack of a better term) because otherwise I think I always would have questioned whether I made the right decision becoming an attorney. Plus the year off in between gave me a chance to study for the lsat, get recommendations together, and put a lot of effort into my applications.

I am in no way discouraging you from going to school - I am all for higher education but there is nothing wrong with taking some time off to explore other options before taking that route.

Good luck with whatever you decide

[Horseforthecourse]

Stories of Horses

I'm tell you a story. It is the story of Jade. It is a story about encouragement. It is a story about sacrifice. It is the story of horses.

Like you, Jade was also a senior in college about to graduate. During her last semester in college, Jade took an advanced horseback riding class that was taught through her college at a local A barn. It was a gift given to her by her parents. Her parents also gave Jade a new pair of tall boots, and full paid trips to the Upperville Horse Show and the Raleigh Spring Classic. It was her last gift. Her last summer with them. With the horses. Because Jade was making the greatest sacrifice of them all.

See Jade had grown up on the back of a horse. The third word that came out of her mouth was horse and she had been riding since she could walk. She had been to the big shows and the big race tracks with the expensive horses. She had stood in the winner's circle and made many friends along the way. Friends that she would never forget. She had owned many of these horses that are spoken of. In high school, Jade was on equestrian teams and a working student at a local barn. Everyone knew that Jade would go pro. Jade had watched a horse that she loved on at the barn break down at the track. Jade had to put another horse she owned down due to an injury. Jade had been injured herself by horses and spent several weeks in the hospital. But Jade still breathed the same air as horses. Never afraid. Never giving up. She had jumped the Grand Prix height and traveled all around the country on the back of a horse. She and her other half had won many championships. She could see the souls of horses. She knew what they were. Her soul was one with horses. She was them and they were her. Her existence. They consumed her heart. No one knew horses or loved horses more than Jade.

But Jade had something most others didn't have. Not just with horses. Jade was humble. But Jade was also a genius. Jade only knew this because her teachers and professors told her so. See Jade was fascinated with the world around her. By things of the unkown. By the unexplainable. She sought out enigmas that were worth unraveling. Of science and medicine. Of sick little boys and girls in hospitals waiting for the day that they may go home. Sick little boys and girls who could not ride horses like Jade. Sick little boys and girls who could not touch and feel horses like Jade. Sick little boys and girls who could not see horses like Jade. She knew this was true because she saw it in those dark places that people don't like to go. Of worrying parents. Of dying children. Jade was compassionate and empathic. It was here that Jade made her sacrifice. Jade wanted everyone to feel horses.

So it was this last summer that Jade was able to be with the dream of horses.

When on call, Jade now dreams of their twinkling eyes in the darkness. Their shimmering backs in the moonlight. Their manes and tails twisting in the wind as God plays with them. They sometimes whinny at her calling her back to them. Calling her back to her original path. They tease her. These dreams flutter through her head for a few minutes until they are no more.

Jade is still with them, but not as she was.

Jade must go on. Jade persists. Because she can. Because it is her duty. Because she must sustain the next generation. Because she must save the few as the many die. The children. Its for the children. The little boys and girls. The ones with unknown, incurable afflictions. The ones that cannot feel the horses like Jade. The ones that are in a dark place. The ones who won't return.

Jade now tells other people to do what makes them happy. School stands still and waits for you. At all times. You can go back. But those people who do not return can only be happy because people like Jade sacrifice.. The sacrifice of discipline. The sacrifice of hard work. The sacrifice of no sleep. The sacrifice of one's life. The sacrifice of previous dreams that are no more.

But Jade saved a child yesterday. She was cured. The child could now feel horses. The child left the dark place. Jade sacrificed for others. Jade was satisfied.

And Jade still owns horses. Jade still rides horses. Jade still feels horses. Jade's horses still compete. At times, Jade still travels the world on the back of a horse. Jade still sees their souls. Jade and horses are still one. Her everything. Their powerful hindquarters keep pushing her. They lift her spirit. They lift her up off the ground. They must! For the children! For the children that return from the dark place. For the children that don't return from the dark place. For the sacrifice.

Jade's story can only be told with the community. For if everyone only considered the individual, there would be no community. Community is often forgot. It is often forgot. But it is everything.

This is Jade's story. It is a story that is continuing. It is a story that will continue from this point on forever because it is so. It is the story that Jade will tell forever. The story that everything is horses and horses are everything.

[theblondejumper]

Stories of Horses

I'm tell you a story. It is the story of Jade. It is a story about encouragement. It is a story about sacrifice. It is the story of horses.

Like you, Jade was also a senior in college about to graduate. During her last semester in college, Jade took an advanced horseback riding class that was taught through her college at a local A barn. It was a gift given to her by her parents. Her parents also gave Jade a new pair of tall boots, and full paid trips to the Upperville Horse Show and the Raleigh Spring Classic. It was her last gift. Her last summer with them. With the horses. Because Jade was making the greatest sacrifice of them all.

See Jade had grown up on the back of a horse. The third word that came out of her mouth was horse and she had been riding since she could walk. She had been to the big shows and the big race tracks with the expensive horses. She had stood in the winner's circle and made many friends along the way. Friends that she would never forget. She had owned many of these horses that are spoken of. In high school, Jade was on equestrian teams and a working student at a local barn. Everyone knew that Jade would go pro. Jade had watched a horse that she loved on at the barn break down at the track. Jade had to put another horse she owned down due to an injury. Jade had been injured herself by horses and spent several weeks in the hospital. But Jade still breathed the same air as horses. Never afraid. Never giving up. She had jumped the Grand Prix height and traveled all around the country on the back of a horse. She and her other half had won many championships. She could see the souls of horses. She knew what they were. Her soul was one with horses. She was them and they were her. Her existence. They consumed her heart. No one knew horses or loved horses more than Jade.

But Jade had something most others didn't have. Not just with horses. Jade was humble. But Jade was also a genius. Jade only knew this because her teachers and professors told her so. See Jade was fascinated with the world around her. By things of the unkown. By the unexplainable. She sought out enigmas that were worth unraveling. Of science and medicine. Of sick little boys and girls in hospitals waiting for the day that they may go home. Sick little boys and girls who could not ride horses like Jade. Sick little boys and girls who could not touch and feel horses like Jade. Sick little boys and girls who could not see horses like Jade. She knew this was true because she saw it in those dark places that people don't like to go. Of worrying parents. Of dying children. Jade was compassionate and empathic. It was here that Jade made her sacrifice. Jade wanted everyone to feel horses.

So it was this last summer that Jade was able to be with the dream of horses.

When on call, Jade now dreams of their twinkling eyes in the darkness. Their shimmering backs in the moonlight. Their manes and tails twisting in the wind as God plays with them. They sometimes whinny at her calling her back to them. Calling her back to her original path. They tease her. These dreams flutter through her head for a few minutes until they are no more.

Jade is still with them, but not as she was.

Jade must go on. Jade persists. Because she can. Because it is her duty. Because she must sustain the next generation. Because she must save the few as the many die. The children. Its for the children. The little boys and girls. The ones with unknown, incurable afflictions. The ones that cannot feel the horses like Jade. The ones that are in a dark place. The ones who won't return.

Jade now tells other people to do what makes them happy. School stands still and waits for you. At all times. You can go back. But those people who do not return can only be happy because people like Jade sacrifice.. The sacrifice of discipline. The sacrifice of hard work. The sacrifice of no sleep. The sacrifice of one's life. The sacrifice of previous dreams that are no more.

But Jade saved a child yesterday. She was cured. The child could now feel horses. The child left the dark place. Jade sacrificed for others. Jade was satisfied.

And Jade still owns horses. Jade still rides horses. Jade still feels horses. Jade's horses still compete. At times, Jade still travels the world on the back of a horse. Jade still sees their souls. Jade and horses are still one. Her everything. Their powerful hindquarters keep pushing her. They lift her spirit. They lift her up off the ground. They must! For the children! For the children that return from the dark place. For the children that don't return from the dark place. For the sacrifice.

Jade's story can only be told with the community. For if everyone only considered the individual, there would be no community. Community is often forgot. It is often forgot. But it is everything.

This is Jade's story. It is a story that is continuing. It is a story that will continue from this point on forever because it is so. It is the story that Jade will tell forever. The story that everything is horses and horses are everything.

That was beautiful, I'm saving it to my computer.

I am a junior in college and have just started to briefly consider grad school. The unknown and the future are exciting (so many different things to do!) but also really scary. Good luck you have gotten a lot of really great advice here.

[chukkerchild]

This is what comes to mind when I think about having a life with horses:
Make your avocation your vocation and you will never have a vacation.

I work with horses all summer and I get bloody well sick of it by the end. I love horses and I love riding and yes, one day I might like to be a professional rider as a side-job-- but I do not want to go pro, and the riding world can thank me for that because I have no precocious talent to bequeath upon it.

I am finishing my undergraduate degree in physics right now, and I think I will apply to grad school when I'm done. You know, I never even really LIKED physics that much, I only liked horses, I only wanted to ride horses, I can't even imagine thinking about not riding horses for any reason-- the longest I've gone ever is six weeks when I broke my shoulder (falling off a horse) when I was 13.

BUT. I've been doing physics for 3 years now-- and I'm starting to like it. I like it because I've worked hard at it and I'm getting better. So I think I will make it my career.

I think that you should apply to grad school, take that year off and THROW yourself into horses. You will love it, and at the end you will know for sure. Do you have that pragmatism with respect to horses-- that, I enjoy getting better, I'm fairly interested, let's make steady progress in an emotionless manner? Do the 12 hour days just seem like what you have to put into it? Then maybe it should be your career. If you love it too much to have it tarnished by what is definitely going to be a crushing of dreams, snide comments from clients, terrible horses you pray you don't have to ride for much longer-- then go to grad school, do your career and be an amateur (and a kick-ass amateur, cause don't think I mean tottling around the arena once a week, I mean like the high A/Os champion who makes her own horses and pours her heart into it :) )

I'm making my passion my hobby-- but it's going to be a serious hobby. It's going to be my life. I'm making physics my career because I am fascinated by it but not emotionally invested in it to the point that failure will destroy me. (I'll just do another calculus course and improve the math skills, that always seems to help.)

So you gotta decide. Which one is your passion and which one is your bread-and-butter?

[LearnToFly]

Not to hijack the thread- but how many of you are seniors in college that are choosing grad school right now instead of a few years from now because the job market sucks right now?

[theblondejumper]

Not to hijack the thread- but how many of you are seniors in college that are choosing grad school right now instead of a few years from now because the job market sucks right now?

This is why I'm considering grad school but not pressuring myself to go (I want to go mostly for interest). I know a LOT of people who see this as an out--but don't forget that many times (and of course not all) people leave grad school with debt and I don't really think I want to accrue too much more student loan related expenses. And if anyone has any tried and true ways they got through higher ed without too many of those fees (but without a trust fund) please let me know! :)

[Pony Someday]

Hi, everyone. I really appreciate all the feedback.

I thought I'd update and say that I really think this thread was a product of the stress I've been dealing with over the past couple of weeks. The pressure has been on to finish up my last year strong, and I've been fearing that I can't live up to my high standards.

Now that I'm gaining back some self-efficacy, I'm also gaining back some perspective. I'm seeing again that there is no doubt I want to go to grad school and pursue my dream of becoming a licensed psychologist. When I began this thread, it sounded as if psychology was not a passion of mine, let alone a dream. I wish I hadn't come off that way because I truly believe it is my calling. More specifically, I want to study and work with anxiety disorders, among plenty of other things! I've also been hoping to become certified in equine-assisted psychotherapy. Pretty cool, huh? :cool:

Not only was this a product of stress, but I realized that I've also been missing having horses in my life very much. It's been a while, so I can see why I was suddenly jumping to the idea of a career with horses. I think from now on it's important for me to include them in my life more often.

Do you like how I've analyzed this and got it all down? :lol:

I'm very excited to be out of that stressful bubble and back to the me that knows what she wants! I just needed some time to remember. ;)

A lot of people responded to this thread and PMed me writing about their similar situations. I have to say that particular to my experience was that it was a very sudden jump in thinking. I hadn't been pondering for very long about switching to a horse career; it seemed a spur of the moment idea one night. It was important for me to ask myself, "What's really going on here? Am I stressed? Am I taking care of myself and my responsibilities? What do I really want out of life? What are my passions, and what am I good at? What does a career look like for me, and what do I want out of it?"

One question that I really love is, "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"

[YankeeLawyer]

I think it is advisable to work for a few years before grad school. I had an entirely different career in Europe before law school and I am so glad I did. If you are passionate about horses, though, I would recommend ultimately pursuing a well-paid career in another field that would allow you to own your own horses and/or farm rather than work on someone else's.

[Roxy SM]

Hi, everyone. I really appreciate all the feedback.

I thought I'd update and say that I really think this thread was a product of the stress I've been dealing with over the past couple of weeks. The pressure has been on to finish up my last year strong, and I've been fearing that I can't live up to my high standards.

Now that I'm gaining back some self-efficacy, I'm also gaining back some perspective. I'm seeing again that there is no doubt I want to go to grad school and pursue my dream of becoming a licensed psychologist. When I began this thread, it sounded as if psychology was not a passion of mine, let alone a dream. I wish I hadn't come off that way because I truly believe it is my calling. More specifically, I want to study and work with anxiety disorders, among plenty of other things! I've also been hoping to become certified in equine-assisted psychotherapy. Pretty cool, huh? :cool:

Not only was this a product of stress, but I realized that I've also been missing having horses in my life very much. It's been a while, so I can see why I was suddenly jumping to the idea of a career with horses. I think from now on it's important for me to include them in my life more often.

Do you like how I've analyzed this and got it all down? :lol:

I'm very excited to be out of that stressful bubble and back to the me that knows what she wants! I just needed some time to remember. ;)

A lot of people responded to this thread and PMed me writing about their similar situations. I have to say that particular to my experience was that it was a very sudden jump in thinking. I hadn't been pondering for very long about switching to a horse career; it seemed a spur of the moment idea one night. It was important for me to ask myself, "What's really going on here? Am I stressed? Am I taking care of myself and my responsibilities? What do I really want out of life? What are my passions, and what am I good at? What does a career look like for me, and what do I want out of it?"

One question that I really love is, "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"

I'm glad you are feeling all sorted out now! It is interesting that you felt a sudden jump to feelinglike you wanted a career with horses. I have a little over a year left of university, and for me, it's an everyday argument in my head going back and forth on whether I want a career in horses or to be a good ammy. I think part of my fear of being an ammy is not making enough money in my day job to have horses and show them at the upper levels. Sometimes I try to tell myself that I would never make it in the horse world because look at all the people that don't make it, and many ofthe people that do are just lucky/know the right people. But then I remember that I do happen to be very well connected in the horse world and wonder why I am not taking advantage of that and giving it a shot. So it's an everyday everynight back and forth in my head and has been for a long time and is driving me nuts! It doesn't help that most of the best friends I've made in life/best social life I've had has always been around the horses. Maybe it is because I am most comfortable in that environment and therefore am more myself and less shy right from the beginning. I have made some great friends in university, but I can't say I've had the social life at school people generally think of, and I'm not entirely convinced it has been the best 4 years of my life. So frustrating!

[Event4Life]

Well, I'm actually applying to Psy.D. programs (doctorate of psychology). They're more practitioner oriented rather than research/academia oriented. Much more focused on the clinician and supervision. There are university programs that do offer funding very similar to Ph.D. programs, and I'll also be applying to a couple of Masters programs for back-up.

I agree that I need to live my life and experience and learn outside the classroom. One of my professors emphasized that a lot (she was great). I do think I'll look for some jobs working with horses after I graduate, but in this economy, it's really whatever I can get. Who knows where I'll be working in a year. When I'm interviewing at a grad school, all I need is to sell my work experience with horses as a positive component of my application.

I guess right now I'm just going to go with the flow, and hopefully I'll be able to work with horses and continue with grad school. :cool:


If you've never been in a WS type situation, I would definitely try it before you completely write it off. I had the typical completely obsessed with horses career dream when I was a teenager, but that changed after the summer when I was 16. I worked at a well known riding centre in the UK, and it COMPLETELY changed my definitely somewhat jaded perception of the horse world. My riding instructor at the time encouraged me to do the WS thing, and I'm really glad I did, even though it was probably one of the hardest summers of my life. After that summer, I went back to "regular life" with a new determination to work hard at school. I found my passion in politics/international relations and got good enough grades to get into a good college, then transfer to the university I'm at now. I would take a year off after you do your grad school apps and find some kind of working student position. Grad school will be there at the end of it, and you might regret not trying.