.:EQUUS:.

The breeding season is fast approaching down under and with it, jobs are popping up for those interested in working with stallions, broodmares and foals.

Some of the latest jobs advertised at EquusConnect (http://www.equusconnect.com.au/) include positions at the big studs Darley Australia and Coolmore Australia as well as Rich Hill in New Zealand.

Don’t forget, with the likes of Darley and Coolmore that are set up in varying countries around the world - the US, UK, Australia and Dubai, a foot in the door at one property may provide opportunity to visit the other properties and work your way around the world!

“All I need to know in life I learned from my horse - leather and chains can make anyone look studly.”

tag: horse stud, australia, thoroughbred stud season, New Zealand, seasonal work

I know I’ve touched on both of these possibilities before, but just wanted to remind people that they have options to use their skills, combined with their love of horses to start to generate some pocket money.

It’ll take a lot more work to generate an income through the likes of writing articles for magazines, online sites such as Suite101 or other such avenues, but it is possible to start today, building up a profile for yourself as a writer and generating a small amount of money in the process. Do it for the experience and love of writing, rather than the anticipation of funds and you can’t go wrong.

The same goes with photography. There are so many stock photo sites out there that will take photos (under specific guidelines) and put them for sale on the site. Every time someone wants to use your photo, they can purchase it and you make a small amount of money. This is a great way to start up a portfolio in the photography world and generate an increasing residual income.

In both areas, I believe it’s a question of skill as well as being a numbers game. The more you have written or the more photos on display, the more likely someone will find something they like resulting in funds for you!

‘Every day you don’t invest is another day’s interest you haven’t made.’

Calling all wannabe equine body workers!  Debranne of Equinology.com has sent me an email about a scholarship that is on offer to anyone - and it sounds spectacular!

A breakdown:

• EQ201 Equinology Equine Body Worker Course
• Retreat October 10 - 27, 2011 (three weeks)
• In Northern California at The Sea Ranch
• Course costs ($3000 worth) as well as a private bedroom and bathroom

How awesome does that sound?  So what do you need to do?

• Be available on those dates in 2011
• Be able to get yourself to California and cover costs of meals
• Do the prerequisite, EQ50 (currently only $20 US)
• Apply for the scholarship

Sounds great, right?  More details can be found at the Events Page as well as the actual course info.  Applications close Jan 15th so you may wanna get a wriggle on!  They can be submitted by:

• an email to ronamead@gmail.com with ‘CG Scholarship’ as the subject
• snail mail to: POB 1192, Gualala, CA 95445 with ‘CG Scholarship’ in the top left hand corner

The application in itself requires that you “write an essay explaining why learning equine body work will help you reach your goals in the equine industry. You should include your horse experience within the body of the essay.”

Note also that to attend this course, you must be experienced in working around all different types of dispositions and be comfortable in picking up all the limbs of the horse.  Happy writing!

“Here lies the body of my good horse, The General. For years he bore me around the circuit of my practice and all that time he never made a blunder. Would that his master could say the same.” - John Tyler’s epitaph for his horse

tag: equine education, horse goals, new years resolutions, short course,

So reading through another horse magazine, I stumbled across the promise of a Free Equine Course.  Need I say more?

Yes, there’s always a catch.  This one however, I believe is quite small and worth the look if you’re interested in pursuing study relating to Equine Anatomy.  Equinology.com are the owners of this particular offer.

The ‘course’ is offered via distance education and is one subject or module from a few of their different courses available through the website.  Able to be done at your own pace and ending with an exam, the only fee incurred is a $20 (USD) set up fee.  For a subject that is estimated to be about 100 hours worth, this is very cheap!

For those interested, take a look at http://www.equinology.com/info/course.asp?courseid=73.  Course content includes Anatomy and Veterinary Terminology and Vocab, the Muscular System, the Skeletal System and Palpating Bony Landmarks and Surface Anatomy.

Perhaps those of you planning on improving your equine knowledge in 2011 may find this just the nudge in the right direction that you need…

“There comes a point in every rider’s life when he wonders if it’s all worth it. Then one look at the horse, and he realizes - it is.” - Kelly Stewart

tag: equine education, horse goals, new years resolutions, short course, online course

So I’ve recently stumbled across Send Out Cards, shortly after reading Jordan Adler’s Beach Money.  Initially the appeal was finding out how to build up a residual income - who wouldn’t want one?

But it’s since occurred to me the value of having online the opportunity to send out cards as you think to do so.  People often have the thought but lack the follow through.  Having a system set up online to be able to send out cards to a person or persons as you’re thinking of it is definitely the way to go.

But how does this relate to horses?  A lot of equine businesses send out cards to their clients for Christmas and New Years.  If they really get into it, they may even make sure the card has a horsey feel or even a photo of one of their own stallions, performance horses, a foal or the property.

Send Out Cards allows this, meaning that business owners can truly personalise cards in a cost effective manner (less than $1.50 USD to create, print and post the card) and set up databases that result in cards being sent by the click of a mouse.  Think of the possibilities:

• Sending horsey Christmas/New Years cards to clients
• Sending out a postcard with a photo of a client’s newborn foal to congratulate them on the safe arrival of their filly or colt
• Sending out a card with a photo to mare owners of your stallion who has won at a recent show - add to the card a message reminding them about the upcoming breeding season
• Send a gorgeous horse related card to a friend that you’re thinking of who also loves equines

There are many possibilities and of course the cards aren’t limited to equine enthusiasts.  It is no surprise however that this is where my mind goes.  Perhaps you’d like to take a closer look and even send a few cards for free to test it out…  Further information on Send Out Cards and it’s use can be found in an article I’ve written.

“You know you’re a horse person when… your mother, who has no grandchildren, gets cards addressed to Grandma, signed by the horses and dogs.”

Tag: equine Christmas cards, horse businesses, residual income, Send Out Cards