<p>Hi' this is my first post. Sorry this is long winded, but I really need some advice/encouragement. Has anyone else gone through something like this?</p>
<p>I have always wanted to be a veterinarian. I'm finishing my junior year as an animal sciences major, and I work as a veterinary technician. I'm supposed to apply to vet school in September. Don't get me wrong, I love my job right now, I'm not squeamish, and I'm doing well in school, there is no reason I wouldn't make a good vet. The problem is, I only ever wanted to be a vet so that I could afford a really nice big horse farm and breed horses and have boarders. I'm realizing more every day that if I become a vet: I'm going to be in debt at least until I'm 30, probably longer; I will have no time to ride horses or have my farm because I will be working all of the time; I will be called in at all hours of the night on emergency for the rest of my career (I do this now for my job as a tech, its the only part of the job that I hate). I have been extremely depressed in college lately because feel like I'm stuck on this path that I created for myself and I "have" to follow it. </p>
<p>So, I don't really think that I want to be a vet any more. I just want to start my own horse boarding stable and work my way up until I can have my dream facility. I don't know how my parents would react to this though. They always told me that I needed to have a well paying job to be able to get my farm, and never believed that running the farm could be my well paying job. I don't know how to break it to them, especially since they bought me a condo as their investment property for me to live in during college and vet school. I already have a business plan, and a possible business partner, and even a facility picked out that I could rent. Neither of my parents graduated college and they had always hoped for a "better" life for me, this won't go over well.</p>
<p>So:</p>
<p>Should I do it?
How do I tell my parents?
Have you ever considered not pursuing your "dream career" to start a business instead? What was the result?</p>
<p>you sound like a mature person who has thought things through pretty carefully - so I would explain it to your parents just like you explained it here. they might be upset, but it is your decision to make, and they don’t want to see you unhappy, right? being a vet is a demanding job so it’s not a decision that you make if you’re not entirely sure. Explain that being a vet is no longer your “dream career” and that you’re interested in something else and have a business plan; maybe that will relax them a little.</p>
<p>As a huntseat rider, vet technician, and former aspiring equine veterinarian, I know where you’re coming from. I have seen many barn friends take the animal science path only to end up realizing that their horse’s vet hasn’t had the time to sit on a horse in two decades. </p>
<p>If you have the money to start up your own boarding facility right now, great. If you don’t, you can always buy dead green horses and re-sell them after training (a friend of mine paid for her wedding with the money she made from this) if you have any experience as a trainer.
You’ll also have to point out to your parents that there is no possible way you can take care of horses and work even a part-time job. It just doesn’t work that way. Tell them you’ll finish college to get your degree since you’re so close to graduation. You could always tell them you applied to vet school and didn’t get in haha.</p>
<p>where are you going to get a farm?
where are you going to live while you don’t make any money?
how are you going to get clients?
do you know anything about running a business?</p>
<p>There is a facility that will be available to rent soon that is already completely set up for 40 horses in a prime location. It is also filled with boarders but the manager is leaving, so hopefully some would stay. </p>
<p>I have some management experience as I am responsible for finding tenants and paying utilities, etc and doing taxes for my dad’s condo. Start up money is the only issue, but I may be receiving some settlement money for a neck injury. As far as training goes, my possible partner has training experience and an old trainer of mine has said they would be very interested in teaching out of the facility.</p>
<p>DO it! We own horses ourselves, I understand the realities of trying to own your own farm and it is really hard, but that kind of a hard life is a whole hell of a lot harder than the life that comes from being in a job you hate. And let’s face it, who wants the vet who didn’t even want to be a vet treating their horse? Just tell your parents exactly what you said here, and be prepared to follow your dreams no matter what they say. You’re grown now and you need to do what’s best for yourself.</p>