Horses and Nursing/Travel Nursing

[butterflytessa]

Hi all,

I'm interested in nurses who have horses and/or travel nurses who are hauling their big pets around the country.

I've been lurking on the forums for a few months now and I'm pretty sure a nursing career is on the table for me. I'm a community college student with a high GPA in the liberal arts and sociology.

In the last year, I became a working student for my horse trainer again and abandoned the idea of pursuing my B.A. I absolutely love being on my feet and being outside. Any and all work I do is to financially support my "horse habit," mountain biking, time for hiking, etc. I've had so many people tell me that I have a great work ethic, even won an award from the nonprofit I worked for this past year. I know I can work hard at the career that will financially support these hobbies (that are great motivation for getting through school, etc).

Secondly, I've interviewed lots of the horse owners that I see consistently out with their horses and many of them are nurses. I know a lactation consultant and a college nurse who both are out 6 days/week at the barn.

Nursing seems like a good path for the reliable, solid pay, the ease of traveling the job (but maybe I'm wrong about that), and the benefits of being able to maintain a career as something other than a travel writer (haha!).

My dream is to travel around the country with my horse so I can enjoy all the wonderful natural spaces we are blessed with, including most of the scenic National Parks (hello, Montana!) and several trainers/barns that I've long admired. My list has places from Ocala, FL to Pagosa Springs, CO to areas along the west coast. I will do anything to support this dream, including working in a nursing home, etc.

My biggest hesitation is that a CA hippy and that I personally avoid hospitals for minor issues that so often related to lifestyle (ie, I would not want to pop pills to diabetics, I'd rather counsel them on a good exercise plan).

I realize this all sounds idealistic, but I'm dreaming big and I want to do my utmost to get there.

Finally, vet tech or any kind of medical tech is not off the table.

I would appreciate any words of wisdom, even if it's that nursing is a bad idea

[Cat365]

I know several people who do travel nursing with dogs and I have been told my dog qualifies as a horse, but I would think that would be very difficult.

First im not sure how you would arrange new boarding/stables every few months. Despite my friends comments my dog was not a horse and could sleep in an RV or an apartment.

Second and I could be wrong, I was under the impression that a great deal of travel nursing jobs were in hospitals.

I just thought of a third. You know the phrase about leading a horse to water? A great deal of people are like this as well, including myself, you can educate and some will listen, but it is their right to choose to take the pill. Live and let live. Try not to judge.

[butterflytessa]

Thank you for your candid response. I'll be interested to hear others chime in as well.

[wannabeny]

It's hard enough shipping yourself around every few months; I galloped & trained racehorse for quite a few years, and arranging transport, paying for transport (astronomical), hauling all of your gear, setting up stall space, etc is an added stress on top of finding yourself a place to live, packing your things, travelling, etc. You're easily looking at $600+ depending on how far you're hauling, unless you know someone hauling in that direction or you have your own trailer.

I would do all of your research as far as cost of daily care, feed, vet/farrier care, needed vaccinations, etc.

As far as imposing your lifestyle into your nursing practice, better to work on an unbiased view on how they live their life, or choose handle their health...some people don't want to hear it, and others really do need that pill to help control their disease.

good luck :)

[butterflytessa]

Bump!

[Meeshie]

I have an odd suggestion if this is what you decide to do... talk to Ren Faire travelers at whatever large faire is local to you - specifically the jousters. Those people are never locals. They travel around the country jousting with their own fully trained horses. Most of them would know the details on stables over multiple states and would be able to tell you who to contact in other areas.