Ranked list · 12 careers
12 Jobs With Horses, Ranked by Fit and Pay (2026)
Exercise Rider tops this list at $39,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with +4.2% projected employment change over 2025–2035. Below are 12 careers that meet the criteria, each with its real median wage, outlook and entry requirement.
- Careers on this list
- 12From 1,731 in the bank
- Median pay on the list
- $38,330BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Projected to grow
- 10 of 12BLS EP, 2025–2035
- Openings a year
- 375,200Combined, BLS EP
Method
How we built this list
Careers working directly with horses: equine veterinarians and technicians, farriers, trainers, riders and the people who manage stables and breeding. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages.
- Careers working directly with horses: equine veterinarians and technicians, farriers, trainers, riders and the people who manage stables and breeding. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages.
- Occupations with no BLS wage or projection data are excluded rather than estimated.
- The list is regenerated from source data on every bank refresh. It is not hand-picked and no editorial ranking is applied.
The list
The top 12 jobs with horses
100% of these careers already have a full profile page; the rest publish with the next tranche and show the same bank data here in the meantime.
- 1
1. Exercise Rider
Specialty within animal trainer
- Median pay
- $39,990median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +4.2%
- Openings / yr
- 6,500
- Education
- High school
Rides racehorses during morning training at racetracks and training centers, galloping and breezing them on the trainer's instructions.
- 2
2. Dude Ranch Wrangler
Specialty within farmworker, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animal
- Median pay
- $36,670median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- −3.2%
- Openings / yr
- 26,600
- Education
- No formal credential
Cares for a guest ranch's horses and leads guests on trail rides, matching riders to horses and teaching basic horsemanship.
- 3
3. Equine Dental Technician
Specialty within animal caretaker
- Median pay
- $35,360median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +12.1%
- Openings / yr
- 62,800
- Education
- Certificate
Files and balances horses' teeth and maintains their dental health, working under state rules that often require veterinary oversight for sedation and extractions.
- 4
4. Equine Massage Therapist
Specialty within animal caretaker
- Median pay
- $35,360median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +12.1%
- Openings / yr
- 62,800
- Education
- Certificate
Provides massage and bodywork to horses to ease muscle tension, support performance and aid recovery, usually alongside the horse's veterinarian and trainer.
- 5
5. Farrier
Specialty within animal caretaker
- Median pay
- $35,360median (parent occupation)
- Growth
- +12.1%
- Openings / yr
- 62,800
- Education
- High school
A skilled tradesperson who trims horses' hooves and forges, shapes and fits horseshoes, often working with veterinarians on lameness and therapeutic shoeing.
- 6
6. Veterinarian
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Median pay
- $130,100median a year
- Growth
- +9.4%
- Openings / yr
- 3,100
- Education
- Doctorate
Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals.
- 7
7. Police Officer
Protective Service
- Median pay
- $76,210median a year
- Growth
- +3.5%
- Openings / yr
- 51,500
- Education
- High school
Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances.
- 8
8. Professional Athlete
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Median pay
- $66,710median a year
- Growth
- +5.5%
- Openings / yr
- 2,200
- Education
- No formal credential
Compete in athletic events.
- 9
9. Animal Breeder
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- Median pay
- $51,130median a year
- Growth
- +3.0%
- Openings / yr
- 1,000
- Education
- High school
Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring.
- 10
10. Animal Trainer
Personal Care and Service
- Median pay
- $39,990median a year
- Growth
- +4.2%
- Openings / yr
- 6,500
- Education
- High school
Train animals for riding, harness, security, performance, or obedience, or for assisting persons with disabilities.
- 11
11. Farmworker, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animal
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- Median pay
- $36,670median a year
- Growth
- −3.2%
- Openings / yr
- 26,600
- Education
- No formal credential
Attend to live farm, ranch, open range or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, rabbits, finfish, shellfish, and bees.
- 12
12. Animal Caretaker
Personal Care and Service
- Median pay
- $35,360median a year
- Growth
- +12.1%
- Openings / yr
- 62,800
- Education
- High school
Feed, water, groom, bathe, exercise, or otherwise provide care to promote and maintain the well-being of pets and other animals that are not raised for consumption, such as dogs, cats, race horses, ornamental fish or…
Questions
Jobs With Horses: FAQ
What is the top career on the jobs with horses list?
Exercise Rider leads the list with a median wage of $39,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) and projected employment change of +4.2% over 2025–2035. Typical entry-level education is high school.
How was this list put together?
Careers working directly with horses: equine veterinarians and technicians, farriers, trainers, riders and the people who manage stables and breeding. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages. Careers working directly with horses: equine veterinarians and technicians, farriers, trainers, riders and the people who manage stables and breeding. Careers centred on this field come first, then the ones that touch it, each group ranked by national median pay from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Specialty careers, which BLS reports inside a broader occupation, show that occupation’s figures and are labelled on their pages. Every figure comes from BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and O*NET 31.0 Database.
How much do jobs with horses pay?
Across the 12 careers on this list the middle occupation pays $38,330 a year, from $35,360 at the bottom to $130,100 at the top (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The median across all US occupations is $50,980.
How many of these careers can you enter without a degree?
11 of the 12 careers on this list have a typical entry requirement below an associate's degree: a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035).