Moving to canada.. Wise choice?
Dec 3rd 2013, 5:04 pm
#31
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,009
Re: Moving to canada.. Wise choice?
After reading a post on here from a few years ago asking similar questions, I would just like to state that this thread IS NOT a wind up, I can no longer access the post, hence starting a new one.
For about a year now, after failing medical checks to enable me to get in the British Army, day in, day out, I have been considering moving to Canada. I have no children and have worked with horses for around 8 years now, and began working with them full time when I left school 3 years ago, working in different sectors from eventing, livery (boarding) stables and breeding studs. I have finally settled into a small family run racing yard. My boss has agreed to help me gain my qualifications for the management of racehorses and breeding. If I were to move to Canada will my qualifications be recognised there or will I have to undergo the training all over again?
My partner has been in the same job since he left school 6 years ago, he is a farm worker and has tractor, trailer, and JCB licenses. Again, will those licenses be recognised there?
I also read an article titled 'Don't make the mistake of moving to Canada, it's a fools paradise' this is one of the paragraphs; '''My advice to people who are itching to migrate to Canada to give a better future to their children is this: Think hard before you take any decision and don’t fool yourself by painting a rosy picture in your head. You may end up working in factories, call centers, security agencies, Tim Horton’s or packing factories. You will lose your savings. Your will lose your morale and self-esteem. Tensions will destroy your marital and family life. Finally, if you are lucky enough, you may get an entry-level job and then pay someone else’s mortgage while living in their basement as you dream of buying your own little nest.'''
I wouldn't enjoy sitting in an office earning however many thousands. I plan on working with horses, earning enough to live comfortably and my partner wants to stick to working on farms. Is this something that is achievable? I have my heart set on relocating to the Alberta area. Sorry for the long post, but I would love to hear from someone who has successful made a move to Canada and is happy with the decision.
For about a year now, after failing medical checks to enable me to get in the British Army, day in, day out, I have been considering moving to Canada. I have no children and have worked with horses for around 8 years now, and began working with them full time when I left school 3 years ago, working in different sectors from eventing, livery (boarding) stables and breeding studs. I have finally settled into a small family run racing yard. My boss has agreed to help me gain my qualifications for the management of racehorses and breeding. If I were to move to Canada will my qualifications be recognised there or will I have to undergo the training all over again?
My partner has been in the same job since he left school 6 years ago, he is a farm worker and has tractor, trailer, and JCB licenses. Again, will those licenses be recognised there?
I also read an article titled 'Don't make the mistake of moving to Canada, it's a fools paradise' this is one of the paragraphs; '''My advice to people who are itching to migrate to Canada to give a better future to their children is this: Think hard before you take any decision and don’t fool yourself by painting a rosy picture in your head. You may end up working in factories, call centers, security agencies, Tim Horton’s or packing factories. You will lose your savings. Your will lose your morale and self-esteem. Tensions will destroy your marital and family life. Finally, if you are lucky enough, you may get an entry-level job and then pay someone else’s mortgage while living in their basement as you dream of buying your own little nest.'''
I wouldn't enjoy sitting in an office earning however many thousands. I plan on working with horses, earning enough to live comfortably and my partner wants to stick to working on farms. Is this something that is achievable? I have my heart set on relocating to the Alberta area. Sorry for the long post, but I would love to hear from someone who has successful made a move to Canada and is happy with the decision.
I have no idea if those qualifications will be recognized here but I just Googled and read that article (I live in the same city as the person who wrote it). What an absolute load of crap!
Last edited by colchar; Dec 3rd 2013 at 5:12 pm.
Dec 4th 2013, 5:50 pm
#33
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Moving to canada.. Wise choice?
I wouldn't enjoy sitting in an office earning however many thousands. I plan on working with horses, earning enough to live comfortably and my partner wants to stick to working on farms. Is this something that is achievable? I have my heart set on relocating to the Alberta area. Sorry for the long post, but I would love to hear from someone who has successful made a move to Canada and is happy with the decision.
There are lots of horse-related jobs in Alberta, whether you would be able to get one or are qualified for one is another question.
Dec 5th 2013, 12:18 am
#34
London Canada to Atlanta
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Near Atlanta GA
Posts: 240
Re: Moving to canada.. Wise choice?
I competed internationally and returned to my home in Canada with grandiose dreams of building a riding lesson and training business. What I discovered is that you worked long and hard three months of the year and starved for 9 months of winter. Even with a heated indoor arena, people did not want to go out in the dark snowy cold night after dinner to get to the barn...
I then decided to move to the southern USA and built a 12 month lesson, training and showing business. I am able to book tons more lessons at twice he price of Canada, year round.
It's very possible to do it in the USA, really tough in Canada.
I then decided to move to the southern USA and built a 12 month lesson, training and showing business. I am able to book tons more lessons at twice he price of Canada, year round.
It's very possible to do it in the USA, really tough in Canada.
Dec 5th 2013, 2:30 am
#35
Pea Brain
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: TBD
Posts: 6,005
Re: Moving to canada.. Wise choice?
I competed internationally and returned to my home in Canada with grandiose dreams of building a riding lesson and training business. What I discovered is that you worked long and hard three months of the year and starved for 9 months of winter. Even with a heated indoor arena, people did not want to go out in the dark snowy cold night after dinner to get to the barn...
I then decided to move to the southern USA and built a 12 month lesson, training and showing business. I am able to book tons more lessons at twice he price of Canada, year round.
It's very possible to do it in the USA, really tough in Canada.
I then decided to move to the southern USA and built a 12 month lesson, training and showing business. I am able to book tons more lessons at twice he price of Canada, year round.
It's very possible to do it in the USA, really tough in Canada.
The winter was by far the busiest time. The indoor arena was open 7am - 9pm and in pretty much constant use. Summertime many riders and their horses were away for days at a time competing. Livery income didn't really change year round.
Lessons were $35-150 per hour depending on the instruction, the arena was rented by the half or full day for events at $250/500, with at least 2 events per month.
Yes, the hours are long, the work is hard but as I posted earlier it's perfectly feasible to build a viable equestrian business here.
Dec 23rd 2013, 3:55 am
#36
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2010
Location: From NS to ON to AB & back to ON. Currently in USA
Posts: 100
Re: Moving to canada.. Wise choice?
Hi Emmajay
I used to frequent this forum a lot when I was super depressed about living in Canada but I found it only made me more home sick so have not been here for a long while. I saw your post and wanted to offer my thoughts.
I am a BHSII (my husband is a farrier) and before moving to Canada in 2008 I ran large riding schools in the UK. No such luck here and not for want of trying! The horse industry in Canada sucks. It is highly discombobulated, unregulated with very low standards. Any credentials you come with mean nothing, the previous comments on it being who you know not what you know are absolutely true and even more so within rural occupations and most deffinetly within the farming community. I have lived in Nova Scotia, Alberta and currently am in ontario....the work is still very limited. Now of course there are jobs out there shovelling poop for $11/hr and for excercize Riders at the track....woodbine is the predominant race track in Canada in ontario but do not be lulled into thinking the industry is anywhere close to that in the Uk. To get an idea of the jobs available you can check out equine Guelphs website (job track), the equestrian management group forums (emg) and that's about it!!!! Olds college in Alberta also has a jobs board worth looking at.
I am afraid I am one of those miserable folk who regrets setting foot in this country however I made my bed and I will be Lieing in it until 2015 when we can finally go home! Living here is hard and making a go of it in the horse industry is seriously tough....especially since it is only seasonal....all the race horses and competitive horses ship down to Florida for the winter.......there are no competitions here until May!!!
Although Canada is not for me I am happy to help in anyway I can so feel free to message me if you want!!
I used to frequent this forum a lot when I was super depressed about living in Canada but I found it only made me more home sick so have not been here for a long while. I saw your post and wanted to offer my thoughts.
I am a BHSII (my husband is a farrier) and before moving to Canada in 2008 I ran large riding schools in the UK. No such luck here and not for want of trying! The horse industry in Canada sucks. It is highly discombobulated, unregulated with very low standards. Any credentials you come with mean nothing, the previous comments on it being who you know not what you know are absolutely true and even more so within rural occupations and most deffinetly within the farming community. I have lived in Nova Scotia, Alberta and currently am in ontario....the work is still very limited. Now of course there are jobs out there shovelling poop for $11/hr and for excercize Riders at the track....woodbine is the predominant race track in Canada in ontario but do not be lulled into thinking the industry is anywhere close to that in the Uk. To get an idea of the jobs available you can check out equine Guelphs website (job track), the equestrian management group forums (emg) and that's about it!!!! Olds college in Alberta also has a jobs board worth looking at.
I am afraid I am one of those miserable folk who regrets setting foot in this country however I made my bed and I will be Lieing in it until 2015 when we can finally go home! Living here is hard and making a go of it in the horse industry is seriously tough....especially since it is only seasonal....all the race horses and competitive horses ship down to Florida for the winter.......there are no competitions here until May!!!
Although Canada is not for me I am happy to help in anyway I can so feel free to message me if you want!!
Dec 23rd 2013, 3:58 am
#37
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2010
Location: From NS to ON to AB & back to ON. Currently in USA
Posts: 100
Re: Moving to canada.. Wise choice?
Just saw your reply RICH and I do not disagree and if I had the money to buy a property I am sure I could have developed a business that would break even....not sure how viable....but still if buying a place is not possible, career possibilities in the horse industry are very slim!
