So you wanted to have a career in horses, huh?

Words of wisdom from my favorite farrier, Bill Mills. Yes, in fact, I do want to have a career in horses! It's exhausting, the hours are long, the pay is minimal, the expense is outrageous- but let's face it, some one has to do it!

All joking aside, I've wanted a career in horses for roughly 23 of my 27 years in existence. God bless my poor mother for starting the downward spiral that was my first riding lesson. My father still to this day chimes in with "are you sure you don't just want to do horses for a hobby?" 23 years, countless dollars (I'd hate to actually count), 7 years in Pony Club, and 4 years in college studying horses.......yes dad, I'm sure!

I've been operating under the business name Close Up Show Stables since 2005. CSS has never been full time until this month, although I'm sure I've put in enough overtime hours throughout the years to already retire early. It has survived 8 barns, 2 states, 3 boyfriends (one who I think is finally in for the long haul), college, 5 part time jobs, and my own mistakes along the way. Just two weeks ago I made the move to quit my part time job and make CSS and the horses my full time job.....talk about scary! Today marks the day that all my work, learning, and time has been leading up to: I became Close Up Show Stables, LLC!

I'll tell you right now they do not prepare you in college equine business classes for filling out state business licensing documents, or FEIN (federal employee income number) forms, or that you need both these things to open up a business checking account. Or that if when filling out said documents that if you're filing for LLC you need to actually write LLC after the business name- as opposes to assuming they know you want to be Business, LLC- or they will let you fill the whole thing out and pay for it, only to email you roughly 3 hours later to tell you you've been declined because you're an idiot and of course you need to put LLC after the name- NOW FILL IT ALL OUT AGAIN! Ooops!

But, after all that, today is a landmark for Close Up Show Stables, LLC! After 9 years, I am officially a business! I have my fantastic and loyal clients to thank for this, because without them it would be impossible! More landmarks to come this year, I can feel it!

Cheers!

Many thanks to Julia for submitting her blog post to be featured here on Collegiate Glamour! Guest post written by Julia Jesu, owner and trainer of Close Up Show Stables. You can see her original blog post here.