[Quinny]

My 25 year old daughter has decided she wants to visit USA.

She is an Equestrian Instructor, and intends to visit with her friend for a few months in October this year. She is currently in planning phase and hope to visit on a tourist visa, but 'work' her way round the country. She would ideally like to work with horses, but she is very bright and would turn her hand to most things.

I have pointed out the difficulties she might find in finding employment, but she is determined to go.

She has an Uncle in South Bend near Chicago who seh could use as a base, but I have also pointed out it can get very cold in that part of the States in Winter. She would also like to work somewhere further south during the winter months if possible.

She's finding it overwhelming searching for jobs etc over such a wide area as the USA. Any areas that are particularly 'horsey', Tenessee springs to mind, but any advice would be welcome?

What itinerary/plan would you have in her situation?

[SeaGypsy]

Tell her her timing is terrible and send her around Australia 1st.

[ian807]

Texas is warmer and is not lacking in horses. We have a rodeo in Houston each year. If I were her, I'd start looking around Houston, Dallas or San Antonio. A quick trip to www.monster.com or the local newspaper classifieds should get her a list of jobs. Beyond that, she'll need at least a little money for a place to stay. Cheap apartments start at about $500-600 USD. Most places want 1 month's deposit (That's what my tenants pay) so $1100 to move in plus food plus phone (you need one). Call it $4000 for the first month. If she gets a job, then she's probably OK after that, but it would be unwise to start with much less than that.

[SeaGypsy]

Texas is warmer and is not lacking in horses. We have a rodeo in Houston each year. If I were her, I'd start looking around Houston, Dallas or San Antonio. A quick trip to http://www.monster.com or the local newspaper classifieds should get her a list of jobs. Beyond that, she'll need at least a little money for a place to stay. Cheap apartments start at about $500-600 USD. Most places want 1 month's deposit (That's what my tenants pay) so $1100 to move in plus food plus phone (you need one). Call it $4000 for the first month. If she gets a job, then she's probably OK after that, but it would be unwise to start with much less than that.

Jesus man she could drive around Australia sleep in a van and make $40,000!

[dinopello]

Virginia horse country. From Middleburg down the Shenandoah to Charlottesville and beyond. Lots of wealthy people own "farms" which are used a month of the year or so for the fox hunts or attending the steeplechase events. My sister worked a few summers as an assistant excercise person at such a farm. Or there are a lot of equestrian centers/camps that give lessons etc. Google might be able to find something.

[hardtootell-2]

Why USA? To enjoy the Dept of Homeland Securities "welcome"?

http://www.mountainmeadowtrailrides.com/

I have traveled the world and there is nowhere more beautiful than this (southern Alberta) IMHO

[ian807]

hardtootell-2 and SeaGypsy do make good points. There are a lot of other countries that are a little more horse- and user-friendly than the USA. New Zealand, Spain, Australia, Canada....

She might make a bit more money in the USA, but it still might not be worth it.

[Ferretlover]

Are there no 'horsey' blogs available on the 'Net? I don't remember too many posts by horse owners here at PO but, you could do an advanced search. I believe someone posted pictures of their animals; can't remember the thread title, though. Sorry!

[SeaGypsy]

If you want an idea out of left field; I can give you the contacts of farms in Australia's Northern Territory where your girl would land a job riding all day 6 days a week all expenses paid plus over $500USD a week.
The job is mustering work, it's done in teams with helicopters doing the main gathering, motorbikes the intermediate, horses the final muster and herd movement. Most of the people who do this work are men, many are aboriginal, the lady version is called a 'Jillaroo' & they are very highly sought after. Australia's anti discrimination laws and management practices mean your daughter would be very safe; living in this part of the world I have not heard of any malicious incidence toward Jillaroo.
If things rings a bell with her PM me and I will oblige!

[Caffeine]

Here in the USA, a whole lot of people are some combination of a) out of a job b) worried about their job c) depressed. I don't know specifically about how horse owners are doing, though.

[Quinny]

Thanks very much for all the advice. I'll talk to her and get back to you all with feedback.

[billbrasky2]

i recommend lexington, ky- area. People with $. Big farms feeding both Churchill Downs (Louisville) and Keeneland (Lexington).Weather comparable to VIrginia.

[pup55]

Virginia horse country

lexington, ky- area

Either of these areas are delightful, weather good, people relatively friendly (they tend to be a bit hard headed in VA horse country but respect hard work.

Cost of living cheaper than around Houston.

Way out west, there is an institution that used to be known as a "dude ranch" (ref: the stupid movies by Billy Crystal in this regard)...Weather more unpredictable, but the people have a bit of a different attitude.

She might be able to line up a gig at one of these places which would have the added benefit of no transportation problem (texas=car)....Bright young females with an accent should be in reasonable demand in this kind of environment particularly if she has some customer care skills.

Benefits: Get to go out west, which is absolutely the most glorious part of the country.
Drawback: Summer is about to come to an end and a lot of this work is seasonal.

Worth a try.

Probably more fun than shoveling, er, animal waste in a racetrack in Miami, although, the racetracks around Miami might also have their merits...

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/job-JL5T389ZU7G;_ylt=AvdYHZbUHCCmaHth9wj0Ver6Q6IX?source=SRP

Summer help wanted on Ranch outside of Billings. Cooking, cleaning, yard work + horse exper. Room/Board + Salary. 672-5005 to apply.

This one is a couple of weeks old...

http://www.billingsgazette.com/app/a/jobs/

Call them and see if they will let the kid hang out up there. She will like Billings.

Also, FYI the national parks out west also hire a lot of different types of young people, and a lot of them have horse-related stuff.....

[pup55]

THE COUNTRY Hospital for Animals is accepting applications for a Veterinary Assistant. Must be conscientious, cheerful, & professional. Vet experience helpful, but a good attitude & work ethic is more important (we will provide training for the right person). Wages/benefits highly competitive & negotiable. Apply in person with resume at 2417 Coffeen Ave.

WRANGLER/MAINTENANCE Requires some heavy lifting, knowledge of horses & irrigation some housing avail., seasonal. Call Eric or Vicki @ 737-2281.

ROOM FOR rent, $330/mo., 751-5300

http://www.thesheridanpress.com/classifieds/130.html

Here is an even better one. Sheridan Wyoming it is located at the foothills of the front range of the Rocky Mountains, and is kind of a small town with an old-west type feel. It is located close to skiing, and chances are excellent that in addition to your collection of dogs and cats, you will get to interact with a horse or two. She will probably have to find some other way to apply, since she cannot walk in.

Perhaps she feels like being a wrangler. I bet you did not know there was still such a thing.

Pros: Mountains, ski, animals, rich people (not like Jackson, but close enough), small enough town to walk, cheap rent, friendly people, in a wild west kind of way. I believe during the season, there is a bit of night life. Lots of sunshine.
Cons: Stupidly cold from October through April, but the cold doesn't seem so bad out west...

There seem to be a lot of job openings in Sheridan, for whatever reason. I might have to join her.

[nocar]

What are the legalities? Is she allowed to work with a tourist visa?

[pup55]

Important Warning for Tourist Visa Holders: Persons admitted to the United States on a B-2 Tourist Visa are not allowed to work or receive any kind of payment while staying in the United States. Foreign nationals who wish to work in the United States must apply for a work visa, such as the H-1B Visa or H-2B Visa.

http://peakoil.com/forums/posting.php?mode=reply&f=37&t=54631

H-2B Work Visa General Information: The H-2B Work Visa was created to allow people to come to the United States temporarily, mainly for non-agricultural jobs, in which the U.S. workers are in short supply. Up to 66,000 H-2B Visas are issued every year. This year's annual quota has not yet been reached. Prospects are good that H-2B Visas will remain available in future years.

[url]
http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/visa_h2b.html[/url]

E-3 Visa General Information: The E-3 Visa is a new Work Visa category available only to Australian citizens. The E-3 Treaty Professional Visa is a temporary work visa, and is usually issued for 2 years at a time. United States legislation limits the E-3 Visa to citizens of Australia. The primary E-3 Work Visa applicant must be going to the United States for the purpose of working in a specialty occupation. The spouse and children of the main E-3 Visa applicant do not need to be Australian citizens. Spouses of E-3 Visa holders are entitled to E-3D (dependent) Visas and work authorization.

http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/visa_e3.html

The annual quota for E-3 Visas is 10,500. This a very high quota, especially considering only 900 Australians succeeded in obtaining H-1B Work Visas in 2004. The H-1B Work Visa has an annual cap of 65,000. This quota applies to citizens of all countries in the world, while the E-3 Visa is available only to Australians. If you are an Australian citizen, the E-3 Visa can be easier to obtain than the H-1B Work Visa. E-3 Work Visas are temporary visas, meaning that when the visa expires, the individual has to leave the United States. E-3 Work Visas are usually issued for 2 years. However, E-3 Visas may be renewed indefinitely, in two-year extensions.

http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/visa_e3.html

When in doubt consult with your local authorities...

[shortonsense]

What itinerary/plan would you have in her situation?

to get a work permit or risk joining the legions of foreigners not allowed back in the country for breaking various and sundry laws on who is, and is not, allowed to be employed.

[gnm]

Meh - I am sure it wouldn't be any trouble to get a work visa. And she will find what a lot of Brits I have met out here have found - its way less scary and way more laid back. Come on out west - We really are a friendly bunch. And we'll even show you how to handle one of those scary guns properly. Lots of nice people and space like you have never seen. Miles and miles of nothing but wilderness... Beware you might become infected with the staunch individualist notions of the "colonists" though, and find your homeland looks a lot more fascist than you remember....

-G

[FloridaGirl]

What kind of horse experience does she have?

There is a huge amount of horses in Wellington, Florida, especially in the Winter. People (mostly wealthy) bring their horses to Wellington in the Winter for Hunter/Jumper, Dressage and Polo competions.

Some positions provide living quarters.

Check out http://www.wellington-wef.com.

There is also a huge amount of horses in Ocala, Florida with a lot more variety. It has just about any type of horse activity there is. There are several positions in http://www.ocala4sale.com/employment/oc ... s.php#Farm.

[Pretorian]

Why USA? To enjoy the Dept of Homeland Securities "welcome"?

There is no other country in the world which is as friendly to illegals as USA. Not one. So I'm sure she will be welcomed here. And Quinny dont worry about her job situation -- there are no young homeless women. No such thing.