17th March 2026
Equine Careers; Celebrating 17 years in Business
Equine Careers was founded in 2009 by Emma Dyer. Emma having discovered a gap in the market for a specialist equestrian jobs board & recruitment dedicated to commercial roles in the industry.
At a pivotal moment in her career, Emma chose voluntary redundancy from her then employer during the 2008 recession. With extensive experience in the commercial side of the equestrian sector—Emma saw the opportunity to leverage her knowledge and network to create a successful equestrian recruitment business.
Starting out alone, Emma worked from a spare bedroom at home with just a computer and a phone. This modest beginning set the foundation for what has become a respected name in the industry.
Equine Careers 17-year anniversary
Early Challenges
One of Emma’s first obstacles was getting the business up and running from the marketing side, self-funded from day one, Emma embarked on an enormous PR campaign and networking quest.
Another challenge was establishing credibility. While Emma was a new face to the Commercial side of the industry, she got involved at every opportunity. Slowly but surely convincing businesses to trust Equine Careers as the new kid on the block. The jobs board and recruiter they never knew they needed.
In those early days, Emma spent much time travelling, networking, and attending events to build a face-to-face relationship and earn trust. Unlike today, where much of recruitment is conducted remotely, she believed that personal interactions were crucial for forming lasting business relationships.
Financial constraints also posed a challenge. With limited capital, Emma worked tirelessly to get the business off the ground.
In typical Emma style, the website was launched with clients already on board.
Growing the Business and Building a Trusted Brand
Over the following years, Equine Careers continued to expand its client base and, and most importantly successfully fill vacancies. The brand's reputation grew through excellent results. Emma and Equine Careers quickly became known as a trusted consultancy that operated with professionalism at every turn.
In 2010 Equine Careers exhibited at BETA International for the first time and the debut heralded an Innovation Award. The award which really placed them on the map and infront of those who mattered, the business continued to gain momentum.
As Equine Careers became busier, so did the PR. In 2012 Equine Careers began its support of the BETA Business Awards, sponsoring the Sales Rep / Agent of the Year Award which they continue to this day.
The business grew from a popular jobs board serving every element of the industry up and down the country to growing in demand for Emma’s recruitment services and Industry knowledge.
Emma had come from a background in recruitment as well as sales and marketing, the perfect mix for the development of this unique platform.
In 2015 Emma was approached by a large-scale recruiter to buy Equine Careers, to add an equestrian element to their already established Agri business - the buyout did not progress with Emma knowing her own personal approach and knowledge was key to the unique offerings and drive of Equine Careers.
Looking Ahead
As Equine Careers celebrates 17 years in business, we embark on an exciting new chapter.
In 2025 she won a 2nd Innovation Award from Business Awards UK with feedback confirming ‘Emma has singlehandedly altered the way in which this industry now advertises and recruits for staff’.
The industry and working environment have altered immensely over recent years and Equine Careers has grown with it. With a solid business model and clear vision for the future, Emma continues to guide Equine Careers. Core values remain unchanged: approachable, professional, and delivering a personal service for every client.
Since 2009, Equine Careers has transformed the way the Equine Industry now sources staff, Emma has made it her personal mission to support and educate from grassroots level up, growing its expertise in all segments of the industry. Emma’s role has developed to speaking at Colleges and Universities, providing Careers Advice and Coaching, collaborating with clients and candidates worldwide.
Looking ahead, Emma is confident in the future and in her ability to meet the challenges and evolving needs of the Equestrian Commercial Trade.