u/FlakyWatercress2444

I am going on a cattle drive in mid September and I would really like to take my horse with me but I'm not sure if it's a good idea of not. I went on a drive with this same ranch this summer and I feel like the terrain and work is within his ability level, I am more worried about temperature and elevation. I live in Kansas where the elevation is below 3,000ft and I'd be going to Colorado where the elevation is closer to 7,000ft. The temperature would also likely be below freezing at night which is much colder than what Kansas is in September.

I would be stopping at a ranch for a night or two to meet up with the ranch I'm working for so he would have a little bit to adjust. I also do have a blanket I could use on him in the evenings.

I worked for a big rodeo family so maybe I'm just used to horses being pampered.

Any advice is appreciated!

I literally just created an account to make this post because I need advice, but I can't talk to anyone in my life about this. For some context, last year I realized that I was trans (ftm) and I wasn't able to do anything about it since I come from a conservative town and family. The only people I trusted enough to tell are no longer in my life, so I haven't been able to ask them for advice on this.

I love ranching and working with animals, it is my dream career. In order to be able to ranch, as someone who doesn't come from a ranching background, a degree would really help me but the school with the program that best fits my career goals is out of state and so tuition is steep. In order to pay for tuition, I am working on enlisting with the national guard of the state I'm going to school at. This all wouldn't be a problem at all if I wasn't trans.

Before I was able to justify everything with the reasoning that it will only be six years (maybe less if the laws change) and most people don't transition until later on anyways. Now I am realizing that I am going into a transphobic career field and the ability to start hrt now is so tempting. The problem is that I don't know what my other options even would be. I could potentially not join the military and take on the debt but that would set me back incredibly far. I also worry that I would lose all my connections which are incredibly important in the ranching industry. Even after I graduate and finish my service would I even be able to find a job to hire me? Would I have to avoid putting references on my resume so future employers don't find out I'm trans? I could go into a different career, but none fit me as well as ranching.

I am seriously debating moving to a trans friendly country where I could ranch, but I don't want to leave my little brothers. I am also confident that my parents will cut me off if I do that (they probably will the second they find out I'm trans anyways). I feel like I'm letting myself become trapped, but I also feel like I'm letting everyone around me down if I don't do it. I don't know if my original reasoning was flawed or if I'm just spiraling. I would really appreciate some outside input from others.

Thank you for reading!

I literally just created an account to make this post because I need advice, but I can't talk to anyone in my life about this. For some context, last year I realized that I was trans (ftm) and I wasn't able to do anything about it since I come from a conservative town and family. The only people I trusted enough to tell are no longer in my life, so I haven't been able to ask them for advice on this.

I love ranching and working with animals, it is my dream career. In order to be able to ranch, as someone who doesn't come from a ranching background, a degree would really help me but the school with the program that best fits my career goals is out of state and so tuition is steep. In order to pay for tuition, I am working on enlisting with the national guard of the state I'm going to school at. This all wouldn't be a problem at all if I wasn't trans.

Before I was able to justify everything with the reasoning that it will only be six years (maybe less if the laws change) and most people don't transition until later on anyways. Now I am realizing that I am going into a transphobic career field and the ability to start hrt now is so tempting. The problem is that I don't know what my other options even would be. I could potentially not join the military and take on the debt but that would set me back incredibly far. I also worry that I would lose all my connections which are incredibly important in the ranching industry. Even after I graduate and finish my service would I even be able to find a job to hire me? Would I have to avoid putting references on my resume so future employers don't find out I'm trans? I could go into a different career, but none fit me as well as ranching.

I am seriously debating moving to a trans friendly country where I could ranch, but I don't want to leave my little brothers. I am also confident that my parents will cut me off if I do that (they probably will the second they find out I'm trans anyways). I feel like I'm letting myself become trapped, but I also feel like I'm letting everyone around me down if I don't do it. I don't know if my original reasoning was flawed or if I'm just spiraling. I would really appreciate some outside input from others.

Thank you for reading!