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Permalink Reply by Lallanslover on July 9, 2009 at 12:20pm

Having worked as a groom for many different stables in the UK, including for the Mounted Police and high level competitors in showing, dressage, show jumping and eventing, I can assure you that the job description includes all of the above and so very much more!

In the UK we don't tend to have 'barn hands', specifically employed to do the mucking out and general yard chores, that all falls under the remit of the groom (along with all the other chores involved in maintaining a horses standard of living, turning them out correctly for duty or competition, and keeping them exercised).

As far as I'm concerned, a groom becomes a trainer when they have the relevant qualifications and experience.

We're very lucky in the UK to have a supporting body for grooms, The British Grooms Association. Their description of a grooms duties is this:

"Working as a groom is a challenging, busy and rewarding occupation. A good groom is highly talented at their job and they need to be – looking after horses requires dedication, attention to detail and an awful lot of hard work.

The routine work of a groom includes:

* mucking out stables and replacing bedding
* cleaning tack
* preparing and providing feed and water
* cleaning, brushing and clipping horses' coats
* checking for changes in the horse's condition and reporting problems
* following instructions from vets when treatment is needed


Grooms who work with competition or racehorses will get many opportunities to travel both in the UK and abroad. This can lead to a very exciting job if you are part of a professional team, there is no greater buzz than seeing the horse that you love and care for winning a race or a medal! As a groom you can also work in a stud with stallions and mares, which is really exciting in the spring time when the foals are born.

Working as a groom can include early mornings, late nights and weekends, but no two days are the same! Sometimes you will be able to do part-time work or become a freelancer, which means that you run your own grooming business. During the winter months you will need to be prepared to work in cold, wet and muddy conditions, but also in the summer months it is great to be working outside all day.

As a groom you will be paid according to your experience and responsibilities, but wages vary widely in the equestrian industry, apart from racing, which has a wage structure. Many grooms job packages include accommodation and this can vary from shared hostel rooms, to luxury cottages. Food, free livery for your own horse, riding lessons and the chance to compete are also sometimes included as part payment.

Life as a groom can be very sociable and fun and it is a fantastic way to earn a wage from doing something that you love."

http://www.britishgrooms.org.uk/home

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Permalink Reply by Sarah at HorseJobs.ca on July 11, 2009 at 7:14am

The British Grooms association has really set the standard for allowing an accreditation system for grooms. I love it. Thanks for your reply

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Synnot on July 10, 2009 at 6:24pm

I worked at a flat racing track in Canada for a few years, the track is looked over by the gaming comission. You had to be liscenced by the gaming comission for each job title.

Groom: actually only really grooms the horses, tacks and untacks, dresses minor bo-bo's, pulls manes, et.
Stall Mucker: Feeds and mucks stalls.
Hot Walker: Only walks out horses coming off the track.
Jockey: Rides
Gallop Boy/Girl: Excersises the horse
Pony People: The outriders responsible for ponying horses to the races and on excercise days
Gate Crew: Operate the start gates et.
Trainer: trains..

So unless a crew is short staffed, usually each person does his or her own job and its pretty segregated just due to the way the liscencing works out.

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Permalink Reply by Sarah at HorseJobs.ca on July 11, 2009 at 7:16am

Thanks Michelle. How many horses were in your care and do you get a commission on the horses earnings if you are working as their groom?
Or is that just the trainers?

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Synnot on July 11, 2009 at 11:53am

Hey there..

anywhere from two to twelve depending on who I was working for.. we don't get commissions outright...only the jockey, the jockey agent, the owners, and the trainers get the winnings...although, most trainers are very generous and will tip us if our horse wins, and the agent of the winning jockey always buys doughnuts for the whole crew the next morning (0:

Its also a really good place to work to pick up very inexpensive, high quality mounts when they are finished racing. I ended up also rehabbing and rehoming ones that had broke down and perhaps would have met a not so nice fate if I had not brought them home. After a while I got a good reputation around the barns and people started full boarding their horses with me to be retrained for other careers (to be sold)

I would say of all the places I've worked, the track is where I've gotten the most horse experience. The work is hard, but very rewarding.

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Permalink Reply by Sarah at HorseJobs.ca on July 11, 2009 at 2:54pm

Thanks Michelle. :)

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