Horse Groom

Also known as:

Groom, Horse
Stable Hand

Introduction

Horse grooms feed and groom horses. The work involves mucking out stables and exercising animals. They may also assist riding instructors giving riding lessons.

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Work Activities

Grooms care for horses, keeping them in good health and condition.

Daily care of horses involves mucking out the stables, replacing bedding, providing fresh water, preparing feed and hay and giving it to the animals.

Grooms may also be responsible for the daily exercising of horses. After exercise, they usually groom the horses. While grooming, it is important to check for any changes in the horses' condition. Any animal that is unhealthy requires special attention.

Grooms clean tack/harnesses and check equipment for repair. Sometimes they are also required to maintain the yard itself.

The work varies in different settings. For example, grooms employed by competition yards look after racehorses, showjumpers, eventers or dressage horses, preparing the horses for events and competitions and often accompanying them. In stud and breeding yards, grooms work with stallions and/or mares and foals.

A small number of grooms employed by racing yards are selected for training as jockeys, if their riding is of a high enough standard.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

Looking after horses is hard physical work, demanding good health, stamina and fitness. It is not necessary to be an extremely competent rider, although a basic standard is often required.

Grooms need a love of horses and an aptitude for handling them. Good observational skills are needed to notice changes in the horse's condition. Practical hand skills, with attention to detail, are required.

Patience, willingness to work long hours and carry out routine tasks are necessary. Mucking out is dirty, smelly work. It is important to be prepared to work outdoors in all weather conditions.

You will need good spoken communication skills for talking to customers and vets and so on. Clear handwriting is required for tasks such as record-keeping. Basic numeracy is also needed for measuring feed. A driving licence may be useful.

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Pay and Opportunities

Pay rates for horse grooms vary widely with employer, location and type of activity.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Grooms earn in the range of £210 a week, rising to £230 - £310 for a yard manager. Some employers provide grooms with meals and accommodation, which may be included in the salary package.

Grooms usually work a basic 40-hour week. However, long hours, including early starts, late finishes and work on weekends and public holidays, may be required. Some posts are seasonal.

Employers throughout the UK include riding schools, equestrian centres, polo yards, livery yards (which look after horses on behalf of owners), stud and breeding yards, private competition yards, and holiday trekking and riding centres.

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Adult Opportunities

It is now illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have skills and abilities gained in work with horses; some have the ability to ride competently.

Modern Apprenticeships may be available in some areas.

Colleges will usually consider applications from candidates who do not meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges.

Warwickshire College (Equi Study) offers a range of relevant qualifications by distance learning, including a Foundation Degree in Equine Studies.

• 40% of people in occupations such as horse groom work part-time.
• 6% have flexible hours.
• 4% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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