Any freelance grooms out there?

Equus Leather

Equus Leather

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Joined
1 May 2006
Messages
4,898
Location
Up North
www.virtualdressage.co.uk
I'm thinking of doing this to top up my income a bit, but I have lots of questions. PM if you prefer.

1. What area of the country are you in?
2. How have you advertised your 'services'?
3. What do you charge?

Thanks everyone!
 
Not sure if this helps but we have a freelance groom that comes to our yard when needed, we are in Cambs and the lady has just put her prices up so doesn't get too much business, obviously she charges less if they are a livery on the yard she keeps hers at but outside yards get charged:
Turn out/Bring In £5 one way (if others on yard same day £3 each way)
Full day - muck out, turn out and bring in and feed £13
Poo pick field daily £5 (one horse)
Pulling manes/tails about £10/£15
Bathing £15 think
plaiting £15
Hacking £10
Schooling £15
this is just off the top of my head, doesn't offer tack cleaning or willy cleaning as far as I know!! Lol! She also just advertises by word of mouth and most DIY yards she leaves a price list.
At prices like this tbh I would only use services if desperate as with paying all your other costs on top you would be paying pretty much top competition livery prices, but I can see that she has to pay fuel etc and make some money. Personally I have always preferred to pay someone by the hour, as you roughly know where you are and if someone is taking the pee! Hope some of this is helpful. Good luck.
 
I tend not to use freelances over the summer as I have enough daylight hours, and mainly use them in the winter to muck out or bring in when I am away at shows. I pay £6 - £8 per hour, and usually prefer someone who can ride as well.
 
oh and the other thing she mentioned to me is that normally it all slacks off in the summer (which is when she does a bit of buying and selling) but come winter it can be a complete pain trying to fit everything in, in daylight hours, plus if you are working at all different yards it is a juggle to get to everyone in time and not too early!
 
I did it the year before last. I charged £10/hour for yard work which included travel within a certain radius, insurance was ~£33 a month (SEIB). I steered clear of riding exercising as it was my only source of income and couldnt afford to be injured. Most of my work was from yards with a few private owners once I built my rep up and eventually I was turning away work. Summer was hopeless-hardly any work at all and alot of the yard work dried up as well. Housesitting is a good way of getting around that!
dont undersell yourself, if you are experienced and reliable you are worth paying well. a few times people told me I was charging too much and that they had found someone for £3 an hour only for them to ring back 2 weeks later to book me!
I advertised in local feedstores and put fliers through doors and had my own website with booking forms and testimonials.
 
£12.00 per day for mucking out 2 cobs, filling 2 haynets and picking up poos in a small third of an acre paddock.
 
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