Freelance grooming - Ideas please

Montyforever

Montyforever

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Last winter i did freelance grooming for a bit of extra money for the ponies and at the begining of summer the work dried up, am still advertised at local horsey shops but had no interest at all since before xmas (still have current job but its only 2 days a week now rather than full time)

So im thinking i need to be more "professional" set up a website, stop doing "mates rates" as im earning **** all now because i did that :D :p

I dont think i have a "bad" reputation, infact i dont have one at all.

So what can i do to get myself back "out there" and show people im just as capable as all the others if that makes sense?
 
Websites, leaflets etc. are a good idea, if I need anything I always try looking on the internet first. Where are you based? Maybe there are local websites where you can advertise? I run one for the North West. If you need a website msg me for details :)

vistaprint are also quite reasonable for printing leaflets, business cards etc.
 
what area are you in? im in leeds - im on full diy and would love to pay someone to groom and generally keep an eye on my horse while im away on holiday - sounds like a fabulous service x
 
make sure you get the req insurance to do freelance, then go calling and dropping off fliers! be prepared to get up early and finish late with quiet hours in the middle of the day. breakfast and morning stables and fetching in and eve stables will be your busy times! generally hunters are plaited in the morning when they are hunting! i used to have to do a yard of 9 and plait and tack and load on lorry. i got very quick at plaiting (10 mins max) tho sadly i have lost a bit of speed now and takes about 15 mins per horse now!
 
Someone round here does that, mostly in private homes, not livery yards. She does a lot of holiday cover in the summer, odd days when people are going to be busy and can't get back (at one time I had a lot of meetings in London and I couldn't have gone if she hadn't been around to turn out/muck out stables and fetch in a feed in the evenings.) She charges by the hour.

She also plaits and trims (used to plait up for a lady doing affiliated dressage) and does clipping and in her younger days would help with breaking in and did some exercising for some people. She helped me to teach my horse to load in the trailer, and helped with long reining. She doesn't ride horses she doesn't know now and has cut down on the breaking side a lot. I think clipping keeps her pretty busy in the winter months.

The thing is, she is 100% reliable. She is also knowledgeable enough to get in the vet if required in an emergency and she always leaves a note in the feed room with a short message, e.g. "everything fine, no problems, fed cats. £xxxxxx owed."
 
narkymare said:
what area are you in? im in leeds - im on full diy and would love to pay someone to groom and generally keep an eye on my horse while im away on holiday - sounds like a fabulous service x
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Unfortunatly im in kent! :(

Ive tried leaflets at yards, but any yards that arn't just diy (few and far between down here) dont like it because its taking away their business lol :p

Have got my current job, they are still giving me a few hours a week to keep me ticking over and then ill be back to full time twice a day in the winter (fingers crossed!)

So ideally looking for 1 or 2 more "permenant" jobs and a few holiday bits and bobs :)

ETA - The "permenant" job is looking after 3 horses on a private yard :)
 
can you clip? if you can clip really well IE no lines,quick, good with tricky ones, you can make a fortune.
i used to clip for a local SJ'er and charged £80 per horse for a full clip, but i never left lines, and did it to perfection. a whole yard of 8/9 horses was a pretty penny.......
 
ORANGEHORSE said:
Someone round here does that, mostly in private homes, not livery yards. She does a lot of holiday cover in the summer, odd days when people are going to be busy and can't get back (at one time I had a lot of meetings in London and I couldn't have gone if she hadn't been around to turn out/muck out stables and fetch in a feed in the evenings.) She charges by the hour.

She also plaits and trims (used to plait up for a lady doing affiliated dressage) and does clipping and in her younger days would help with breaking in and did some exercising for some people. She helped me to teach my horse to load in the trailer, and helped with long reining. She doesn't ride horses she doesn't know now and has cut down on the breaking side a lot. I think clipping keeps her pretty busy in the winter months.

The thing is, she is 100% reliable. She is also knowledgeable enough to get in the vet if required in an emergency and she always leaves a note in the feed room with a short message, e.g. "everything fine, no problems, fed cats. £xxxxxx owed."
Click to expand...

That's good advice.

I do quite a bit of work along the same lines. Whilst quite a few of my clients are from recommendations, I have also had introductions through my farrier who of course knows everyone! In fact, all my work is at private homes who tend to be quite flexible - especially those where you can fly in and muck out at almost a time to suit you!

Another suggestion would be to advertise via your local riding club.
 
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