Full Time Groom

[Kenzo]

I would be grateful if you could explain exactly what you do, what your daily chores entail, the perks, the lows, accommodation, any information about the role you do if you are a full time groom for a hunting yard.

Many Thanks

 

[tractor]

Long hours, late nights, early mornings, lots of mud and s**t....but it's the best job in the world, seeing "your" horses all shiny and smart going well for a day's hunting....nothing better!

 

[Baydale]

Hmmmm, our groom starts at 8 on hunting mornings (I'm up, feeding and plaiting from about 6), finishes at the latest 7 or 7.30; we've got an American barn, wash box, heat lamps, floodlit school (so not just boring hacking and fitness work), lovely horses......pity she's going to NZ in October.

 

[Irishcobs]

We are a livery yard as well as a hunt yard, so during the summer we do the liveries and have horses in to back and sell. We start at 8 and finish at 5.
At the moment, the horses are fed by my boss before 8. We come in and muck out, breakfast, then ride/exercise as many as we can and if time clean the tack. Do up stables and hay then an hour for lunch. After lunch exercise anything not done in the morning, clean tack, groom everything, then do up for the night, hay and feed.
For hound exercise/cubbing we will be on the yard for 4am, muck out and get horses ready. Then do a normal day when we get back.
When the season starts we will be on the yard for 7am to start mucking out and getting horses ready to hunt. If we aren't going out, we do a normal day, but wait until the hunt horses are back so we can sort them out. If we are hunting as well, we try to turn everything out or put on walker as much as we can before we leave so they can stretch their legs and give enough hay for the day and do up when we return.
Perks- getting to see the horses and riders all start and polished, knowing you did all the hard work to get the horse clean and fit. And getting to hunt occasionally (second horse or a spare horse)
Lows- early mornings, late evenings. Filthy horses and tack when they come home.

 

[Kenzo]

Just a quick thank you, for taking time to share your experiences and letting me know.