Getting the right staff/riders... whats your advise ...

[show_jumper]

hi there. i was wondering if i could pick your brains on a few questions really!!
1. how long would you predict it would take you to..muck out... do water.... take rugs off and make lunch time haynets for 7 horses??
i have a yard with some liveries and my own competition horses and need some help... we have seven at the moment but i'm hoping to expand to 10 over the next couple of weeks (and then not again until next year)....

what sort of help do you think i should be looking for as i go away to shows (with up to 6 horses) about twice a week - although sometimes go to stay away shows etc.. but not as often.....

so i need someone on the yard while im at shows but i also need an extra pair of hands juggling all my beasties at the shows....

should i
a. get a groom who can work mon - fri on the yard, another for weekends (im guessing noone wants to work a 7day week !) and hire help for shows...

b. get a pair of show jumping riders.grooms in (can offer accommodation) (and stabling for horses) so that i take one to shows - one stays here - they can bring their own horse on the lorry to shows - and they'll have to fight it out who stays on the yard and who comes to shows and will have to take it in turns - and have a weekend mucker-outer...

c. get someone in who wants to jump (to take to shows - as i can also offer the chance to compete in the novice classes on some of my horses) and someone else for the yard...

i dontk now my brain is pickled from trying to think of whats best - im sure what ive just written makes no sense - but if you can understand what you've just read - any advise on the best solution would be GREAT!!!!!
thanks

 

[StaceyTanglewood]

my groom does 10 horses so turn out, muck out hays and waters and feeds in 3 1/2 hours ????

 

[show_jumper]

hmm.. interesting - well mine only has to turn 3 of the 7 out.. and i feed and hay first thing before she arrives.... to perhaps she is a smidge on the slow side...

 

[Blizzard]

Going back to when I used to work with horses, I used to muck out 8, feed, water, hay, change rugs and turn out whoever was going out in about 4hours.

These were p2pointers that mostly lived in though, huge beds, no rubber matting.

 

[show_jumper]

mine all have smaller beds with thick matting and the horses are skipped out by me all throughout the day and last thing at night - so they're never very messy....

 

[WishfulThinker]

I used to start at 8am, and have to feed, then alternately turn out and muck out 6-11 horses all before 11am. I was only 16 when I did that and I managed And all for £0.81 per hour!. Currently it takes me 45 mins to muck out 3 beds - without urning out - but thats done at a sedate pace.