Groom wages

Kylara

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Having freelance emergency temp groomed for people over the years I think I have a slightly distorted view of wages. I'd love to be able to pay £10-15 an hour for a part time groom (what I charged for freelancing), but simply can't afford to do that yet, but I am loathe to pay minimum wage!

Would people be happy with £7.50-8 an hour? or am I being stingy with that (bering in mind I'd want a good groom who knows their stuff). I know an awful lot get very bad pay and would rather hire one groom on good pay than two on bad pay. But I haven't hired an employee before so a bit worried about what to offer really.

Would be general duties, with some sole charge, and riding if capable. I don't want to over or under pay, but I'm not sure what that is for part time groom work! Obviously I want to attract a lovely wonderful brilliant groom, and I know I won't get that if I pay peanuts, but how much over peanuts should I go? And is peanuts just NMW?
 

Auslander

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Unfortunately, in our area, you'll be very very lucky to get a decent freelance groom part-time for less than £10ph. I'm about to expand, and will need to employ someone, and I have budgeted that figure for a reliable, competent person. Mine are box-rest/rehabbers, and can be lairy, so I need people who can handle big, hyped up horses. I fully expect that I will have to offer incentives (free grass livery/schoolmaster lessons/etc) as well, to make it worthwhile for a decent groom.
 

JustKickOn

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I do some part time work for a friend occasionally. If I have a few weeks notice, £7 an hour and if she is desperate and its last minute £7.50 a hour. Arrive on the yard at 7am, finish at 1pm usually with a 15 minute tea and biscuit break thrown in there somewhere. Includes feeding and turn out, putting some on walker, mucking out around 10 stables, sweeping three yards and the walker, emptying muck skips in three arenas, filling paddock water buckets, making up feeds and poop picking at the end if needed. Normally two or three others doing the same but all day so they will bring in etc.

If I was doing this to earn a living, I would be charging at least £10 an hour, but it's pocket money for me and helping a friend out.
 

benz

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It depends on how many hours per day. If eg 2 hrs per day at £7.50 that would only attract very local people as otherwise you need to run a car which is expensive and not affordable on that wage. Or perhaps someone looking to gain experience, but you say you need someone capable of sole charge so that would imply someone with experience.

I have a girl come in and do 1 day a week (4-5 hrs), she is experienced but no quals, does all yard duties, is on her own (although other staff from the farm around to help if required) and she is paid £10/hr because even though she is local, any less and it's not worth her time and I want a reliable person.

It also depends on the riding, is it hacking out quiet hunters or schooling show jumpers - I would not be prepared to risk riding quirky competition horses for £7.50 an hour :)

What are other yards paying in your area do you know?
 

thatsmygirl

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I do p/t freelancing and charge by the job not hourly so I'm not rushed, I take as much time as I need to make sure the mucking out is done to a high standard, all buckets scrubbed clean, feed bowls spotless and yards swept to an inch off their life. In fact I get so many comments on the high standards I'm getting quite a lot off work as I feel I'm cheap, and use to dealing with highly strung horses as well so nothing bothers me.
 

Shay

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The only way to really know is to advertise it at that rate and see if you get any decent takers.
 

HashRouge

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I think it depends on the hours you offer and whether the person is local or not. You may find you are more likely to attract someone slightly younger and less experienced but that is not necessarily a given - plus, they may be very good even if they are young. I worked with an excellent groom who came to us straight out of college at 18 and turned out to be absolutely brilliant, more or less from the get go! However, if I were you I would consider supplementing the lower wage with something like a free lesson, maybe every fortnight or so. The logistics of that might be tricky if they don't have a horse and you don't own any and don't want them riding any of the schooling liveries. But it could be something to consider if the logistics work out.
 

Kylara

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It would be 4 hours one afternoon, and then 6-8 hours up to two days a week including one weekend day, maybe both if I have a driving comp (split morning and evening, depending on speed of groom and if any riding!). Easy to access the yard too.

The only riding would be hacking out livery horses if required on one of the full days as I would do any schooling required. But would be nice to hack two out at a time. And the sole charge would be sole charge of my bit of the yard (so other people around) and just doing any to/bi, popping on and off walker, mucking out, haying, feeding, grooming, tack cleaning etc. Only a few horses (max 7) so nothing too strenuous. I'd be happy to offer a little training if desired and would be doing my share when I'm there.

I know freelancers would cost more and would be happy to get one in to cover the weekday afternoon. But I'd be looking for a competent permanent part timer for the one-two days as I don't think I could find a freelancer happy to do so long on one or both weekend days regularly. Though in an ad I'd leave it open for part time or freelance. I'd love to go up to £10 an hour, but it might be hard to afford for the total of 24 hours a week I'd like to end up with them for, though not impossible. I would have to start them off with 16-20 hours and see how it worked out.

I'd love someone who I wouldn't mind leaving sole charge. Even if that was only the one afternoon a week that I am away teaching at first.

I don't know whether to up it and look for two people - one weekend groom, and one freelancer for the one afternoon a week (with potential to add another morning mid week) or just find one part timer to cover the lot! I'd be happy either way; the mid week would always be sole charge and include no riding (maybe the odd hack), and the weekend would be sole charge sometimes and may include riding.

Anything to look for (avoid hiring them) when interviewing? I haven't interviewed someone before!
 

naza

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It would be 4 hours one afternoon, and then 6-8 hours up to two days a week including one weekend day, maybe both if I have a driving comp (split morning and evening, depending on speed of groom and if any riding!). Easy to access the yard too.

The only riding would be hacking out livery horses if required on one of the full days as I would do any schooling required. But would be nice to hack two out at a time. And the sole charge would be sole charge of my bit of the yard (so other people around) and just doing any to/bi, popping on and off walker, mucking out, haying, feeding, grooming, tack cleaning etc. Only a few horses (max 7) so nothing too strenuous. I'd be happy to offer a little training if desired and would be doing my share when I'm there.

I know freelancers would cost more and would be happy to get one in to cover the weekday afternoon. But I'd be looking for a competent permanent part timer for the one-two days as I don't think I could find a freelancer happy to do so long on one or both weekend days regularly. Though in an ad I'd leave it open for part time or freelance. I'd love to go up to £10 an hour, but it might be hard to afford for the total of 24 hours a week I'd like to end up with them for, though not impossible. I would have to start them off with 16-20 hours and see how it worked out.

I'd love someone who I wouldn't mind leaving sole charge. Even if that was only the one afternoon a week that I am away teaching at first.

I don't know whether to up it and look for two people - one weekend groom, and one freelancer for the one afternoon a week (with potential to add another morning mid week) or just find one part timer to cover the lot! I'd be happy either way; the mid week would always be sole charge and include no riding (maybe the odd hack), and the weekend would be sole charge sometimes and may include riding.

Anything to look for (avoid hiring them) when interviewing? I haven't interviewed someone before!

I see you're hants/Berks borderline where abouts?
 
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