Own horse sitting business

[Okedene12]

Just wanting some advice..

Looking at starting up my own horse sitting business as a little money earner, I have owned horses for the past 15 years and currently have 3 of my own. Do I need to do any qualifications. I have animal care level 2 but do I need to do any equine management qualifications? I know I need to have insurance but I didn't know whether people would go more towards someone who has studied in equine than someone who hasn't?

Please any information/advice is much appreciated!
(Google hasn't been much help)

 

[Orangehorse]

If you have your own animals you won't be able to do a horse sitting job a long way away. You will be a freelance groom in effect.

I used an excellent lady for many years, she has just retired and one factor as to why I won't be buying a new horse as I don't know anyone reliable and knowledgeable who could take over from her.

She was busy in summer time when people went away on holiday and in winter when they went skiing. She had some long term clients who maybe were old and had an old horse and she used to go up everyday and look after the horse. She also did a lot of clipping in the autumn and winter. She was also very good at turnout, plaiting etc and was used by a local dressage rider to do the plaiting for a competition!

So you would need insurance and be self employed. You would need to charge enough to cover for travel including the cost of a car yet not price yourself out of he market. I'm not so sure you would need qualifications. Experience, knowledge and reliability are the important things. Reply to customers, get known by word-of-mouth might be best.