Own Yards - do you have grooms/helpers especially in the Winter

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winchester

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Those people with your own yards (and work full time)

Do you ever get in any help?
Is it just during the Winter?
What do they have to do?
How many hours are they there?
What do you pay?

Or is it easier offering a free stable/grazing for help?

Or has anyone any good/bad experience of helpers/hiring out a stable for help?
 
I have three horses at home - only time I ever get help is if I'm away on holiday & some neighbours of mine check them over for me.

Rest of the year it's just me. My husband will help me lift haynets about if the weather's really bad, he also helps me fix bits of fencing and unfreeze water troughs etc. but not much else

I work full time and have an hour each way commute every day - can't say it's easy and *sometimes* in the winter I wish they were in full livery lol
 
We have 6 in over the winter on our own yard and I don't get anyone in.

Me and hubby (who thanfully is horsey) do them between us. We have a nice little routing going and can get all of them mucked out, nets done and feeds made up in 40 mins which still leaves me plenty of time to ride :)
 
Hi. I have my own yard and work full time until 6pm - haven't done this in the winter yet but will certainly be needing help!

I've always been fortunate enough to have a livery on the yard that will look after my horses whilst i'm away in return for me looking after theirs. This winter I plan to turn out livery's horse and they bring mine in. I think it works easier this way.

If I didn't have this opportunity, I would pay someone rather than give cheaper livery as then it poses all sorts of problems i.e. they're not doing the amount of work you agreed for the reduction in the rent...
 
Yes I have and yes I have been lucky and always had really good grooms. For the money it costs it has given more freedom and I think made my OH more tolerant - and positively enjoy - having many equines about as it doesn't restrict his life.

My philosophy is

1. Pay properly - I think it is OK then to demand a really good efficient job - I pay £10/hour.
2. Communicate a lot - ultimately it is a job like any other and you need to motivate/thank just as you would anyone else who worked for you. Also you want to have the sort of relationship where they can tell you if they are going to let you down (ie not be scared and just dissapear!)
3. Make sure they are insured and you are insured for public liability. Things happen with horses and if it may be out of their hands whether or not you are sued!
4. Be straight about the employed/unemployed relationship. It really isn't worth the hassle to dodge this one.

If you can find a nice person to fill the extra stable then great, but I would charge a little bit more and have the groom as well, that would probably make an easier relation with additional livery!
 
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HI,

I agree 100% with Canteron.

We have our own property and horses at home, I would prefer to pay someone when we get to numbers that my husband and I can't cope with.

Canteron is right, this is a person employed, treat them with respect, give VERY clear guidelines as to what you want etc... and task lists (initially but good staff soon get the swing), review with them and yes, thank them!

We employ staff in other areas/businesses and always try to pay a decent wage, no one is one National Min, our people are worth more and do a fab job.

I would not want liveries on my yard, too many potential issues and things to go wrong, plus who would you trust to handle your horse, especially deal with stallions?

Better to keep your home stress free and pay someone well, and they in turn will do a great job and treat you well.
 
Thank you!

Own yard of six horses and is just me and my father who both work full time.

My father is getting a little older and has a few health issues so is struggling now and i am trying to make things abit easier for him and have realised i just cant do it all on my own!

Last Winter i employed someone to bring in 2 wash legs/change rugs put to bed and feed the other 4 living out. It was easily done within an hour and i payed her £10 a day.

Ideally this time round i would be hoping they would do the same but also muck out for me.

It worked ok last Winter - but lack of comunication from their part was difficult (i.e not telling me they couldnt go up until about 1/2 hour before i was due to arrive when is was very late and dark)

Would i be pushing it trying to find someone to muck out and bring in of an evening or would that be asking too much?
 
I work for an airline, so am often away, and it leaves my husband with a lot to do - house, school runs, horses, dogs etc, as well as running his own business, so we had someone do the horses on the days that I'm away. My husband does them in the morning - feed/haynets/waters/turnout if they're going out. The "groom" came for an hour and a half and either mucked out (3-4 horses) or rode the one that needed to be fit and mucked two out. We paid £18/day for that. We also have another girl who came on Sundays and did the morning feeds etc plus mucking out, so that hubby always gets a sleep in if I'm away at weekends. We paid her £10 when she was younger, and £15 when she was 17. She was probably only here for just over an hour.

Unfortunately we have lost both of them in the last year as I've been in a different job due to injury and earning less, so we have to find someone else when I go back to my normal job this winter! I think reliability is hard to find - so many grooms nowadays come out of colleges/unis where they don't really learn what hard work it is. I much prefer the old type that worked their way to experience and don't let you down at the drop of a hat (or snow!).. I'm another one that doesn't like to pay just minimum wage - you don't get staff that you can depend on that way..
 
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