Payment for handwalking

[santander123]

Hi folks,

My boy is rehabbing and is hand walking 15 mins twice a day. I'm pushed for time as it is but this is proving really difficult and it'll soon be 20, then 25.

I'd like to pay one of the (competemt) teenagers on the yard to do it, but I've no idea what money to pay.

Does anyone have any thoughts? I'm in the North West.

 

[windand rain]

Standard rate for most little jobs seems to be £10 an hour or part there of so a tenner a day to start with but be sure your teen won't succumb to peer pressure and get up to mischief

 

[Gingerwitch]

Hi check with your yard first, one of the girls may want the option of some extra money during their coffee break and at least it will be a responsible person.
I would also give caution that a hirse being hand walked can be a huge liability, my little tb would lull you in to thinking he was sweetness and light.... little sod would then wave his front legs at you without warning and try to leg it,

 

[Tiddlypom]

Walking a horse out in hand for rehab purposes is a very responsible and potentially hazardous job, especially if the horse is otherwise on box rest.

What would happen if the horse got excited and injured the person walking him? Paying a non professional teenager is unlikely to be covered by insurance.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Walking a horse out in hand for rehab purposes is a very responsible and potentially hazardous job, especially if the horse is otherwise on box rest.

What would happen if the horse got excited and injured the person walking him? Paying a non professional teenager is unlikely to be covered by insurance.

Oh, yes... as I found out when asked to walk a bay gelding (on box rest) around the arena a few months ago and wasn't given any more advice than that... I tried jogging to get him to trot, as I'd done in a TREC lesson a few weeks before that (with a different horse in a different arena), and he got a bit over excited and started rearing up...

Last week I walked a little grey mare (also on box rest) around outside of the arena for almost half an hour (instruction was to walk her on the cement path, to stay off the sand and bare earth) and it went well until a neurotic horse started grunting and gurning and then an employee started distributing rations...

I went to walk her a couple of days later and chose a different time of day to avoid the distraction of the feed barrow, but the end of the half-hour walk coincided gain with feeding time, so I cut it short at 20 minutes.

Other here will know much more about yard insurance and what it covers, and whether yard insurance would even cover your teen who is employed by you, santander123, rather than by the yard owner... you might already be covered by your own personal hoursehold or third-party liability (if you have that in the UK) insurance. You could check with your yard owner and your own insurance company.

If I was walking a horse for somebody else, I'd want £10 per hour, or part thereof, if I was going to be at the yard anyway; and want to be paid the same rate for travel time to get to the yard if I was making a special trip to go there.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Even my usually well-mannered, if opinionated, Draft horse managed to overcome her colic symptoms for long enough to misbehave when being hand-walked to try to get things moving - and I had deliberately avoided going anywhere with grass. I would be very wary of asking a teenager to do the job.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

If his been on box rest I would be really careful you you trust with in hand walking it could be a recipe for disaster

 

[Somewhat Off The Way]

I think these disparaging comments about teenagers is very unfair. I have a teenage sharer and she is reliable, trustworthy and very competent with the horses. I ask her to help out with things I'd never dream of asking some of the other older liveries to do!

 

[windand rain]

Most teenagers are great but most are easily egged on too so jst be aware that things they normally wouldn't do can become a challenge from others is all I am saying. I had a lovely teenage rider was kind helpful and careful along came her best mate and having a galloping race along the main road became a good idea

 

[paddi22]

yeah there are some great teenagers, I'd be lost without them. But insurance wise you are dealing with paying (technically) a child for a job that could potentially injure them

 

[stormox]

Handwalking sounds easy. But in reality walking a horse that is basically on box rest is NOT easy!!!

 

[Somewhat Off The Way]

Handwalking sounds easy. But in reality walking a horse that is basically on box rest is NOT easy!!!

Depends entirely on the horse. My thoroughbred walked like a lamb in-hand when rehabbing from box-rest. No bother at all. I have seen other people struggling to keep their post-laminitic ponies in check though

 

[planete]

Find an experienced freelance groom if the yard staff cannot help. I would not ask any non professional to do a potentially dangerous job, whether they are responsible or not, especially not somebody who is legally a child.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Find an experienced freelance groom if the yard staff cannot help. I would not ask any non professional to do a potentially dangerous job, whether they are responsible or not, especially not somebody who is legally a child.

OP doesn't state that the candidate is a minor... an 18 or 19 year old is technically both a teenager and major.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think these disparaging comments about teenagers is very unfair. I have a teenage sharer and she is reliable, trustworthy and very competent with the horses. I ask her to help out with things I'd never dream of asking some of the other older liveries to do!

I don't think anyone is saying teenages are not capable of anything, it's just hand walking a box rested horse is not a job for a teenager, most horses often turn themselves inside out once you start letting them out, believe me I have done it and I wouldn't want to give anyone that responsibility let alone a teenager it's too dangerous.

You are also in danger of being sued if the person is not qualified or a minor it is irresponsible.

 

[mariew]

Yes I would probably consider walking a horse on box rest on of my least favourite things to do, make sure whomever you ask know what they are letting themselves in for.

 

[Auslander]

Oh, yes... as I found out when asked to walk a bay gelding (on box rest) around the arena a few months ago and wasn't given any more advice than that... I tried jogging to get him to trot, as I'd done in a TREC lesson a few weeks before that (with a different horse in a different arena), and he got a bit over excited and started rearing up...

With respect Keith, I know you are a great help to the yard where you ride, but this is a prime example of someone trying to be helpful, yet potentially causing a big problem due to their lack of experience. A horse on box rest who is being hand walked should be walked, and walked only, to avoid aggravating the injury/issue that has the horse on box rest in the first place, and "jogging to get him into trot" is pretty much guaranteed to set off a horse who isn't getting turnout/proper exercise, as well as potentially adversely affecting its recovery. They really shouldn't have assumed that you'd know that, and issued instructions accordingly

It did however occur to me that you aren't aware of the meaning of "box rest", as opposed to "stabled 24/7". The term box rest is used for a horse who is injured/ill and cannot be turned out/exercised on veterinary advice, whereas a horse who is ft and healthy, but isn't getting turnout is simply stabled 24/7, and in the second example, I could see why you'd think it was ok to play around getting it to trot (and subsequently learning that it's not always wise with a horse that's been cooped up!)

 

[doodle]

I think I would rather make time than trust someone else. If something went wrong everyone would feel rotten. At least if something happens when you are doing it yourself then you don’t have anyone to blame.

 

[teapot]

I think these disparaging comments about teenagers is very unfair. I have a teenage sharer and she is reliable, trustworthy and very competent with the horses. I ask her to help out with things I'd never dream of asking some of the other older liveries to do!

The OP would be paying most likely an under 18 to do a job that in a commerical yard would possibly only be done by a senior staff member.

Insurance and H&S minefield.

 

[Chinchilla]

Hi folks,

My boy is rehabbing and is hand walking 15 mins twice a day. I'm pushed for time as it is but this is proving really difficult and it'll soon be 20, then 25.

I'd like to pay one of the (competemt) teenagers on the yard to do it, but I've no idea what money to pay.

Does anyone have any thoughts? I'm in the North West.

I'd do it for a tenner a day but I'm in the South east

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I agree with others that’s it’s often a high risk activity that I’d only want myself or a professional to risk not just for the handler but for the horse if it’s set back due to getting loose etc.

One of my friends was kicked in the face which broke her jaw and punctured her trachea when hand-grazing her on box-rest horse. Something suddenly spooked him and he shot forward and double-barrelled her. She still speaks with a husky voice as it damaged her vocal chords.

When mine was on 6 weeks box-rest I just resigned myself that it was going to be a difficult time and did it all myself bar from a couple of times I used a free-lancer with the correct insurance.

 

[Chinchilla]

I'd do it for a tenner a day but I'm in the South east

I will also add that I would have outright refused to do it when I was under 18. Too much responsibility and too much risk.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

The riding school I attended as a youngster would get the kids to help out leading out this 17hh LIVERY horse who was on box rest. He would regularly leap around in excitement. It's a wonder nobody was injured. The livery owner surely wasn't aware it was happening.

 

[Winters100]

I can see both sides of this. On one hand yes, horses can be dangerous, and some horses on box rest are difficult to handle. On the other hand this is the sort of job that I did many times as a teenager, I was glad of the extra money and doing jobs on the yard in general taught me a lot, so I find it a little sad that in the UK one of the first thoughts is liability in case of a genuinely unforeseen accident.

I am outside of the UK, in a location where holding others liable for accidents is far less common. Here the only way you would worry about liability would be in case it was a very young child and the parents had not given permission, or in case you asked them to handle a horse who was truly known to be an extreme danger. When my schoolmistress was on box rest with a hoof infection I didn't give a second thought to paying a teenager to walk her, she is a lovely calm horse and the girl in question had no difficulties. We now have a new 13 year old on the yard, his Mum has a horse there and he has a loan, and I occasionally help him with riding (he wants to do same discipline as me). Liability does not really occur to me when supervising him in the arena or preparing the horses. I sometimes give him a 'lesson' on my schoolmistress, and while his Mother knows and is very happy about it I have never put anything in writing. The attitude here is that the parents are responsible, that if they have worries they should attend themselves and I find this more of a common sense approach. I also sometimes ask this boy to fetch my horses from the paddock, and if he needs a lift I drop him home. I am not sure that I would want to do any of this in the UK because I would be afraid of what might happen if he had an accident, which is a shame really because he gets a great deal of enjoyment from it, occasionally some pocket money when I want some jobs done, and his parents are happier that he is at the yard learning about horses and improving his English than doing whatever else 13 year olds might be doing with their time.

A difficult one as I am totally for people being held accountable when they have knowingly put someone else at risk, but accidents do happen, and I find it a little sad that were I to be based in the UK I would possibly avoid helping a young person out for fear of being held responsible for an accident.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I can see both sides of this. On one hand yes, horses can be dangerous, and some horses on box rest are difficult to handle. On the other hand this is the sort of job that I did many times as a teenager, I was glad of the extra money and doing jobs on the yard in general taught me a lot, so I find it a little sad that in the UK one of the first thoughts is liability in case of a genuinely unforeseen accident.

I am outside of the UK, in a location where holding others liable for accidents is far less common. Here the only way you would worry about liability would be in case it was a very young child and the parents had not given permission, or in case you asked them to handle a horse who was truly known to be an extreme danger. When my schoolmistress was on box rest with a hoof infection I didn't give a second thought to paying a teenager to walk her, she is a lovely calm horse and the girl in question had no difficulties. We now have a new 13 year old on the yard, his Mum has a horse there and he has a loan, and I occasionally help him with riding (he wants to do same discipline as me). Liability does not really occur to me when supervising him in the arena or preparing the horses. I sometimes give him a 'lesson' on my schoolmistress, and while his Mother knows and is very happy about it I have never put anything in writing. The attitude here is that the parents are responsible, that if they have worries they should attend themselves and I find this more of a common sense approach. I also sometimes ask this boy to fetch my horses from the paddock, and if he needs a lift I drop him home. I am not sure that I would want to do any of this in the UK because I would be afraid of what might happen if he had an accident, which is a shame really because he gets a great deal of enjoyment from it, occasionally some pocket money when I want some jobs done, and his parents are happier that he is at the yard learning about horses and improving his English than doing whatever else 13 year olds might be doing with their time.

A difficult one as I am totally for people being held accountable when they have knowingly put someone else at risk, but accidents do happen, and I find it a little sad that were I to be based in the UK I would possibly avoid helping a young person out for fear of being held responsible for an accident.

THere are lots of horsey jobs I’d allow a sensible teenager to do but hand-walking a potentially explosive box-rested horse would not be one of them unless I knew I had an absolute dobbin. It’s not even about being liable it’s about being responsible and not wanting to deal with an unnecessary and avoidable accident.

 

[Winters100]

THere are lots of horsey jobs I’d allow a sensible teenager to do but hand-walking a potentially explosive box-rested horse would not be one of them unless I knew I had an absolute dobbin. It’s not even about being liable it’s about being responsible and not wanting to deal with an unnecessary and avoidable accident.

I would not describe any of mine as "an absolute dobbin" including my schoolmistress, all compete and all are fit and worked twice a day all year round, but I would expect them to behave in hand, and I certainly do not believe that I was not "being responsible" in making these arrangements.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

This is bring back a forgotten memory of taking a box rested (or possibly just out of ridden work) horse for a walk down the lane when I was (just about) a teenager.

Of course I did it because a grown up asked me to, I wanted to be helpful, and I thought the horse was so gorgeous (not a 'just' riding school pony). Horse didn't do anything malicious but she was absolutely huge and started trotting along the lane (yup, a public road). Thankfully one of the older girls had been sent after me after presumably someone else clocked that 'A Bad Idea' had occurred!

Granted I wouldn't have come under the banner of competent teenager but this does sound like a job with potential high stakes and risk for horse and handler, so if it were me I think I'd seek a pro.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I would not describe any of mine as "an absolute dobbin" including my schoolmistress, all compete and all are fit and worked twice a day all year round, but I would expect them to behave in hand, and I certainly do not believe that I was not "being responsible" in making these arrangements.

I do believe it would be irresponsible. But you can do whatever you want. My horses also behave very well on the ground but a box-rested horse is a different kettle of fish IME.

 

[Winters100]

OP, coming back to your original question, it seems that most people here quote 10 pounds per hour for a freelance groom. So Assuming that the teenager is on the yard anyway I would assume that they would be happy to earn something like 5 to 7 pounds for walking the horse for 15 minutes 2 x per day. I am assuming of course that your horse is well behaved and you have observed their behaviour while on box rest to be calm and not problematic for a competent teen. I don't live in the UK so I don't know what the going rate is, but it makes sense to me that a teenager would expect a lower rate than a professional travelling to do this.

 

[Tiddlypom]

It’s often the dobbins that you don’t expect to misbehave that catch the unwary out.

I know of several people badly injured by in hand horses - ruptured bowel, for one.

There’s another thread currently running, in which a groom got seriously injured in a riding accident and is claiming £100k damages. Employer denies liability...