Setting up as freelance groom

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dreambigpony

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Basically as the title says I am setting up as a freelance groom. Is there anything you would recommend to add a personal touch such as sending pictures to owners, writing out notes of how they have been etc. what advice can you give me also as to how to advertise and set everything up. Thanks
 
I think you just need good insurance, good experience, to turn up on time at the first meeting, be able to work with the horse in the way the owner wants ( which may not be your way). Oh and to be trustworthy and reliable. Out of several freelance grooms I've used/considered over the past few years, less than half could tick most of the above boxes. A quarter fell down on the turning up on time/at all bit for the initial meeting.. All the fancy websites etc counted for jack. Print a few quality flyers and leave at shows/tack shops. If you're good word gets round.
 
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Have a look at the BGA (British Grooms Association) website - it has loads of useful information and offer good membership packages :)
 
Before the frills, reliability. Have a dairy, write notes, have a contract, know your hourly rate, mileage, will you offer reduced rates to regular clients, different rates for schooling, clipping, invoicing or pay in advance. Look and act professional, no FB bitching or talking about clients. Be prepared to say no and know your limitations. Good insurance for you.
 
Highlanders are notoriously unreliable. (Sorry, but you know it's true). Not a groom but I was really really impressed when my FEMALE chimney sweep phoned to say she'd been held up and might be 20 minutes late. Reliability really does count.

A funny little thing, but I always watch to see how someone visiting for the first time parks their car. Some just park behind mine at the door, so if anyone else wanted to use my car, they'd be blocked in. I've a huge turning area. Some park slap bang in the middle so even the post van can't get turned. Then there are the ones who park neatly in the corner of the turning area causing no one any inconvenience at all.

Yes, you can tell a lot from people from just how they park their car! Also, dealing with animals all day, I tend to watch body language and forget names and I'm not very god at listening to the words either. People can tell you volumes with their attitude, general demeanour, and how they are dressed.

It's called respect.
 
honetpot said:
Before the frills, reliability. Have a dairy, write notes, have a contract, know your hourly rate, mileage, will you offer reduced rates to regular clients, different rates for schooling, clipping, invoicing or pay in advance. Look and act professional, no FB bitching or talking about clients. Be prepared to say no and know your limitations. Good insurance for you.
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All this - AND what Dry Rot says about parking, that is quite true! My freelance groom always leaves a short note, even if it is "Everything OK" She once noted that the horse hadn't eaten up all her feed in one go (which was normal, but might not have been) so I was pleased that she stayed long enough to know. Incidentally, I have used her for nearly 2 years, so you get regular clients! She does lots of clipping too, but less now that she is older, only horses she knows are well behaved.
 
I don't think you should tell people they get a better rate if regular as they will all want that straight away, just use your common sense, if they are regular you can give them slightly better value, if you need to increase your hourly rate, it can be difficult, so try to set it at something you can hold for two years anyway.
I let my groom arrange things herself, as long as we were working together and she was reliable, the pony was happy and I was happy, I warned her of any naughtyness she was likely to encounter, but she said he was fine!
 
I would need reliability, then the next thing I would need is that the person will deal with my horse as I would wish. I do not want my horse chastised, educated, changed in any way. I do that. I just want someone to come and learn what I need, show that they are horseman enough to do just that, without provoking an incident.

I also like a text when it is all done.

If you were to picture message me then I would have a smile on my face big enough to split it in two! I do love my boy!

If you were to tidy up then that would be fab too.
 
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