Slave Labour! What era are people living in???

JDChaser said:
welcome to the world of working with horses...!
Click to expand...


Yep! Slavery isnt dead in the horse world. In my year out from University I turned down a 12 hour day, 6 day a week job for £40. I took another job for the same wages but i could have my horse for free:D
 
Ah well, you could always just print this off and post it......

Going back to my youth, I used to "volunteer" at a yard as a ten year old, from 5 am to lunchtime, working flat out mucking out, and never got a single ride in return. The horsey world is sooooooooo backward, just taking advantage of peeps love of horses and their need to be with them. sm xx
 
Ditto that! I used to go to my local riding school every weekend, muckout all day, lead kids round on ponies, just for the chance for the occasional free ride!!

Or the real luxury would be to hack a pony to a local fete and give pony rides all day!!!
 
This is why I had to get out of yard work! When I first applied for my national diploma (in 1999) I asked about the poor pay on yards and was told by the college 'oh times are definitely changing, the industry is coming into line with pay, conditions, etc, it's much better now' - yeah right!!!

When I did my work placement we were told by the college to basically be grateful if we get paid anything. On the other hand the agricultural students on the same level course were told not to accept less than min. wage on work placement. It's appalling!
 
I had a really HORRIBLE experience last year, which I guess amounts to be used as a slave! So, VERY long story short....

In January I helped my then best friend move into a yard which I had found for her, a mile away from my house, where she was going to be setting up a small livery yard. The idea was that I would keep my two with her for free, and work for her as a friend until she could afford to pay me the agreed amount of £250 a week.
I ended up doing all the work - I would arrive at 7am while she was still in bed, and by the time she rolled out of bed I would have finished mucking out, tidying the yard, and cleaning tack for the one and only livery, who had 3 horses with us. Her OH was vile, and caused endless problems, having loud arguments with my mother when she tried to help me out re the money situation, and constantly bitching about her to me. I even caught him IN THE STABLE WITH MY HORSE SHOOTING RATS WITH AN AIR RIFLE! Thank GOD my horse is a saint.
I worked my arse off there, even getting up to the yard at half 4 one morning to muck out before going to teach at the RDA on my day off, because my friend couldn't be arsed and was going to leave it all day - not good when you have potential clients coming to look at the yard. I worked for no money at all, and ended up having to send my mare to a yard nearby as my friend's OH didn't give her a chance to settle in before he demanded that she be removed. I was working up to 14 hours a day as a nanny and groom, and although I really loved my friend, I did start to get upset when she started buying things like new cars, full sets of showjumps and a new Prestige saddle that she didn't need.
In the end, after 6 months of slogging my guts out and endless arguments, and finally being padlocked out of the tackroom (full of MY TACK, and the first aid kits, so if I or one of the horses had had an accident, I would have had to kick the door down) I told them I was leaving.
I mucked out the whole yard on the day I left, and had a last minute panic as I remembered that the livery had borrowed my cheapy rubber reins for an event, and I still had her super duper posh ones on my bridle, and had to go into the house to ask to be let into the tack room to swap them over.
Since leaving, I have had nasty, abusive phone calls, and have had dreadful rumours spread about me, saying that I was "sacked" because I was "caught red handed stealing shavings" - funny that my shavings bill for one month there was over £400 as I wasn't allowed to turn my horse out and he's a serious box walker when stressed. I also miss her daughter like nothing on earth - I looked after her every day for 2 years, and still, nearly a year on, burst into tears when I think about the fact that I'll never get to see her again.
I know it was weak of me to stay as long as I did, but it's all in the past now, and I'll never let people take advantage of me like that again! It looks like we're going to have to take it to court, as the deal (written down!) was that she would pay me when she could afford to, and I have since found out that her mother was paying the rent so that they could pay me, which is where they got the money to buy all the new cars etc., and we also have the slander to consider!
So, if any of you were considering "Whitehill Farm Livery" in Brockhampton, Glos, THINK AGAIN! She still doesn't muck out until about 2pm, and is generally an awful, awful person!
 
Obviously there are some awful stories and no one should *have* to take a job that doesn't pay them enough to live on, but the horse industry isn't exactly a good hourly wage even at the very top end. The day I came in to see an Olympic medallist mucking his own barn because it was the staff's day off (and I've since met many, many more similar), I figured that was pretty much as good as it got. I don't think that gives people the right to exploit people just because they love horses, but it does mean even the really good jobs don't pay particularly well, they just have better conditions and offer better perks. EVERYONE I know in the industry has, at some point, worked essentially for free to get instruction, a good horse to ride or similar.

And to be contentious, horse owners contribute. It costs x amount to keep a horse decently, yet many people feel they shouldn't pay much over that amount to keep a horse at livery. But they still want good facilities, reasonable training fees etc. . . . it's not hard to see where people would be tempted to cut costs.

I think the OPs job sounds like one to avoid for all sorts of reasons, not just the money. But I'm curious, how many people who graduate with equine degrees in this country really make a good working wage, from the outset not after years of experience?
 
Tinker_Belle said:
Hmmmm. Considering the OP allows this girl to hack and compete her horses then I think that's payment enough considering it isn't a paid job.
Click to expand...
I agree, I think jemimatoo is giving this girl a great opportunity to learn and ride quality horses. I am sure she loves it and much prefers it to paying through the nose to ride riding school plods for an hour on a sunday. I would have loved to have had a chance like that as a kid.

back to the op, sounds like the job from hell. I don't think that the horse industry as a whole will ever change as there will always be horse mad youngsters around for unscrupulous people to take advantage of.
I worked for a dealer at the age of 16 and was paid £10 a week, this was in the 80's and seemed to be the going rate then lol. It was for a 6 day week and included a room in the main house (had to lock the door at night as the boss was a lecherous old bugger). His wife was a fab cook so the food was good. The horses were quality and the head groom was great and taught me lots. It still wasn't enough to live on though. I caved to pressure at home and went back to school. I had worked for him through hols and weekends before going full time. I totally loved it, and that is what these people count on.
 
Tinker_Belle said:
Hmmmm. Considering the OP allows this girl to hack and compete her horses then I think that's payment enough considering it isn't a paid job.
Click to expand...

For the OP and the girl,I agree. But the age old attitude of exchange of goods/services is why the horse world is so backward in terms of payment.
My first working pupil job was £60 a week,6 days 7am to 7pm(30 mins for breakfast,hour for lunch,and if you ever got to take both for that amount of tim you were very lucky!)
.If you had a horse,box and bed was on the house and the staff flat was OK(not the best in the world but clean & warm).
It was a good deal 10 years ago,esp since I was stright otu fo school and had nothign to pay for really! But although I still adore the work and would be over the moon to be doing it again,I really cant see it ever paying enough to cover the costs of being an adult with responsabilities. :(
 
Well apart from the obvious minimum wage issues, he shouldn't be allowing anyone to work more than 48 hours a week, unless they specifically agree to it by giving notice to opt out of the working time directive. BUT he can't force anyone to work that amount of hours. So in effect he is breaking the law in 2 area's.....

Absolutely shocking...I really hope no one takes up his "generous offer". I'd tell him to stick it where the sun doesn't shine....
 
It gets even better, just been chatting to her on phone, and apparently if she wants to watch the television when she isnt working, then she is allowed into their front room to watch it, but must immediately leave when they come in.

The caravan has no telly!!!!
 
As others have said Working Time Directive re hours (if 16 or 17 years old then 40 hours a week max with no opt out) and rest breaks, National Minimum Wage, maximum of £31.57 per week re accommodation offset, 5.6 weeks a year holiday. Keep of horse etc should not be set off against the obligation to pay the National Minimum Wage. I agree also with person who said that owners have to be prepared to pay realistic amounts to ensure that their horses are kept properly and staff paid.

This is a totally different situation from where someone does something for free because they want to. I "worked" for free for an event rider for a summer, because I had been made redundant from my office job and had 3 months notice pay so didn't really need to earn that summer. I had lessons and a lot of fun but totally different from being an employee.
 
sunnyone said:
It gets even better, just been chatting to her on phone, and apparently if she wants to watch the television when she isnt working, then she is allowed into their front room to watch it, but must immediately leave when they come in.

The caravan has no telly!!!!
Click to expand...


LOL this is sounding very familiar - where is he based and does he have a formal BS Qualification ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top