Who has a groom?

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Racing_Gal

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I'm starting out as a free lance groom, it's very early days and I'm still currently working 9-5 in an office. How much demand is there out there for free lance grooms?

Do you hire people just for comps or would you rather have a groom who looks for you full time and knows your horses?

Would qualifications be important to you?

Would you hire a free lancer to cover sickness or holidays?

thanks
 
I have a full time groom, couldn't do without her.
I would probably hire a freelancer for holiday/sickness cover as I couldn't be bothered with the whole recruitment process for a temporary job.
What matters to me is skills and references, qualifications are irrelevant.
 
We use a free lance groom when our YM goes on holiday. She came recommended by me! She use to work full time at a competition yard I kept my horses at, and I trusted her completely. In fact her leaving was one of the reasons I left that yard!

You'll need time to build up a good reputation in your area............good luck!
 
I have 3 grooms I would agree with martlin .Skills ,good references and a good work ethic and not wanting an unreasonable wage qualifications completely irrelevant

I would hire a free lance if I needed to and would ask around locally or through friends to find one
 
I currently have my horse on full livery. However in the past I was on a DIY yard with no services and tried to find a freelance groom to help (have to work long hours sometimes) and struggled to find someone.

I would consider hiring a freelance groom for competitions if no friends could be bribed as non-horsey OH can only take so much each season (plus he usually only gives moral support and trys to stay at least 12ft away from the horse at all times!).
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I dont have a groom but I was a freelance groom once for about 9 years until I became a mum. I did a lot of advertising locally and I had only just moved to the area so no-one really knew me but I found once someone took me on board and word of mouth spread then the work came flooding in from people going on holiday who wanted me to look after horses or house sit to the odd yard who wanted a bit of extra help.
I worked for one woman for the whole time I was freelancing and she was the one who first took me on and we are still friends now. I also still clip for most of the people I had done work for.
I went out hunting quite a bit at that time and I got to know a lot of people that way.
I found it was more word of mouth that got me work and as stated above all of my work was based on experience not qualifications.
 
I am the groom! and the rider, and the mucker outer, and the physio, and the funding manager, and the general dogsbody!
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I think I would hire one if I was going on holiday during the season and wanted my horses not to lose fitness, so to get them exercised effectively by someone would be good.

good luck
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I used to be a freelance groom and covered all sorts - holidays, sickness, regular work where extra help was needed for a few hours a day, competitions, lorry driving. It was great, and I built up a reputation locally.

I've also used a freelance groom when I had 3 horses on DIY and worked/commuted long hours. It wasn't quite enough work to justify paying someone full time wages, so freelance worked really well for me.

If I wasn't on a yard that offers assisted DIY, then I would definitely consider using a freelance groom again.
 
We have a freelance groom who works two hours mon - fri, mucking out etc. and riding one horse. She also does a lot of clipping locally and grooms for one other person, as well as hacking out several other horses.
 
i have freelanced for years i still do a bit, but prefer driving HGV horseboxes than grooming on yards to be honest. it was a great life but i got tired of having no real regular income or how easily you can be disposed of when someone cheaper comes along. and sadly you only need one person to slag you off and thats it, reputatin gone. so though there are lots of good things about the life, it isnt all perfect.
 
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