Working with horses! Hours?

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amanda1788

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I am interested in working with horses when i finish uni, i'm not really sure what area i would like to go into, but am thinking of either a RI or maybe on a stud or dressage yard. I know the money isn't that good and i don't this, but what I would like to know is what are the hours like? As i have my own horses and would like to have the time to compete. I have also thought about teaching in primary school, as i do enjoy teaching and would then have enough time to compete my horses. But all i think about is wanting to work with horses. Any advice much appreciated. xx
 
TEACH IN A PRIMARY SCHOOL!! I only worked on a yard for a year, it was 6 days a week 8-6 with another 10pm hay/check. If you wanted more than one day off a week you had to "save" your days off, so if you wanted 4 days off you had to work a month straight!

Im sure not all yards are like this, but people presume that because you want to work with horses you have a massive passion for it and so will do ridiculous hours!

Money is pants aswell.... especially as I lived on site!
 
I'd say a hunting yard might be good, generally have easy summers as not much to do them, so plenty of time for you to compete if your boss is nice (and lets you borrow their wagon).

Otherwise, long long hours - become a teacher, lots of hols and short (ish!) days!
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Depends on what area you work in. Im assuming when you say stud / dressage yard, you mean as a groom?

As an RI, I worked 6 days a week. Lessons took place from 9am through til the last at 7pm, however i was expected to be there from about 8pm. I was meant to have an hour for lunch but realistically, i had to eat while teaching. That was at a riding school

General Grooming - again i was working 6 days a week, 8am til 6pm but there could be night checks and stable duty which meant being available through the evening.

Competition grooming - meh, this was often 7 days a week through summer but usually dropped to 5 over winter.

You can drop lucky and find nice jobs where the hours are reasonable and you can fit your own in. Personally, I struggled like crazy to compete and work with the horses. I worked for a dressage rider for a while and kept my horse with her and part of the working arrangement was that i was to gain some comp experience... so my horse went with hers and i got to compete (although also had to groom of course).

Free lance work probably allows you to sort your own schedule more than working for someone else, but i never really went down this route in regards to the grooming side.

GL! Its very hard work and the money is lousy most of the time :P My parents / OH were still having to pay my own horses livery as i coudnt afford it despite working all the hours god sent :P Not to mention by the time i was done, i just wanted to collapse rather than start my own
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it's our dream but sometimes it's just not do-able,hours and/or wages.
if yr a t a riding school as an instructor you'll definately be putting in at least 1 day at the weekend and also evenings during the week.
if you go freelance you have to work when the client wants to pay, loads of travelling involved and unless you have regular client bases in a few areas you'd be running round the county for 1 or 2 lessons per day.
stud work again has a irregular hours dur to the nature of the job-something's always happening and the boss will always need help.
i'd say the easiest job to fit in with your own (if it's kept at the same yard) with fairly regular hours would be a groom as there's a few grooms that share the workload therefor the bosses can be more flexible if you compete, but again, there's always something that needs to be done.
there aren't any 9-5 horsey jobs or we'd all be doing it!
tack shops..feed stores..equine related office work is very hard to find.. something within the thoroughbred industry or a breed society for sensible hours.
i'm in the same boat as you!
 
Expect long hours, working weekends, 6 days a week (or 7, sometimes you still have to feed horses in the field on your days off). Typical hours are 7-5 or 8-6, sometimes longer, usually with an hour for lunch.

All jobs are different and you may find a "winner". But they're few and far between. Beware deals which offer a low salary with free livery, accommodation etc. You'll often find you're working for less than minimum wage.
 
I've got a HND in Equine Scienceand I really tried to find work with horses that would enable me to finance and have time to keep my own horses but it is really difficult to do. I did 12 months as an equine nurse that meant working 8.30-6 monday to friday with every other night on night duty. Every other weekend i was working and would start 8.30 friday morning and I'd be lucky to get home or get any sleep before 8.30pm on the Monday evening!! If I hadnt had a mother who would do my horses when I was working, they would all have been sold.

I've also worked as a polo groom and found I often wouldnt get back from polo matches until 8/9pm having started at 7am that morning.

I looked in to working at a couple of top dressage yards and the pay/hours there were pretty crazy too!

If you want to keep your own horses, I would think very carefully before pigeon holeing yourself in the equine industry as it isn't an easy choice unfortuantely
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When you have been working with horses all day, the last thing you want to do when you get home from work is to go muck out/ride your own horses.
 


You need to eat, sleep, breathe & live horses. Totally & completely. You need to be prepared to put your work before & above anything else & to work long & hard hours. It's rubbish pay for the time you do & unless you are completely passionate about horses it will be a drag.

My sister has just started at a local yard & she is working for free in return for lessons & for her horse to go competing with the YO. She is also working for free as she needs the experience of different horses & yard experience.

Working directly with horses you need to be prepared to do long hours & unsociable hours. If you go into something like physiotherapy or similar then the hours are easier as you can be your own boss.
 
I think it really depends on where you are. I livery at a RS and whilst they are very busy at weekends people can go out and compete but just not every weekend and maybe not be gone for the whole day. There are also competitions at the school and staff can join in.

They work 5.5 days a week and usually do one evening a week each as well. Most of the staff live at the yard. When I am occasionally up during the day during the week it is less hectic and more flexible and those who have their own horses hack out or ride in the school - the trainees ride their horses in the lessons.

I think it depends on what you want to compete in as there are competitions during the week and evenings.
 
i work at a riding school i am training to be a RI. i work 8-6 and im flat out all day with a short 10 min lunch break. i do also have 2 horses but thankfully i have help looking after and exercising them.

I am usually pretty exhausted by the end of the day. But i do enjoy working with horses and when the weathers nice it makes you glad you dont work in an office.

I do alot of hacking in our gorgeous countryside as well so its not all bad.

i work 5 days a week. tues - Fri and Sun
 
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