Would it be a good idea to advertise myself as someone who could exercise horses?

We are in Australia not UK, my son is doing a TAFE course in horses and when I told him he needed to find part time work, the only job that he was interested in is riding poeple's horses.

One of his fellow classmates has him riding her horse in return for helping him break his horse to harness, but she has also found him work riding newly backed ponies, that the owner long reins but cannot ride, as he is too old. It does not pay that well though. I guess it is experience.

I think the polo season is about to end, but there is sometimes work advertised exercising polo ponies as well in the local area.

I am going to get him insurance through EFA, which will help if he injures himself, I am inisisting he rides in a body protector, and of course helmet.
 
Look into the BHS grooms register - that should cover you for exercising other peoples horses - or BEF Grooms (I think that's the title!!).

By all means offer to ride for free initially - but you may find that you get offered all types to ride, and then find you have taken on too many. Get some refs sorted, and videos of you riding, and then charge a per visit rate - say £8-10 to start with depending on your area and abilities.

That way you will encourage the genuine owners (if you then like the horses you can always waive the fee when you get to know them!) and hopefully have less of the "characters"!!

Farriers - great place to stick an ad is in their vehicles! After all, they are the biggest gossips out! Also saddlers/feed merchants etc.

Good luck!
 
I did this at uni, I did have a car and managed to charge for petrol money for most rides. Maybe you could just charge 'taxi-money' then it works out free for you to get there. I did jobs sometimes and not others, met some very nice people and a few nutters!! I was at uni in liverpool and found I got loads of adverts off merseyhorse. Good luck!
 
Make sure you get your expenses covered, you are an experienced rider, and you are going to be a professional, so look on this as more of a job than a hobby. Also your insurance, will that cover you if you are getting paid?, if not then make it clear that it is expenses only, even to the point of getting owner to pay for your fuel receipt, or buying you riding clothes.
 
Some great ides from you lot, thankyou! I'll definitely be looking into advertising in shop windows and through other people! :)

Bertthefrog ; I like the idea of charging first and then waiving charges if I like them! I think that will go down well hehe. We certainly do have some nutters around here!!
 
Hi, I am a self employed rider/groom. I currently work at two yards on a regular basis and ride for one other person. I am fully insured, etc. It is definitely possible for you to do this - there are always people out there looking for help, etc. :)
 
MrsD123 said:
How likely would I be to contact a child advertising in Tesco, well not likely, if you want to ride good horses to complement your education, the supermarket is not where you need to look.
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I wouldn't say I'm a 'child', more a young adult haha. But, like someone said there are a lot of people with children etc. and they need someone to exercise their horse. If you saw it, you could also tell people that had horses too.

Thankyou also to Showjumping Superstars, I might be getting a part-time kind of job with an old riding instructor of mine who is going freelance. :)
 
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