Yard Groom

[HorsesRule2009]

Hello,

I know this type of thread gets done a lot, but I'm just wondering if any one is/has been a yard groom into the 30+ and how do you manage? Do you have your own place or are the jobs live in?

I have recently finished on a yard ( had been there 6 years) am now doing shop work, but I am missing yard life terribly so and am considering going back to yard work. But I don't know as I'm 27 and obviously wont earn enough as a groom to be able to afford my own house(buy). But I am longing for the work I loved yard life. Just felt I needed a change of scenery for my last place.

So basically my question is how old are the people on here working on yards or that have worked on yards, and am I silly considering going back to it?

Thank you xx

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

If you can get into racing it is a much better paid and regulated equestrian industry. No need to ride the racehorses unless you are light enough, good enough and want to as there are plenty of other things to do on a yard other than ride!

 

[dollymix]

If you have years of yard experience, and presumably horsey quals, there is a website called equine-careers.co.uk that have lots of equestrian jobs, but not yard based... So working for horsey companies but not as a groom?

 

[Dannylandrover]

I did it when i was 44/45 and worked as a groom/riding instructor full time till an accident whilst at work resulting in a broken bone in my back and now osteoarthritis has stopped me working altogether. I say if you love it enough, go for it or you will always say "what if ", if you don't try it.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I went into yard work at 30- now just 36!
I work on a racing yard, well 2 racing yards and have chosen not too ride as I have always been a slightly fair weather rider and tbh found that after riding a few in a morning the last thing I wanted to do was go ride my own horse after- who is ultimately the reason I work so it seemed a little pointless!
Now I do all the grooming and looking after of the yard (I don't have to muck out either! ) and stick to the relative safety of riding my own and that is still a pleasure rather than a chore.
I live with my partner of 15 years and out daughter, he earns a decent wage so I'm lucky to be able to do this job part time.
Im not sure how much longer I will keep it up for though, the comfort of an office job and clean clothes is seeming quite appealing again!

 

[Allover]

I am 39 and still a groom. I freelance now but spent a lot of time travelling in Europe and beyond with the job. Sometimes the jobs were a few months some for a few years, I learnt a couple of languages and had a great time. Never owned a property and most probably never will - but then friends who are earning 30k in a "proper" job struggle to buy now. I also managed to save a fair amount of money which meant - had I been more sensible - I could come back and afford to be picky about where I went next. Some of the jobs were very "easy" (in that you weren't running around chasing your tail feeling nothing had gotten done) so would have been perfectly possible to study alongside. I do wonder when my body is going to say no more but have seen so many 70+ women working yards and still riding well that there is still a bit of hope

 

[leggs]

I suppose it must be easier in the UK as that is more of a horsey country then Netherlands but, I had to do it at some point.....move to the juryhouse of a riding stable (my horses had bigger boxes than my bedroom ! and when it rained I would be up on the roof sweeping the water off otherwise It would end up dripping on my bed!)
As much as I loved that time, and wouldn't have missed it for the world- learned a lot- and man....was i skinny at that time !!!

I think I was 25-26 at the time and had already worked at a bailifs office, and Insurance office (could never get used to the dresscode) but at the riding school, that had 50-70extra liveries in summer (close to the beach; tourists) I found that in between 5 in the morning and 11 at night I never had time for my own horses........there was Always something, colic ridingschoolhorse or the farrier coming.

So eventually (did some more studying) I got into petrochemical industry (stil am and still love it! - get to wear workclothes and helmet all day !) making a lot more money, and ok, some weeks/months of 10-12 hrs a day, but get to take 2 months off in summer. Have my own yard now, with lots of land and a tiny mortgage, wish I had known sooner !

 

[J&C]

I'm 26 and have previously worked as a groom. I currently work on a small farm. Similar day to day work - mucking out, feeding, etc. and we do have a few equines here but I love the variety of the different animals, makes life a bit more interesting! It's not for everyone - some of the animals are very hard to handle (and not halter trained like horses) and lambing time is just non-stop and knackering. However the pay is a lot better and I managed to save up my deposit and bought my first house earlier this year.
I don't think I will be able to do this forever and it's not ideal if I want to start having kids but while I'm young and able I will do an enjoyable, physical job as I would go out of my mind sat in an office all day!