Yard Managers - Do you find it easy to get staff?

[squiz22]

I am doing a bit of research and wondered if any yard managers out there could help?

Are you finding it difficult to get casual labour for one-off days or short periods of time? It is easy to find good and reliable freelance staff to cover and if so where do you hear about them?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[crabbymare]

Its not hard to get cover for a few days, sometimes its harder to find someone at short notice. We find people from word of mouth if we are looking but also keep details of people who come on spec looking for work so even if there is nothing for them at the time its possible they may be offered something later.

 

[Ali16]

Definately not finding it hard at the moment to get help, but GOOD quality help is another matter! Every day I get sent another CV/application even though we are not advertising. They are of varying standards but often I won't even bother reading them through if the grammar etc is really poor. If they cannot be bothered to spell check an email, how do I know whether they will be bothered to check my horses over properly?!

We try to provide liveries with 5* service (full and part) and we have had a few people on trial who just do not get it at all. Even to the point where they ARGUE with the clients

Phew.. rant over.. sorry

We have a couple of go-to-girls who I know that I can trust and my head groom is one in a million - she works her little socks off!

 

[squiz22]

Definately not finding it hard at the moment to get help, but GOOD quality help is another matter! Every day I get sent another CV/application even though we are not advertising. They are of varying standards but often I won't even bother reading them through if the grammar etc is really poor. If they cannot be bothered to spell check an email, how do I know whether they will be bothered to check my horses over properly?!

We try to provide liveries with 5* service (full and part) and we have had a few people on trial who just do not get it at all. Even to the point where they ARGUE with the clients

Phew.. rant over.. sorry

We have a couple of go-to-girls who I know that I can trust and my head groom is one in a million - she works her little socks off!

I understand. I am just interested because I am working with a few yards to secure some good training venues. I know we have emailed about trainers before... (I shall be in touch..) A number of them have asked me to include a section on my site that enables yard managers to post for short term/ freelance type jobs because they were struggling to find people. I thought I'd put the question out there and see how others felt.

Good people are like gold dust I supposed.
From a liveries point of view I find it amazing how rude staff and even yard managers can be (obviously this is not directed at you !! ) sometimes even when you are paying a fortune to stay there. I was at two yards where I was treated like an inconvenience to them when I was paying a bomb on part livery/assisted DIY. I was at one yard and the staff member in charge said she wouldn't handle big horses..?? There was a 16hh horse in the field with a huge cut on its shoulder and she said he'd have to wait until the yard manager came back. I eventually walked out there, bought him in, cleaned the wound up and covered it. I then handed my notice in!! Hahaa! Both the above mentioned yards have gone bust in the last 12 months!
From your point of view good staff must be invaluable. It sounds like you already have an established list of contacts though?

 

[Ani]

When I managed yards I never found it difficult to get grooms or instructors but getting good quality commited ones was a different story. I'm on the other side of it now and looking for a decent yard in my area and cannot find one where the facilities are good and they have staff that I would trust with more than my pet goldfish!!!.

I am now thinking of trawling the local competition yards and private yards to see if anyone would consider giving me a stable in exchange for helping them out with morning/ evening stables. I work full time but could do mornnig feeds and a few muckouts before work and do up in the evening. What do you think?

 

[Ali16]

I understand. I am just interested because I am working with a few yards to secure some good training venues. I know we have emailed about trainers before... (I shall be in touch..) A number of them have asked me to include a section on my site that enables yard managers to post for short term/ freelance type jobs because they were struggling to find people. I thought I'd put the question out there and see how others felt.

Good people are like gold dust I supposed.
From a liveries point of view I find it amazing how rude staff and even yard managers can be (obviously this is not directed at you !! ) sometimes even when you are paying a fortune to stay there. I was at two yards where I was treated like an inconvenience to them when I was paying a bomb on part livery/assisted DIY. I was at one yard and the staff member in charge said she wouldn't handle big horses..?? There was a 16hh horse in the field with a huge cut on its shoulder and she said he'd have to wait until the yard manager came back. I eventually walked out there, bought him in, cleaned the wound up and covered it. I then handed my notice in!! Hahaa! Both the above mentioned yards have gone bust in the last 12 months!
From your point of view good staff must be invaluable. It sounds like you already have an established list of contacts though?

That's a great idea! The trouble is the good ones are so few and far between and they are usually booked way in advance so you just can't get them at short notice. If you had a little area for each entry where employers could recommend or do a 'reference' for the freelance worker that would be great. Then you could see where they had worked before... and if they were any good!

Staff can be a nightmare though - thats the worst bit about having your own/managing a yard. Horses.. not a problem, liveries... can be difficult, but they pay your bills, staff... pain in the butt!

 

[Rowreach]

Staff can be a nightmare though - thats the worst bit about having your own/managing a yard. Horses.. not a problem, liveries... can be difficult, but they pay your bills, staff... pain in the butt!

Sad but true Over 20 years as an employer I can count the really good ones on the fingers of one hand. I bend over backwards for them if they're any good, and you wouldn't believe the perks and incentives they get

I think most of us just end up never having a break or relying on the OH to cover us if we have to be away for a day, rather than having the hassle of employing someone who may not be reliable, or keen, or capable enough to leave in charge.

 

[squiz22]

Ali and Rowreach thanks for your comments this is all food for thought. I bought a domain name and I'm thinking about the best way to make this work.

I would love a career change and I am looking for a yard in the berks area but I won't make the jump from my career to it until i think its right. That said I am looking at cutting down from 5 days to 4 hence the small business ideas I keep floating around. I want to make up the income on the day lost. I may also be putting myself forward for some yard work on my day out of the office. I just love being outside.

I'll keep you posted on my plans and your opinions are really welcome - would appreciate them!

 

[squiz22]

That's a great idea! The trouble is the good ones are so few and far between and they are usually booked way in advance so you just can't get them at short notice. If you had a little area for each entry where employers could recommend or do a 'reference' for the freelance worker that would be great. Then you could see where they had worked before... and if they were any good!

Staff can be a nightmare though - thats the worst bit about having your own/managing a yard. Horses.. not a problem, liveries... can be difficult, but they pay your bills, staff... pain in the butt!

Actually I've just had a brain wave after your post - ooh i shall see if i can get it to work on the new site - big thanks! xx

 

[Ali16]

Actually I've just had a brain wave after your post - ooh i shall see if i can get it to work on the new site - big thanks! xx

Glad to be of service

 

[Rowreach]

I've just worked out that the last time I had a holiday (a whole week!) was just over 9 years ago so no, I guess it's not easy to get short term cover!

 

[jennywren07]

i'm not a yard owner (i'm a part time groom) but i know both my current and previous employers struggled to find someone they could trust and who was reliable. Especially as both only need someone a few hours each day (current employer was reccomended me by my old one when she sold her yard).

It's a shame really as my current boss goes out of her way to help/teach me things. I'm only employed to muck out really but she's always happy for me to help with the vet etc so i can see things done and gives me amazing lessons on top of my wages without having to be prompted.

Maybe you could give the option for freelance grooms to comment on their experiance of yard they've worked at? Especially since most i've worked at the job/ perks offered turned out to be wildly different to relality

 

[squiz22]

Glad to be of service

x

 

[squiz22]

i'm not a yard owner (i'm a part time groom) but i know both my current and previous employers struggled to find someone they could trust and who was reliable. Especially as both only need someone a few hours each day (current employer was reccomended me by my old one when she sold her yard).

It's a shame really as my current boss goes out of her way to help/teach me things. I'm only employed to muck out really but she's always happy for me to help with the vet etc so i can see things done and gives me amazing lessons on top of my wages without having to be prompted.

Maybe you could give the option for freelance grooms to comment on their experiance of yard they've worked at? Especially since most i've worked at the job/ perks offered turned out to be wildly different to relality

Thanks for this - all these ideas are great!!

 

[squiz22]

I've just worked out that the last time I had a holiday (a whole week!) was just over 9 years ago so no, I guess it's not easy to get short term cover!

We'll include a Irish section then just for you!! 9 years - thats crazy!

 

[Rowreach]

We'll include a Irish section then just for you!! 9 years - thats crazy!

Oh thank you! I'll start looking at destinations

 

[Littlecolouredcob]

Hi, I have just left a yard as a DIY Livery which I also worked at on and off for nearly 9 years (during my university years and more recently to be able to afford to be on the yard).
However I felt increasingly put upon and less and less time to concentrate on my own horse who is only a youngster with the inevitable would you? could you? do you mind? and often wouldnt leave the yard until 7 or 8pm ontop of a full time job and some times having not ridden my own boy.
The yard owner to be fair did give me a reduced rate for my help and I also helped over the winter when my horse wasnt there.

With the price due to go up for the coming winter and being told there would be no lighting on the outdoor area and neither could we use the indoor school this winter I decided to move to some where that my horse could be out most of the winter and pay less for not having those facilities.

I was dissapointed with the YO attitude towards me once I informed her I was leaving and for a week have suffered a hate campaign against my horse who has been accused of kicking other horses and her, and my friend being told not to go any where near him as he was evil.
Having worked for and known the YO for such a long time I belived we had a friendship too, maybe I am just one example of owner/ staff relationship gone wrong. I would consider myself a good worker with a reasonable knowledge having been through the Pony Club, had good instructors both stable management and riding and was deeply upset to be treated like this.

Sorry I just wanted to put a slightly different spin on things.

 

[teamsarazara]

Where i am in scotland, it DEFINATELY helps if your yard has accomodation.