Assistant Trainer Duties & Pay - California

[Bristol_Bay]

This may not be helpful at all, as I have no clue what anyone in the horse world makes. I tend to look at what cars they drive, and assume they are doing well because of that. No successful trainer I know owns horses, by the way.

Anyway, if you feel underpaid, some things to look at are how much the business owner is taking in per horse in training and grooming fees. You should be getting a piece of that. If the client is paying $450 a month grooming and $750 training, figure out how that works out per horse that you’re grooming and training. How much of those training fees that the clients pay per lesson, when there are 4 people in a lesson, do you think is a fair percentage of those fees?

I’m wondering if you could ask for a percentage of lessons and training rides (especially if you are grooming, good lord) on top of the hourly you earn for all the administrative tasks.

I think others have mentioned that your should situation also steer you towards your long-term goals. Do you want to run your own training business? Then this underpaid apprenticeship might be more tolerable. Do you want to have a comfortable lifestyle with the ability to afford nice horses and showing? Then maybe it’s time to go back to the “real” job. Do you enjoy the teaching duties? Would you be comfortable with the buying and selling of horses that comes with the job? Can you live with the ethics of having, say, a valued client ask you to sell an older horse rather than retire it, even though they can afford it?

It just sounds like a good time to take stock.

[CBoylen]

It’s just really hard to answer that question. These positions are really all over the board, because of the way they are structured in the particular situation and the varying duties.
This person manages, rides, grooms, and teaches. Others in either manager or assistant trainer positions may do some or all of these duties. They may be compensated with housing, or not. They may get discounted board, but how much is board and how much is discount? They may get salary or by the hour or add in a percentage of lessons or a percentage of sales or get huge tips from the clients. Basically it boils down to does the compensation work for you.

I haven’t seen anyone in these positions be able to keep two horses and have multiple days off a week though, so again, I’m going to suspect this is a semi sweet deal. I also don’t see many manager/assistant jobs start at 9am.

If I had to suggest advice, I’d say focus on the teaching as a place for growth. It’s possible you can make an argument for increased compensation for more lessons or more students or a cut/larger cut of profits. It’s also possible that this type of job is not sufficient for your needs.

[Turntable]

OK, I will say it: you should be getting a minimum of $65K to manage a large show barn that does full care and goes to the A shows in the Bay Area working 5x9 hour days and not living on site with no benefits. Ask around but I bet that is very close. Riding and training is not normally part of that job at a very big barn but it depends and can be seen as a perk by some. Riding can be salary or per horse. Lessons can also be salary or percentage.

You are doing 2 jobs and I suspect are very underpaid, although maybe not. Also the hours are too much. I think you know something needs to change here.

[TheBigEasy]

To address the OPs question, I have no clue what it should pay where you are.

But here in the Midwest, where unemployment is nil, and people who can manage projects, communicate with a variety of clients, show up, work hard, problem solve, and juggle many balls, are a premium. In my neck of the woods, this equates to a a 100-120k job. Bonus money if you have strong accounting or marketing skills. To qualify, this is in an area where 200k can still buy a decent home and you can board for $500.
I’ve considered that equine jobs probably price themselves closer to positions in the non-profit sector. It’s another “runs on passion and low budgets” type of career track. That same responsibility in non-profit is likely 80-100k here.
So there’s an attempt to put dollars to your description. Even if not quite the same. YMMV.

[Cerrenade]

Answering some more questions, thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions so far:

When they are away at shows, which is very often as our barn goes to a lot of A-rated shows per year, I teach 2 days during week, and once on the weekend. On the days I teach during the week, I’m there for 9.25 hours and no, I don’t get overtime. The weekend day I am usually there 8 hours. Before lessons during the week, I get horses ridden/exercised which makes for the 9+ hour day.

When they are home, lessons are split amongst us - but this varies day to day and is not set in stone who is teaching what lesson(s). If I am not teaching, I am riding/exercising horses or other duties as listed, and also often left with the last lesson of the day.

On the 2 days I don’t teach I usually work a 7.5-8 hour day (sometimes more depending on if something comes up). That includes all duties I listed aside from teaching.

Passion

I do enjoy teaching but we also have such a wide range of riding levels that are thrown together during the week due to kids’ school schedule, parents’ work schedule, etc. so it can be difficult raising/lowering jumps, setting, or tailoring lessons for each rider. I want to make sure each rider gets a good lesson and I hold myself to that standard as it’s what I would expect from my trainer.

My passion is being with the horses really, and connecting with each of them. They are truly amazing animals and I want to do right by them, whether that’s being someone who works with them when they’re young and matching them with the right person or helping their person understand them better and become better riders because of it.

I used to want to compete at the top level of the sport, and part of me still does, but we can all have another conversation about the direction of the h/j world and being only for the wealthy. I can’t afford to go to multiple shows a year or be on the road all the time. On top of that, I care about my horses and often think about their well-being both mentally and physically at those levels of the sport. I used to view the Olympics as a platform where I could potentially show others you could still climb to the top if you put in the hard work, time and effort with your horse to get there, the course and obstacles being a true testament to the relationship with your horse and skill together as partners. Now, it seems to be about if you can afford the horse first and foremost along with all the travel and show fees associated to qualifying for such an event. Maybe it could happen, but it’s discouraging to hear older professionals talk about this who have been in the industry for so long.

If I can’t realistically compete at the top level, I’d like to potentially start young horses for a manageable number of clients, take them to shows to get miles and experience, and go from there. Hopefully bringing one of my own horses along to those shows as well. I don’t see myself running a huge program and have no desire to forever put aside my dreams/energy/mind for someone else. Of course, I have to make a living, but I would like to look forward to “working” every day and would like the horses to look forward to it as well.

Off-days

Three days off is rare for me since that’s when they are home from shows (and I will be attending more shows with them this year hopefully since EHV seems to have calmed down). My two off-days are split. One of the off-days is for all horses too, and no one is at the barn aside from the stall cleaners and feeders, so I wouldn’t be able to work my horses on that day anyway.

Other

Riding is important to me and needs to be part of the job. I want to stay fit and move toward my goals as a rider which at the moment is still jumping at a higher level.

I have helped this employer on my off-days probono for several things relating to my degree.

I’ve been with my boyfriend for 7 years and yes we have discussed marriage so the benefits things isn’t a huge concern as I will likely take his on.

I’m trying not to get too down into the details - but understandably a lot are wondering how I manage to do all the things I listed. Every day is different, there is no consistency really aside from the fixed lesson times which can also make this hard. I would love to plan out the day and work week but honestly some things are spontaneously put on me that I can’t easily say “well that doesn’t fit in my work day” as I’m sure you can imagine and understand.

Appreciate you all immensely again for any input. I want to be realistic with my pay and trying to get an idea for what you all would value for someone like this, also as a necessity with consideration to COL in the area, so when I discuss it with my employer is doesn’t seem unfair. Of course, they may simply be unable to accommodate which I understand could very well happen.

[Turntable]

@TheBigEasy

In my neck of the woods, this equates to a a 100-120k job. Bonus money if you have strong accounting or marketing skills. To qualify, this is in an area where 200k can still buy a decent home and you can board for $500.

So- I am a project manager who can do those things and pays sooooo much more for housing and board. Where is your neck of the woods exactly?

[Tha_Ridge]

@Horsegirl_s_Mom

She is basically a full-time Assistant Trainer/Assistant Barn Manager. Is there anyone here who either works in such a job, or employs such a person, that can give an idea of the going rate? (Of course, it might have to be adjusted upward since it’s California–cost of living and wages are generally higher here).

When I briefly considered making horses my career in my early 20s (no, thank you), I did a similar job in southern California. It was about 12 years ago now, at a much smaller barn, but still a high-end show barn with very nice horses and very wealthy clients. I was paid $900/week, no housing, and had one day off per week—although I often did laundry or unpacked from shows on those days. I taught a handful of lessons per week and mostly rode horses at home and oversaw the care of horses not going to shows. From what I hear, horse industry wages have truly not increased very much in the last decade, if at all.

[clanter]

@Tha_Ridge

It was about 12 years ago now, at a much smaller barn, but still a high-end show barn with very nice horses and very wealthy clients. I was paid $900/week, no housing, and had one day off per week—

similar tasks in Kentucky in the 1972, was paid $250/wk… just ran the conversion to present day dollar value… $1,732.92 = $90,111 per year

Over the time I same wages in the equine industry go to hell with the use of immigrant labor who would (then) work for whatever as long as the farm/ranch just never said a work about them being there

[TheBigEasy]

Midwest. Northern Indiana. Enormous manufacturing hub. Unemployment rate is about 2% and employers are battling for quality employees.

It isn’t always this way. In the Great Recession I believe we eclipsed 25% unemployment.

[Angela_Freda]

Be careful rocking the boat, with two horses you could end up needing to board.
I don’t say that to suggest you aren’t getting a raw deal, because it sounds like you are. Just something yo maybe have a plan for.

Could boyfriend work virtually? If the barn got a modular or trailer on the farm for you?

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I think it’s hard to get a ballpark on your salary because you’re bringing a very attractive and unusual skill set to your employer. You have (I’m assuming) a business or liberal arts degree and the skills to do white-collar work like managing the facilities and its social media, while you can also train horses, teach lessons, and know enough horse care management you can be trusted to manage the barn. So your employer is getting the work of 2-3 people for the price of one.

I’m a little unclear on your goals, though. You have two horses, and it may be difficult to find affordable board in your area, unless you can command a fair-sized salary (perhaps larger than you can easily get in your field, again, I’m not sure). I think it will be tough (to put it mildly) to find a horse job that will pay a reasonable salary to pay board on two horses in CA, without some kind of an agreement like you have now. The barn is so large, they’re probably more willing than most barns to allow you to keep the horses. On the other hand, you really don’t have time to work your own horses.

I have a feeling, given so many of your duties are “as needed” and you already have days off, it will be hard to get more time off to ride your own horses. Even if they say you will, that will quickly change.

Right now your options are:

1. Stay where you are, ask for more pay. Since none of us can provide a figure, I think you have to think of how much would you need for it to be worth it for you to work, with your current schedule (gas, commute, stress), for say, another year or two as is.
2. Stay where you are, ask for more defined time off and someone else to take over some of your duties, at the same rate of pay.
3. Leave and find a non-horse job ASAP that can support your desired lifestyle.

Again, I wouldn’t be wild about getting a room or a trailer or something on-premises, and it doesn’t sound like you are, either. Whenever I was offered housing as a “perk,” it always ended up in my doing work 24/7.

[CBoylen]

@Cerrenade

Three days off is rare for me since that’s when they are home from shows (and I will be attending more shows with them this year hopefully since EHV seems to have calmed down).

Are you taking your own horse? Who does lessons and manages at home if you go to the show? This sounds like a mostly home position. Do you train at shows? Or do the road managing/grooming/prep horses?

[Scribbler]

@Cerrenade

Answering some more questions, thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions so far:

When they are away at shows, which is very often as our barn goes to a lot of A-rated shows per year, I teach 2 days during week, and once on the weekend. On the days I teach during the week, I’m there for 9.25 hours and no, I don’t get overtime. The weekend day I am usually there 8 hours. Before lessons during the week, I get horses ridden/exercised which makes for the 9+ hour day.

When they are home, lessons are split amongst us - but this varies day to day and is not set in stone who is teaching what lesson(s). If I am not teaching, I am riding/exercising horses or other duties as listed, and also often left with the last lesson of the day.

On the 2 days I don’t teach I usually work a 7.5-8 hour day (sometimes more depending on if something comes up). That includes all duties I listed aside from teaching.

Passion

I do enjoy teaching but we also have such a wide range of riding levels that are thrown together during the week due to kids’ school schedule, parents’ work schedule, etc. so it can be difficult raising/lowering jumps, setting, or tailoring lessons for each rider. I want to make sure each rider gets a good lesson and I hold myself to that standard as it’s what I would expect from my trainer.

My passion is being with the horses really, and connecting with each of them. They are truly amazing animals and I want to do right by them, whether that’s being someone who works with them when they’re young and matching them with the right person or helping their person understand them better and become better riders because of it.

I used to want to compete at the top level of the sport, and part of me still does, but we can all have another conversation about the direction of the h/j world and being only for the wealthy. I can’t afford to go to multiple shows a year or be on the road all the time. On top of that, I care about my horses and often think about their well-being both mentally and physically at those levels of the sport. I used to view the Olympics as a platform where I could potentially show others you could still climb to the top if you put in the hard work, time and effort with your horse to get there, the course and obstacles being a true testament to the relationship with your horse and skill together as partners. Now, it seems to be about if you can afford the horse first and foremost along with all the travel and show fees associated to qualifying for such an event. Maybe it could happen, but it’s discouraging to hear older professionals talk about this who have been in the industry for so long.

If I can’t realistically compete at the top level, I’d like to potentially start young horses for a manageable number of clients, take them to shows to get miles and experience, and go from there. Hopefully bringing one of my own horses along to those shows as well. I don’t see myself running a huge program and have no desire to forever put aside my dreams/energy/mind for someone else. Of course, I have to make a living, but I would like to look forward to “working” every day and would like the horses to look forward to it as well.

Off-days

Three days off is rare for me since that’s when they are home from shows (and I will be attending more shows with them this year hopefully since EHV seems to have calmed down). My two off-days are split. One of the off-days is for all horses too, and no one is at the barn aside from the stall cleaners and feeders, so I wouldn’t be able to work my horses on that day anyway.

Other

Riding is important to me and needs to be part of the job. I want to stay fit and move toward my goals as a rider which at the moment is still jumping at a higher level.

I have helped this employer on my off-days probono for several things relating to my degree.

I’ve been with my boyfriend for 7 years and yes we have discussed marriage so the benefits things isn’t a huge concern as I will likely take his on.

I’m trying not to get too down into the details - but understandably a lot are wondering how I manage to do all the things I listed. Every day is different, there is no consistency really aside from the fixed lesson times which can also make this hard. I would love to plan out the day and work week but honestly some things are spontaneously put on me that I can’t easily say “well that doesn’t fit in my work day” as I’m sure you can imagine and understand.

Appreciate you all immensely again for any input. I want to be realistic with my pay and trying to get an idea for what you all would value for someone like this, also as a necessity with consideration to COL in the area, so when I discuss it with my employer is doesn’t seem unfair. Of course, they may simply be unable to accommodate which I understand could very well happen.

I don’t think this current job is going to get you to compete at the top of the sport. It’s a kiddie barn and even if you push kids through to Big Eq, it’s not taking you to say adult derbies or whatever would be your goal. Your overall problem solving and training ability are going to improve a lot here, but you are not going to compete at higher levels than you arrived with. For that, you need to be embedded in a barn where people are competing higher than you and can lift you up.

Starting green horses for clients, potentially flipping OTTB or similar, is a niche for a good rider who can manage things for quick turnover. But it’s going to mean you are playing around the lower levels forever, getting miles at the 2 foot 6 for a potential junior packer, etc. A very worthy niche, an important one, but not necessarily going to make you a lot of money.

If you currently have horses with true upper level potential, you might want to shop around for another barn job at a true upper level barn where you will be the green newbie, and not the super competent barn manager and coach :).

[sami-joe]

Do the math. Though it may not be formal, if you’re not making at least $31 per hour for your first eight hours of work and $47 for every hour over eight in a day or 40 in a week, you are underpaid by California living standards, especially because you buy your own health care. That said, your employer may not know that he or she can write off health care premiums for employees and the ACA in CA gives businesses a ridiculously good deal.

If you think your wage is lower because you have horses on the property, do the math. What would it cost you to board them at your facility and how much of their care do YOU do. You’ll know pretty quickly whether it’s worth it or not. Add up the other perks and count them as income. Keep in mind that many barns consider weekend show coaching or horse hauling as a premium service. If you’re not getting premium pay for doing it, you’re being underpaid – see CA overtime law. Also, add what you would pay for your own instructor’s license insurance, anywhere from $700 to several thousand depending on your scene and specialty. Not having to manage your own liability insurance is one of the most valuable perks of working in someone else’s arena.

As for your boss raising the board, hay in my area 80 miles north of LA has doubled in price, some of it more so, so my current boss has added a hay premium to her bills. She has not raised her lesson or training rates in ages, however.

I just left a job where I made $2 less per hour than another newly hired, less experienced part-timer because I had a horse on the place and she didn’t. It seemed dumb to charge me so much because my horse lived on the side of a dusty hill with four or five other geldings, ate only hay, and on the rare occasions he was in the barn, I took care of all his care. No one else moved a single poo of his, ever. It felt extra annoying because the more I worked, the more money I lost. At one point my wages were dinged by over $300 per month while the program benefited because I had my horse there and was on the property every single day whether I was being paid or not.

We finally came to a stalemate when COVID started to close in this winter and I asked the payroll person how much sick leave I’d accrued. I wanted to know how much money I should put aside before I got sick for longer than a day or two. The payroll clerk told me that part-timers don’t get sick leave. Neither she nor my director knew that employers are required in CA to allow part-timers to accrue sick leave. When I pointed that fact out, my boss first cut my hours to 20, then finally to zero.

Thanks for the thread. Women – lately it’s almost always women – who work as we do, both part and full time would do well to stay in touch. Most of us are pretty happy with our work despite the long hours and poor pay. However, the work has been feminized over my longish lifetime. This is no accident, and I assure you this trend did not help my other career, teaching, in terms of salaries.

[NorcalH_J]

Sent pm

[findeight]

Possible lesson here…not good to add so many specific details about exact location, duties and schedule, barn business plan, how many horses personally owned, personal relationship details and things you think unfair to a post on here unless you want the world, including barn clients and your boss, to see and figure out who you are IRL. Lots of people in the industry read this board and barngossip is always a fun pastime.

OP can go back and delete all specifics within her posts and that would be a very good idea. Be aware you cannot delete anything another poster quotes in their opinion/advice.

Usually speaking hypothetically and changing a few details like that 7 yo WB gelding becoming a 3 yo TB mare and moving the barn 3 states over without mentioning landmarks ( bridges, toll roads, interstates etc.) avoids pinpointing your IRL self.

[Cerrenade]

I totally understand that and can agree with certain aspects. I know the horse world is a small one and people can take this post in a negative way as if I’m talking down about my position, but truly I’m not. I feel the industry is unique around compensation, duties and hours which is mostly why I posted here in the first place to get advice and feedback from those within it.

I love my job, my barn, and yes, it’s a lot of work. I simply wanted to open a discussion around what others think of my duties and how they would compensate someone accordingly, or what they think is fair - whatever that may be. I agree I added too many details, at the same time I wanted to be as up front about my situation so readers could get a good understanding of the picture as a whole. I try to be transparent in everything I do.

[findeight]

Doesn’t matter what I think or anyone else on here if your boss sees this or other clients bring it to their attention. Do as you please, maybe your boss loves you and wont care you are feeling overworked and underpaid and gave enough information to easily identify the barn and yourself.

But after 2 decades on here and 5 decades in boarding and training barns? Some employers don’t react well to an employee (or a client) complaining personally to others or on social media. Hence suggesting you speak hypothetically and/or hide the details pointing to you and that barn.

I not speaking hypothetically here either. Its not pretty and can create unnecessary drama for everybody in the barn. Seen a couple of assistant trainers fired and one client kicked out for…oversharing… their discontent publicly. Might not be what was meant but it was sure what employer read into it.

[EssexFells]

OP, you can do all the pay rate comparisons in the world, but in the horse world, there are so many variables in job structure that I think it would be impossible to find a totally solid comparable (I mean solid in the eyes of your barn owner, who you’d be trying to convince to pay you more based on that comparable).

Ultimately, you just need to decide what is YOUR number-- What is the salary you feel you’d need to earn to make ends meet, allow some savings, and compensate for your hours worked? And go on a job hunt to see if anything else out there would meet it.

In my experience, it rarely works out well to issue your employer ultimatums to match another place’s salary or else i quit. Either they’ll say “I wish you all the best in your new job” or they match your number because you have them over a barrel, and they immediately start looking for someone less expensive, while cataloging every mistake you make. (And meanwhile you’ll have totally burned a bridge with that other employer who gave you an offer)

“Passion” jobs pay less because there’s always a steady supply of young people willing to do them. And there are lots and lots of other jobs out there that provide satisfaction, great people to work with, etc. even if it’s in a “boring” industry.

It’s a good time to start thinking about careers that, a few years down the line, will provide the salary and schedule flexibility to afford your competitive ambitions. You’re not going to earn enough right off the bat and/or you’re not going to have the schedule flexibility until you’ve put some years in to get there. So all the more reason to get out of hte barn grind now and start building your experience elsewhere, so you don’t find yourself at 40yo and just starting out in some new career.

Pretty much guarantee that any 20-something you see riding flashy horses at high levels of competition started out already wealthy.

[Demerara_Stables]

Did this, and live in the bay area. Can confirm, best plan. Now I have my own barn at my house for my horse and my clients.