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Grooming on the track -- help?

Racing
#41

[QUOTE=LaurieB;4036306]
It’s just that kind of thinking that’s driving owners out of horse racing in droves. :no:

In sales parlance, buyers who intend to race their purchases rather than pinhook them are called end-users, leading my husband to refer to us (as owners) as end-losers. It’s amazing how many costs get blithely passed along by people who believe that all owners have bottomless wallets.

Last month we shipped a filly to the mid-Atlantic. Over time we hope to run in MD, VA, DE, PA, NY and NJ. Our first race was last weekend at Pimlico. Cost of 2 owners’ licenses for 1 year in MD: $625. At that rate (haven’t checked out the other states yet) it’s going to be costing us $3-4,000 a year just to keep our licenses current.

But sure, owners can easily pay, so why not charge them as much as possible. :mad:[/QUOTE]

Well luckily for you the MD license is by far the most expensive. By comparison the others are practically free. Otherwise I completely agree.

#42

Wow, WVa is only $15/year for an owners license. :wink: Can’t beat that with a stick.

Do you still have to get the PA license for 3 years at a time?

#43

Yeah PA is three years but its only like $50 or something to that effect. MD went DOWN to $275 this year. It used to be $425.

#44

OUCH!!

#45

[QUOTE=Equinoxfox;4035540]
WOW I really hope you know what you are getting into here.:wink:
I have been around Riding / Showing & Grooming for more than 25 years now and by no means would I go to work at the track. THEY are ruthless and down right evil …I have gone to several tracks in Maryland, PA. and Charlestown and they are some serious working, hard working , and gut busting people.
Get ready for harsh words , moody people, and looong hours. Best of luck to you and my hat goes off for taking on such a job. Keep us posted as to how long you last. :yes:[/QUOTE]

Now this is just unfair and sad…to lump all backstretch workers as evil is just a … well, stretch. There are some very nice, hardworking people that love what they do, and will welcome a newcomer who is willing to work hard and learn just as well as any other profession. (Learning a little spanish wont hurt your cause either.)

Humbling yourself is your best defense against these “evil doers” :lol:… stepping on to the track with an attitude that your better than anyone might lead you to find some with harsh words, bad moods, etc. But for the most part it’s all good.

#46

[QUOTE=LaurieB;4036306]
It’s just that kind of thinking that’s driving owners out of horse racing in droves. :no:

In sales parlance, buyers who intend to race their purchases rather than pinhook them are called end-users, leading my husband to refer to us (as owners) as end-losers. It’s amazing how many costs get blithely passed along by people who believe that all owners have bottomless wallets.

Last month we shipped a filly to the mid-Atlantic. Over time we hope to run in MD, VA, DE, PA, NY and NJ. Our first race was last weekend at Pimlico. Cost of 2 owners’ licenses for 1 year in MD: $625. At that rate (haven’t checked out the other states yet) it’s going to be costing us $3-4,000 a year just to keep our licenses current.

But sure, owners can easily pay, so why not charge them as much as possible. :mad:[/QUOTE]

Exactly. What about the other side that owners have to deal with. Paying $10,000 for a 2 year old, put it in training and rack up another $7,500 in training, then the horse bows and you just lost $17,500. But the owners can afford a high day rate…

#47

[QUOTE=DickHertz;4036089]
JHUShoer20,

Assuming a trainer is charging $50 per day and has 21 horses and isn’t a gip trainer, what should he/she pay each of the seven grooms they have on a weekly basis?[/QUOTE]
Is this a word problem?

That’s between employer and employee but shouldn’t be any less than the prevailing minimum wage as required by law.
George

#48

OH Laurie… I love your comment … Now that is classic… :smiley:

#49

[QUOTE=JHUshoer20;4037209]
Is this a word problem?

That’s between employer and employee but shouldn’t be any less than the prevailing minimum wage as required by law.
George[/QUOTE]

Well, you have strong opinions about how the barn should be run, but I think you make the statement without considering the feasability of implementing it.

#50

I hope the OP survived her first day. I notice she didn’t come back and tell us how wrong we all were.

#51

[QUOTE=Laurierace;4037851]
I hope the OP survived her first day. I notice she didn’t come back and tell us how wrong we all were.[/QUOTE]

I wouldn’t really blame her if she didn’t.

#52

I was thinking the same thing.

This has been quite a reception. :wink:

#53

[QUOTE=DickHertz;4037742]
Well, you have strong opinions about how the barn should be run, but I think you make the statement without considering the feasability of implementing it.[/QUOTE]
You know Dick Hertz for some reason I’ve never seen your name anywhere around Penn. Do you use a nom de plume on here?:confused:

What exactly is so non-feasible about doing things right by the horses? Wealthy owners crying poverty is pretty normal as it’s always been so that can have a deaf ear turned to it.
Trainers out on the golf course instead of working in the barn can be easily corrected. Lousy purses are being addressed, at least in our state anyway, so whining about that will soon be a non-issue.
Why exactly is it that half-assism can be accepted as something normal today but not in the’70s? Have standards really declined that much?
George

#54

I race everywhere in the Mid-Atlantic, why do you keep bringing up Penn? They did a lot of things in the 70’s that just aren’t realistic in today’s world. I think this might be the 4th time I’ve said this, but I don’t disagree that in an ideal world, 3-1 would be great, but it’s not practical and is beyond rare and to suggest a groom with no experience go knock on Allen Jerkens’ door to get a job in that situation is misguided advice and just not practical. The thread started with a groom looking for advice and you tell him/her to not settle for anything but a 3-1 barn. Several, including me, just stated that she may be picking up Social Security by the time she finds that situation.

#55

No, George, standards haven’t gone down, but what you can get out of an employee has. The gyp outfits ruin it for everyone. “Why should I do all that work for that trainer who wants everything just so when for slightly less money I can have such an easy job working for this gyp outfit.”

The average groom will prefer to do less work on more horses than really do RIGHT by less horses for the same pay. I say AVERAGE. Obviously there are those who prefer less horses done properly, but they won’t work as cheaply as a lazy groom will.

#56

[QUOTE=Jessi P;4038586]
No, George, standards haven’t gone down, but what you can get out of an employee has. The gyp outfits ruin it for everyone. “Why should I do all that work for that trainer who wants everything just so when for slightly less money I can have such an easy job working for this gyp outfit.”

The average groom will prefer to do less work on more horses than really do RIGHT by less horses for the same pay. I say AVERAGE. Obviously there are those who prefer less horses done properly, but they won’t work as cheaply as a lazy groom will.[/QUOTE]
I don’t disagree with anything you say. For this reason I think it best for one to learn properly early on and not have to un-learn any wrong things taught by bad people. Gyps are a detriment to the industry and ought not be worked for. Bad grooms are perhaps even more of a detriment but one problem at a time.:winkgrin: Maybe next we’ll tackle the problem of the Middle East peace process:D

#57

[QUOTE=DickHertz;4038578]
I race everywhere in the Mid-Atlantic, why do you keep bringing up Penn? [/QUOTE] Because you mention the place a lot yourself which leads me to believe you might have stalls there if you do in fact exist beyond these boards.
George

#58

I repeat: it’s attitudes like this–coupled with costs that are rising exponentially because so many people feel the same way you do–that are driving owners out of the industry in droves. As for “crying poverty”, it costs us on average 50k per year for each horse that we’re racing. But I guess you think we’re not paying enough? :confused:

By the way JHUshoer20, if you haven’t yet figured out that Dick Hertz is a pseudonym, you probably haven’t said it aloud.

#59

Hmmm, maybe owner’s wouldn’t cry so much if they didn’t know that their farrier just bought a $15 set of shoes and charged $150 to put them on, then bitch about how hard it is for them to make money.

Whining isn’t exclusive to owners.

#60

[QUOTE=Las Olas;4038825]
Hmmm, maybe owner’s wouldn’t cry so much if they didn’t know that their farrier just bought a $15 set of shoes and charged $150 to put them on, then bitch about how hard it is for them to make money.

Whining isn’t exclusive to owners.[/QUOTE]
Well, $15 is a bit much I pay about $10 for race plates. Maybe no-vibes would be that much if too lazy to put my own pads on. $150 is a bit steep for lower level tracks but can certainly be in line with higher competition. You’re only as good as your shoer. When I worked at the track the horses I was shoeing were hitting the board at about 40%. Thus, owners made money off of the work I did. For those who object that strongly to what a shoer charges them the easiest thing for you to do is do your own shoeing:yes:

After giving it a try get back to me as to whether you think it worth it.
OTOH it is pretty difficult extracting money from a trainer who hasn’t been paid by his owner but that owner always seems to find money to go buy another horse. Go figure
George

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