Input from those who know much more about the industry than me...

[babybritain]

Hey all,

I would love to get some advice from those who know much more about the industry than I do. Even if it’s just to tell me I’m crazy.

In college I worked as an exercise rider at a training farm in Ocala. I loved this job so much. It was a pretty small and quiet operation, so it was perfect for me to learn the ropes of racing. I worked there for about a year before school got in the way, and was told by the trainer that I was a decent rider.

Long story short, I hate my career field and have never been happy in my various “adult” jobs. It sounds silly but I have always dreamed of going back to riding. About 6 months ago I decided to take a break from my career and have been working as a groom at a show farm. It’s great to be around the horses again, but it has only left me wanting to get back into racing even more. I literally can’t stop thinking about it.

I’m seriously considering trying to get a job as an exercise rider again. It really is the only job I can recall ever being happy doing. It seems crazy to me to try, but I also have an intense feeling that I will forever regret it if I don’t while I’m still youngish. The problem is, I’m not super savvy to the industry and don’t know the best way to do this.

I live close to Gulfstream and Palm Meadows, so I’m guessing the best way to try to get a job is just to go to the track and ask around? Any advice from people who know more than me? What’s the best way to go about finding a job at the track? Any other advice to help me with my crazy dream? Feel free to tell me I’m nuts too.

I’m also fine with putting in time as a groom or hot walker if it leads to riding eventually.

Thank you all!

[Scribbler]

Around here in Canada they are begging for workers and give pretty much anyone a shot. You might want to figure out the best trainers to work for from COTH ers local to you.

[babybritain]

@Scribbler

Around here in Canada they are begging for workers and give pretty much anyone a shot. You might want to figure out the best trainers to work for from COTH ers local to you.

Thank you! I wish I had some connections so I knew more about the market down here.

I’m in South Florida, so if anyone local or knowledgeable about the racing scene down here has any leads that would be awesome.

[Lord_Helpus]

What about the trainer you were working for? You don’t say how many years ago that was, but since you are still young and foolish, wouldn’t that trainer/farm give you suggestions and referrals?

Since trump has ‘closed the borders’ (people working on golf courses were given a specific exemption and are allowed in…) I would imagine that trainers will hire anyone who walks into their shedrow.

[RPM]

No advice to give (no knowledge of the industry), just best wishes and encouragement and admiration that you want to try to realize your dream job.

Go for it! :encouragement:

[Texarkana]

There is a very active FB group called “Horse Racing Jobs Backstretch US.” You could try posting there.

I got the same bug as you a few months ago. I realized that while I do miss it, at the end of the day, I’d still rather horses be my hobby. Plus I hate mornings and working every day of the week. :lol:

[gumtree]

Go to Palm Meadows and look up Chuck Simon, Charles Simon Racing. Good guy, good trainer. He trained some horses for me when he was based in the Mid-Atlantic. He took a gal under his wing that I hired to work the TBs at my farm. She had a show and mostly western background. But was a good rider. I got her up to speed on riding racehorses at my farm and my steeplechase horses.

Asked Chuck to give her a shot and teach her the drill at the tack, training center he was based at. She learned a lot. I got her jock license and she did really well with that. She went on exercise riding at the Fair Hill training center and then got her flat jock license. Rode some races and did alright. A total chance meeting because I put the word out I was looking for an experienced rider. A friend gave me her number said she was a good rider but no experience with racehorses, esp babies. Did not call right away, found her number a while later buried on my desk. Needed another rider asap so I gave her a call. Put her on a couple of horses and it was easy to tell she was a natural. She quite her job at Lowes which I kind of advised against because of the security. There is NO security in horses of any kind.

I don’t think she had traveled much farther from home then a neighboring state or two. A few years later she rode in the Maryland Hunt Cup, Went to Europe, expenses paid representing the US in the Fengentri http://www.fegentri.com/ lady’s and gentlemen race series. Has ridden as a professional jock in Maryland. All of which might not have happened if her number hadn’t surfaced on my desk that day, lol.

Chuck may or may not have something available but he is very personable and should be able to give you leads, make introductions. I suppose it depends on how you handle the meeting and your experience. You can tell him Larry suggested looking him up. But explain we only “met” once in “cyber land”. You can check out his Face Book page, most of his posts are public. Search for Charles Simon, Boynton Beach Fl. Good luck. The majority of the trainers I know well are only in Fl for the winter.

[babybritain]

Thanks everyone!

Lord Helpus, this was about 6 years ago now. Time flies. I’ve reached out to the manager there already, but she’s up in Canada working somewhere else. She did say she’d pass my info along to trainers she knows coming down to FL for the winter, so I’m hopeful that will give me some leads, but not counting on it.

RPM, thank you for the words of encouragement! Hoping one day I’ll figure out what I want to be when I grow up

Texarkana, thank you so much! I will check the group out right away!

Gumtree, awesome thanks! I really appreciate it! What a great story and fantastic thing you did for her. She sounds like a fantastic rider! I’m nowhere near that good, and too big to be a jockey, but I was told by the trainer at the last farm that I’m a natural. I was planning to go to Palm Meadows first, as it seems a little less intimidating to me than showing up at Gulfstream. I think I’m good at making first impressions. I am very humble and know I need to put in time and hard work.

I know most trainers travel north for the summer, but Gulfstream has races year round so figured I might have some luck.

Thanks again everyone for the help.

[Palm_Beach]

You have to be licensed by the state to get onto the track, so you can’t really just show up and walk around and expect someone to start putting you up on horses until you get your license. Keep working the connections until you find someone willing to take you on. The snowbirds don’t show up until the holidays. It might be worthwhile to work for a smaller outfit for now, and then try to get a job with one of the bigger outfits who come down for the winter.

[babybritain]

@Palm Beach

You have to be licensed by the state to get onto the track, so you can’t really just show up and walk around and expect someone to start putting you up on horses until you get your license. Keep working the connections until you find someone willing to take you on. The snowbirds don’t show up until the holidays. It might be worthwhile to work for a smaller outfit for now, and then try to get a job with one of the bigger outfits who come down for the winter.

Thanks for the advice! I know that I’ll need a license for the track, and have looked into the process already. But Palm Meadows is a training center so I wasn’t sure if the same rules apply? Does anyone know if a license is required at a training center? I was assuming not but I could be totally wrong obviously.

I would love to work for a smaller outfit, at least to start, as I’m sure I’ll be rusty.

I appreciate the help guys!

[babybritain]

Duplicate post.

[gumtree]

@Palm Beach

You have to be licensed by the state to get onto the track, so you can’t really just show up and walk around and expect someone to start putting you up on horses until you get your license. Keep working the connections until you find someone willing to take you on. The snowbirds don’t show up until the holidays. It might be worthwhile to work for a smaller outfit for now, and then try to get a job with one of the bigger outfits who come down for the winter.

While this is true at the tracks. You don’t need to be licensed to get into the training centers I have been too. Like Fair Hill, etc. I haven’t been to Palm Meadows in a few years, unless things have changed you don’t need to be licensed to get in there and walk around to the barns. Which is why I sent the OP there where she can go to Chuck Simon’s barn and talk to him.

When it comes to racetracks. That depends on the track policy. Go to the stable gate, park outside go and talk to the stable gate guard. The tracks I worked at generally had a jobs board to post on and or a trainer can post on. Or trainers looking for help tell the guards what they are looking for and to get numbers from anyone interested. And or if someone shows up a the gate give them a call. They or their assistant will come to the gate and have a chat. The racing office is another place to stop in and talk.Depending on things they might give a temporary day pass. There are a bit more hoops to jump through to get licensed at the track as an exercise rider than say a groom or hot walker. Easier to start at a training center and learn the ropes. Get some 'street creed" references before looking for work at the track.

[NancyM]

Yes, you will need a license no matter where you work. It is for insurance purposes. You will need an “occupational” license, which will allow you to be a groom, hotwalker etc., and will probably be OK for galloping at a training center. To exercise racehorses at a recognized track, you will need a gallop license, which means that a few people at the racing office need to watch you gallop a horse, and “OK” you as competent. I suggest that you call the race office, and talk to them about licensing. But you need an employer before you can apply for a license. Your employer must sign your license application.

And yes, you are crazy. Welcome to the club. It’s kind of a prerequisite!

[babybritain]

Thank you guys for all the advice and tips! It is really helpful!

[Palm_Beach]

@NancyM

Yes, you will need a license no matter where you work. It is for insurance purposes. You will need an “occupational” license, which will allow you to be a groom, hotwalker etc., and will probably be OK for galloping at a training center. To exercise racehorses at a recognized track, you will need a gallop license, which means that a few people at the racing office need to watch you gallop a horse, and “OK” you as competent. I suggest that you call the race office, and talk to them about licensing. But you need an employer before you can apply for a license. Your employer must sign your license application.

And yes, you are crazy. Welcome to the club. It’s kind of a prerequisite!

I’ve never heard track licenses referred to as “occupational” licenses. They are not listed in state databases of occupational licenses.

https://www.dllr.state.md.us/pq/

Tracks require a trainer to have a badge list on file, which lists each employee. You need to be on someone’s badge list prior to being issued a license. The license is specific to your occupation - hotwalker, groom, ex rider, etc. And the licensing requirement is state regulation and has nothing to do with insurance and everything to do with gambling, which is why you also need to disclose a criminal record and get fingerprinted.

To get your first license as an exercise rider, you need the trainer that employs you, the outrider, and possibly another trainer to vouch that you are a capable enough rider to gallop at the track. The racing office does not get involved. At least that’s the way it was back in the 80s when I was first licensed. Once you get your exercise rider license, most states/tracks will reciprocate and you don’t have to go through that involved process if you go to work in another state or for another trainer.

I’ve never worked at a training center, most of which, I believe, are privately owned and therefore not under state jurisdiction, so I cannot comment on what is required to get a job riding there.

[Laurierace]

Add me to the list who has never heard of nor held an occupational lisense despite having pretty much every racing related job you can have both on and off the track. Can you elaborate?

[saratoga]

When I started working at the track, my husband and friend and I just drove to the back entrance and asked the security guard if he knew of anyone looking for work and sure enough, there were some signs up on the booth for grooms wanted. I called one trainer, and we got hired immediately- first had to get fingerprinted and a background check to get licensed. Then, as others have said, if you can find someone to let you ride, you let the steward know what you are doing and they will watch to see if they think you are capable.
I worked at the track for several seasons when I was in my 20s, before and during and right after grad school. It was super fun, memories that I will always cherish all kinds of weird characters/crazy stuff, definitely much different than working in the corporate world, but difficult to support yourself long term

[babybritain]

@Palm Beach

I’ve never heard track licenses referred to as “occupational” licenses. They are not listed in state databases of occupational licenses.

https://www.dllr.state.md.us/pq/

Tracks require a trainer to have a badge list on file, which lists each employee. You need to be on someone’s badge list prior to being issued a license. The license is specific to your occupation - hotwalker, groom, ex rider, etc. And the licensing requirement is state regulation and has nothing to do with insurance and everything to do with gambling, which is why you also need to disclose a criminal record and get fingerprinted.

To get your first license as an exercise rider, you need the trainer that employs you, the outrider, and possibly another trainer to vouch that you are a capable enough rider to gallop at the track. The racing office does not get involved. At least that’s the way it was back in the 80s when I was first licensed. Once you get your exercise rider license, most states/tracks will reciprocate and you don’t have to go through that involved process if you go to work in another state or for another trainer.

I’ve never worked at a training center, most of which, I believe, are privately owned and therefore not under state jurisdiction, so I cannot comment on what is required to get a job riding there.

Thanks for all the info! I thought that the licenses had to do with gambling, which is why I assumed I wouldn’t need one for the training center, but I will make sure to find out!

Saratoga, thanks for the tips! Looks like I’ll just be asking around to see if anyone is hiring! I know it’s likely not going to be great for supporting myself long term. But I just couldnt keep teaching after 5 years of hating it. I’m lucky to have health insurance through my husband, and even though I’ll still have to pay the bills, at least I have someone to split them with me!

[Where_sMyWhite]

Possibly things like an “occupational” license as well as what is required for a license at the track are going to be state-specific so one state might have something called an “occupational” license while another state may not? Different states will more than likely also have different requirements and processes/procedures for obtaining a license for a racetrack in that state.

[babybritain]

@Palm Beach

I’ve never heard track licenses referred to as “occupational” licenses. They are not listed in state databases of occupational licenses.

https://www.dllr.state.md.us/pq/

Tracks require a trainer to have a badge list on file, which lists each employee. You need to be on someone’s badge list prior to being issued a license. The license is specific to your occupation - hotwalker, groom, ex rider, etc. And the licensing requirement is state regulation and has nothing to do with insurance and everything to do with gambling, which is why you also need to disclose a criminal record and get fingerprinted.

To get your first license as an exercise rider, you need the trainer that employs you, the outrider, and possibly another trainer to vouch that you are a capable enough rider to gallop at the track. The racing office does not get involved. At least that’s the way it was back in the 80s when I was first licensed. Once you get your exercise rider license, most states/tracks will reciprocate and you don’t have to go through that involved process if you go to work in another state or for another trainer.

I’ve never worked at a training center, most of which, I believe, are privately owned and therefore not under state jurisdiction, so I cannot comment on what is required to get a job riding there.

Thanks for all the info! I thought that the licenses had to do with gambling, which is why I assumed I wouldn’t need one for the training center, but I will make sure to find out!

Saratoga, thanks for the tips! Looks like I’ll just be asking around to see if anyone is hiring! I know it’s likely not going to be great for supporting myself long term. I’m lucky to have health insurance through my husband, and even though I’ll still have to pay the bills, at least I have someone to split them with me!

Where’sMyWhite, I’m sure things vary by state, yeah. From what I’ve gathered, here in FL it’s an occupational license that requires you to get fingerprinted and send in a short application.