From what I have gathered so far, here in FL they are called a General Individual Occupation License and they require fingerprinting and sending in a short application. I’m sure they do vary by state, though.
I appreciate the info everyone!
If you enjoy it…that’s the job for you!!! In real life I am/was and RN working in the operating room, but loved horses and riding…met my husband (now of 45 years) started galloping at the farm…married and galloped for 40 YEARS!! I have never regretted have the nursing education, and NEVER regretted the years of riding horses!! Just make sure you start working for a good trainer you can trust to put you on “sane”/“safe” horses that won’t kill you!! Some trainers are not so good about watching out for a “newbie” rider’s safety!! “Free Lancing” (taking any catch rides you can get) is DANGEROUS!! Make sure you have good health insurance!! If you get hurt…there are plenty of other riders to take your place!! There isn’t much “loyalty” in the horse business!! GOOD LUCK!!
Wow 40 years! That’s amazing!
It is definitely good to have something to fall back on. Did you do nursing and ride simultaneously? Luckily, I’m a teacher and we are in short supply right now in many places, so I can easily go back to teaching if I decide I want/need to. I am also lucky to have health insurance through my husband. I know this is likely not a job I can support myself with long term, but I’m just so sick of having a job I hate.
I will definitely do my best to find a good trainer who won’t just plop me down on anything, since I’ll be rusty. The horses at my last galloping job were quite well behaved, though that was at a farm so a completely different environment I’m guessing. We did have a few crazy ones.
Thank you for the well wishes! I’ll keep you guys posted.
Me too. Once I got my license/badge which allowed me to be on the track, that was it – no job/occupation description attached. Never had to gallop a horse in front of anyone either – but that was then. Perhaps it’s different now. My trainers license did require a test.
“Occupational” license must be different in different jurisdictions. IMO, it’s a good system. An occupational license allows workers to be grooms and hotwalkers (to work with horses but not ride them at the track), and to learn how to gallop on a farm or training center as a part of their job working for a licensed trainer, but does NOT allow them to gallop at a recognized racetrack. Need an “exercise” license to do that, which your skill level must be OK’d by the stewards that you have enough skill to be turned loose in a crowd of horses and riders at a real racetrack. Helps to keep everyone safe from riders who should not be out there (though a few get through the cracks at times). Normally, the trainer you have been working for and learning to gallop under will bring you to the track, supply you with a suitable horse to ride in front of the stewards for inspection so that you can upgrade your license to an exercise license.To take a trainer’s test, a person must have held an occupational license for 2 (?) years, but do not need to hold an exercise or gallop license. This stops people walking in off the street to take a trainer’s test with “book learning” only, they must have 2 years of documented “hands on” experience at a racetrack before taking a trainer’s test. In years past, a large percentage of those taking the trainer’s test still failed, but in recent years, things have become so desperate with lack of participation of trainers (and owners) in our jurisdiction, and lack of horses, that it is pretty scary now who passes. For everything. Good luck OP! Look after yourself, no one else will do that for ya! Make sure that you work for the “right” people, not just anyone who wants you to gallop a horse for them!
I assume you must be talking about the rules and regs in BC Canada? Because I have been licensed for various jobs at different tracks in different states. I was never required to have, obtain an “Occupational license”. I was required to get a work permit in Maryland when I first worked on the track for trainers other then my family when I was 16. They paid a of lot better then my family did, lol.
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I kept my nursing job for several months after I began to gallop…but the truth is…the horse business paid better than “nursing” in NC in the 70’s!!! They were still on a “pre civil war wage” back then!! Race horses paid wayyyyyy more and were a lot more fun!!! I’d never regret my RN education…it applied well to raising a child and nursing care for expensive TB’s!! Like the saying goes…“you never work a day if you enjoy your job”…and I did love it. On another note…it’s great body building exercise and you learn to cope with difficult horses by using your brains and common sense…not just your muscles!!
When I groomed in the early/mid 70s in Md. My pay then using an inflation calculator would be over $900 per week in today’s dollars. I rubbed 3 horses, sometimes 4. But go paid a bit more for he 4th.
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We probably crossed paths!! My husband was the only trainer I worked for/with!! We raced all Md. tracks and went to Delaware Park for “summer vacation”!! I never drew a real salary, but the business paid well and we had GREAT clients and my husband had a very high % of money won/starts!! In NC as an RN…charge nurse ICU alt with ER…straight nights…All premium pay…I made 1/2 of what I made in the job I left in Conn. working 5 days/wk. in the OR!! NC pay was lousey!! And the horses were WAYYYYY more fun!!
Just a quick update since everyone was so helpful!
I reached out to the trainer at Palm Meadows suggested by gumtree (thanks, gumtree). He doesn’t need riders right now, but agreed to give me a shot as a groom, and promised to get me on some horses after I establish myself. I start next week and I can’t express how excited I am. I really think this is what I’m meant to be doing, at least for this stage in my life.
If anyone is still wondering, I found out I will need an occupational license to groom or ride at the training center as well as the track. I’m guessing this is because Palm Meadows is affiliated with Gulfstream. It’s super easy to get though–just need a background check really.
So, thank you everyone for the advice and encouragement! Can’t wait to be working with racehorses again!
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Good luck! I hope you have a great time and everything works out perfectly.
Congratulations!
Well congratulations and thank you for clearing up the occupational license question! Once you get your foot in the door you will be suprised at how fast you will get back iin the groove, and if you work hard, stay sober and show up every day on time you will probably be able to work wherever you want. Not that I think you are a partier; the track can be kind of a crazy place, and it can be hard to find good help that actually shows up on time every day in fit condition to work.
Thanks! That’s exactly what the trainer told me, actually. He said most grooms don’t last too long because they’re alcoholics! I’ve heard many stories about working at the track, but I am definitely not a partier and am obsessively punctual, so I’m thinking I should be just fine.
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Yeah there is a ton of alcoholism and drug use at the track. I specifically remember one jockey that rode for us in the morning that was always wrecked and sometiems didnt show up at all. We had a ton of homeless people sleeping in the tack stalls and just sll kinds of crazy stuff but thats a big part of what made it fun. Defintely good stories to tell.
Garrett Gomez was one very visible example as was Chris Antley. Both such talented riders and both drug-related losses 
Oh, if you can ride half a lick you’ll be an exemplary employee! Hope you get in with a good outfit and get to ride nice, somewhat sane horses.
No worries there. Chuck is a very competent trainer. He was the late great trainer Allen Jerkins’ long time assistant.
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