How much would you expect the pay to be for an assistant trainer position at a show barn in the northeast, where compensation was hourly not by commissions? Responsibilities would include riding and teaching. Just wanted to see what others thought would be reasonable to expect… thanks!
This is a loaded question and varies greatly depending on a few factors:
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Are we talking “A” or local show barn that shows in tri-state area or New England? Or show barn that does that circuit and is up and down the coast?
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Are they leaving you home to teach while they’re at shows? Or are you expected to travel also?
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Is housing or board for personal horse included?
If you’re not making a cut of the lessons being taught and you’re in the saddle or teaching for 30-40 hours, then I would probably lean towards an annual salary vs hourly and if it’s an average of 40 hours that you’re spending there or on the road, ask about benefits.
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- It’s an A show barn. They go to Wellington
for the winter, I have the option to go with them, but it’s not a requirement for the job. - Mix of both depending on how many are showing vs staying home
- No housing/board included
What you can expect and what you actually deserve may be two different things, unfortunately. Just this morning saw a post on fb looking for barn help…. Advertising their starting pay as BELOW minimum wage
well if inflation is brought into the picture in 1973 I was paid $300 per week working at show barn in Louisville Kentucky
Bring that 1973 $300 into today’s value it would be about $1,848.43 per week (96K/yr) … using a 40 hour week that is about $46/hr… but it was more like 60 to 80 hours a week
That summer was the longest year of my life
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What you deserve, what you should get and what you might be paid are very different. So turn the question on its head.
How much should you be paid - at the legal minimum wage - for the hours you work? But a person with sufficient skills to teach riding, school horses and manage their welfare, IMO, should be paid above minimum wage. Do you have medical insurance as horses are a risky occupation? Paid vacation time? Regular days off? Any benefits such as personal housing or livery for a horse? Do you have regular training or opportunity to develop your skills? Does the potential pay reflect the level of authority and responsibility in the role? Can you afford to run a vehicle and pay for gas? Is there any chance if saving a bit for a rainy day or pay off educational debt? Is there a contract to sign with employment terms and conditions clearly stated? Then consider how much an average horse in the barn has cost it’s owner and see how the potential annual income on offer stacks up against the price of an average horse.
Then totally remove the word “horse” from any part of the analysis and consider what is a reasonable income in real life.
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