I have 1 or 2 professional rides on my horse per week. Should this include tack cleaning?
I am not sure I fully understand your question.
Are you saying that you have a pro ride your horse a couple of times per week and you are wondering if you should clean your tack between their rides?
I’m wondering if they should clean the tack after they ride
I wouldn’t expect them to clean my tack. Most pros I know are busy busy busy. If they have a groom who helps them, maybe I’d expect a quick wipe down with a damp rag and the occasional deep clean if things are getting really nasty. Otherwise, I’d just clean my tack when I ride and let the pro focus on what I’m paying them to do (which is presumably to ride, not clean).
5 Likes
Thank you. Makes sense
1 Like
Thank you for clarifying.
I agree with Mander.
Typically the pro rides do not include having your tack cleaned.
I suppose if you are on full training board that might include tack cleaning, but I would not assume it does.
You might be able to have them include tack cleaning for an additional fee if that is worth it to you.
I’d say it depends on the boarding/training package.
If this is a freelance pro who you’re asking to ride your horse, then I wouldn’t expect them to clean tack.
If you’re in a barn where grooming is part of your boarding package, then I would expect the tack to be cleaned to some degree after every ride.
If you’re not paying for grooming, then I would expect that even if the pro is associated with your barn, the ride would be accompanied by minimal grooming (just enough to clean the saddle/girth areas and look respectable enough), and no tack cleaning besides dunking the bit in water.
4 Likes
I would not expect a pro of the talent and experience I would want riding my horse to be doing unpaid work cleaning my tack.
Also I don’t actually clean my tack that often because honestly it doesn’t get that dirty.
5 Likes
If my trainer rides my horse and I’m not there, then her working student preps the horse and sorts him out and wipes the tack down afterwards.
Is it an “owner level” groom and tack clean? Not really, but it does the job.
3 Likes
When I was freelancing, there was usually a tack sponge and bucket hanging nearby and I would wipe the sweat/mud off the bridle and girth. It took about 30 seconds. But i did it for me—I can’t stand gross tack—and I don’t really know if anyone expected me to do it or not.
2 Likes
I’d at least expect the bit to be wiped clean. Dried saliva is nasty to get off 
And if horse was ridden hard enough to have saddle/girth marks, it would be considerate to brush those out. Talent notwithstanding, that’s just courtesy & horsemanship.
2 Likes
