Talk to me about show grooms

[mvp]

@kaya842

When I worked a similar gig (3-5 horses with 3 riders, mostly showing in the same rig/ divisions), I received a base pay from the trainer ($60-75 per day can’t remember), + daily charge per horse of $15, + hotel, + tips (which supposedly weren’t required, but it seemed trainer insisted) that were often a couple hundred per horse for the week. I averaged $1200-1500 per week and found the amount of work to be manageable but certainly exhausting. I was shocked that other grooms could somehow manage 10-15 horses by themselves! There is no way I would have been able to do that unless someone else was doing the feeding/ cleaning/ water/ lunging (which wasn’t the case for those guys).

You mean show grooms have 10-15 horses under their care, including stalls, water and feeding? Man, that seems hard/unrealistic. The pros I knew as a kid might have 6 at a show. Perhaps they could stretch to do 8.

[IPEsq]

Any full service program I’ve been in (as customer or groom), there would never be that many horses for one person to manage alone if tacking, bathing, lunging, going to the ring, etc. was involved. Either there were multiple grooms with different tasks based on skill (some focused on mucking, water, hay, possibly helping with bathing, while others did the tacking, bandaging, going to the ring, lunging and possibly also exercise riding), or the horses were divided up 3-4 head per groom. As mentioned above, 3-4 horses would be a full time job. You might be able to find someone local to do maybe part of a week, but even if you do some of the work yourselves, the on days you will likely have to pay for full time work to make it worth it for anyone skilled to help you.

[kaya842]

I know only what I was told Agreed it would be incredibly unmanageable, especially long term.

[Pally]

I’m not going to specifically get into the pay & workload argument. I’m thinking I’m the wrong person to ask since I was probably slightly underpaid much of my grooming career. But, hey, I mostly loved my riders and horses (and mostly avoided the hunters ).

But to answer whether it’s reasonable to hire someone part-time… Honestly, the tedious and mysterious nature of a hunter’s show schedule typically makes this really, really hard. But not necessarily impossible if you can find the right person and be somewhat accommodating to their schedule as well (So for instance, if they tell you in advance they need to leave at 5 pm, and the ring drags along, you might just have to put Dobbin away yourself.) Your odds of finding a more casual situation are greatly helped by being in Ocala, which has such a big horse community (both permanent and seasonal). You might find what you need in someone like… a person who shipped down to show and ended up with a lame horse, or an eventer looking for extra cash. You might also find help from someone whose employment plans have, um, changed mid-circuit.

The only thing with these situations (especially that last one) is it can be hard to firm up those kinds of arrangements before you get there. There are some relevant Facebook groups. Once you’re there you can try the good old fashioned bulletin board, and also putting the word out to fellow trainers, braiders, grooms, etc.

[Pokerface]

There are only 2 ways I can see part time working.

1. if you share this person with someone else and understand that they are handling multiple horses.
2. They are limited to only doing certain tasks in the morning or evening. For example, if they were to feed/clean stalls/water/hay and then maybe wash or lunge a few horses. Or if they were to wash and lunge all the horses while someone else picks out and does the other stuff.

I don’t see a way to do all of the ‘barn chores’ plus prep horses for the ring while still be considered part time. Wouldn’t be worth it to most people.

[OnDeck]

IME $100/day plus tips and expenses is typical for someone who is there primarily to feed and do stalls and pitch in wherever is needed the rest of the day. They may tack up or bring a horse to the ring but they are not “show grooming” in the true sense. This person is also typically a client or a student who needs some extra cash not a professional show groom. I would expect to pay more for a show groom who can do things like pull a perfect mane in 5 minutes flat or body clip at 5PM and have the horse look perfect in time for their 8AM class.

[Jackie_Cochran]

I have a question.

Do the professional show groomers use the horse’s own grooming kit or do they use their own, preferred, and maybe more effective brushes/grooming tools?

[ladyj79]

Grooms. Generally speaking, a professional groom is not a freelancer. They work for one Rider or one Barn. It entirely depends on whether the groom asks for particular equipment that is purchased by the rider or if the groom purchases equipment that is then their equipment. My experience as a professional groom is that most of us have our riders buy the material that we want, and maybe occasionally you’re buying something when you’re out and you’re like oh I need this, like I needed pink brushes that the Argentine men would not steal from me.

Freelance grooms might have their own kit, but it would be unhygienic to be a freelance groom who’s say working for multiple clients and using your own kit on multiple client horses. Cuz that’s how you spread a variety of conditions. In fact, at one Barn in Belgium I had to lock up my brushes for My horses because I had other random grooms grabbing my stuff off of my stalls, and using it on their horses and then my horses contracted ringworm. Cuz that can be very prevalent in Europe, and very easy to spread.

During the brief times that I have freelanced, I absolutely used the rider or the barns own equipment, not my own. No groom, especially somebody who’s freelancing, wants to even risk the appearance of having caused a skin condition, fungus, etc.

[Jackie_Cochran]

Thank you Ladyj79.

I’m asking because the young lady (teenage) who is helping me is so cooperative and NICE to me I’ve asked for her help grooming for my homework ride. She deserves some GOOD brushes to use with the mare she rides (a sensitive soul) and I’d like to give her some Haas brushes since she likes them so much with my lesson horse.

I am an elder figure at the barn. I need to give good advice. I can now tell her just to use the brushes on the horses in the barn and not elsewhere, just like I do. Teenagers always need money, and there could be a temptation to groom horses at other barns for money. She works at the barn to afford lessons, mucking out stalls and occasionally helping me groom and tack up the horse.

She’s already become a convert to Haas brushes. It took just brushing 1/4 of the horse and she was gushing about how nice the brush was.