Horse groomer??deiding future job. anyone out there groom horses for a living?? i need some answers...?

Question

I would particularlily want to work at a race track so if some of the questions just don't fit don't worry about em. 1. what time do u wake up by? 2. what are the horses like on a skill 1 - 10. 10 being the most energetic and spunky. 3. are they easy to handle? 4. grooms also clean stalls rights? 5. Does it affect your personaal life by a lot?

ok a lil bit about me i have been riding horses since i was three we used own six and i took care of three of them ((the other three are my sisters)) so i candle handle responsibilitys i brush my horse down' everyday clean her stall everyday and i love doing it. i don't have much of a social life now and probably won't when i'm older. so i'm also trying to find a job that will take up the main amount of my time.

I have one more thing to ask describe a day of being a horse groom to me please?!.

Answer 1

Firstly, you would be employed by a trainer rather than a racecourse and as a result would have to travel with the horses in your care wherever they are running.

Here in GB as a stable lad/lass you would normally be on the yard ready to start work by 6am, sometimes earlier.

Racehorses are notoriously difficult to handle, you need to be very confident in your abilities to deal with them.  I'd say, on your scale, most are a 9 or 10 to deal with.  Don't forget they spend 22 hours a day or so in their stables so they have a lot of energy to burn off!

As a stable lad, yes you will be expected to muck out the stables, and yes it will make you stink!

Your personal life will be affected as you will work long hard hours and earn not very good pay.  Working with horses is a way of life, not a job.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I've been a groom on the race track for the past 5 years.  So hopefully I can answer some questions.  1.  I wake up between 4-4:30 a.m.  I don't have to be at the track until 6 a.m.  but I have to not only get myself around but my son as well.  Then I have 30 minute commute to the track from where I live.  2.  Skill level anywhere from an 8 to a 10.  3.  Most are easy to handle but you can sometimes have one or so that are hard to handle.  4.  Yes grooms are responsible for cleaning the stalls.  5.  Somewhat yes because of the long hours.

A typical day for me is getting to the track at 5:30 a.m.  first thing I do is feed horses.  While they are eating I read the chart to find out which ones go to the track and which ones walk.  6 a.m. I start grooming and tacking up horses that go to the track.  As each horse goes out to the track I muck their stall out.  Horses coming off the track get a bath and are then either hooked up to a hot walking machine or handed off to a hot walker (person) to be cooled out.  Once the horses that go to the track are out then I get the ones that walk out.  Once all the horses are out and all the stalls are clean then I brush off the ones that went the track again and do up their legs.  Once  the horses are taken care of I top off water buckets, pick stalls (p**p piles) and rake the shedrow.  Noon I feed lunch and pick stalls again.  Clean and put away tack.  Do up horse laundry (saddle towels, etc.) If it is a race day and I have a horse in I have to wait on the state vet for a pre-race check and the vet for bute or lasix injection.  Take a break.  On a dark day (no races) I am usually done at noon and don't have to be back at the barn until 3:30-4 p.m. On race day depending on whether the track races in the afternoon or at night determines what time I come back to the barn.  Afternoon racing I am only able to get a half hour for lunch.  Night-time racing I am usually off until 3:30-4 p.m.  On race day I am responsible for grooming the horse, putting on the race bridle, taking the horse to the paddock, picking up the horse after the race, taking the horse back to the barn, bathing, cooling out the horse, and doing leg work.  3:30-4 p.m.  I do evening chores.  I top water buckets, pick stalls, feed horses, and rake shedrow again.  Around 8 p.m.  I come back to the barn to top water buckets again so they have plenty of water until morning.  

The hours are long and the pay isn't that great.  Yes I spend most of my time at the track but the track is a community within itself.  You meet alot of people around the track so it is possible to have a personal life.  My boyfriend and most of all my friends work on the race track so whether I am at the track or off track I still have a life but yes the horses take up quite a bit of my time.  I hope this helps and I hope I answered your questions.  If you have anymore or want more info you can contact me at [e-mail].

Answer 3

Hey, I was a exercise rider at the track but I also groomed and fed but did not muck out.  I woke up between 5 and 5:30 had to be at the track at 6:00.  The horses are very energetic because they are kept in a stall all the time except to be exercised...so I would say a 10...and you have to be strong.  They can be easy but most the time not.  It can affect your personal life because you work 7 days a week...but I always was off by 12......but again I was an exercise rider.

Are you wanting to work up to being an exercise rider??