Stable hands??

Question

just curious

on average

how much do they make?

and how long do they work?

not wanting to become one.. just curious!

Answer 1

first of all, whoa they changed the format of the form to answer this question.. weird..

and second, i made $3 per stall, and then about $15 or $20 for doing HALF turnout, feeding, washing and filling buckets, sweeping and general cleaning. etc. etc. (we had a partner to do the 20 stall barn, so 10 stalls each and then half of turnout, feeding and whatnot..)

but now i get $75 for mucking 12 stalls and doing the turnout and feeding/cleaning/watering for those horses all alone..

And in both cases, i work from 7:30 to 10:30 (then i ride..) and 11:30-1:30.  Though, towards the end alot of it is waiting around for horses to eat so i can switch turnout.. so thats when i usually clean something lol.

Answer 2

Boy, you guys make a LOT better wages than I did as a kid (18) back in '70 (You do the math!).

I worked as a ranch hand/wrangler for a rental string in Northern California and what I was paid was $25.00/week that year, then during school, I got my horse's board for working weekends.  

My day started about 6:30 A.M., with running in the 75+ - head of rent horses into a catch pen, catching them up, then holding or brushing them while somebody else held them, saddled and bridled them, then led them to the "picket line" where they would wait for the first groups of riders.  

Then saddling up my own horse and either just taking the first group of riders down the trail to the "bird dogger" (The wrangler who spent most of the day down the trail picking up groups from other wranglers and taking them the remainder of the way down the trail.) or packing a lunch, bird dogged down the trail.  There were NO 8 - 10 hour days.  It was more like my day started at 6:30 AM and ended at MAYBE 7:30 PM.

I did that for 7 days a week during my first summer and my brother figured out that I made a whopping 37 cents an hour!

BUT what I learned those couple of years spent working there, I've carried with me all these decades later.

Answer 3

well,

because im not 16, i dont get payed yet, so i do it in exchange for lessons. i work 5 hours everyday mon-fri. But once im 16 i think you make minimum wage... :/

Answer 4

Slightly above minimum wage.

I was getting £6 and hour but that was a few years ago. ( I also got given loads of stuff like rubber matting for my stables etc)

Answer 5

If you are casually employed around $24.00 an hour   if your permanent   around $20 per hour for a 38 hour week.

Answer 6

15 dollars per hour 10 hours a day 5 days a week

Answer 7

That depends.

I have worked just above minimum wage 2xs week -- 12 hour days.

I have work for $800.00 a month -- with an all bills paid living space.  work 6 days a week -- 14 hour days.  When we went to the shows it was 18 to 20 hour days  for the duration of the shows.  Some lasting 2 days, others 2 weeks and one time a year it lasted 30 days(2 shows back to back).  (got a $5 per meal allowance for food)  YOU do the math, the other grooms and I sat down and figured it out once and swore to each other not to do it again.  BUT --  When you think of about pay -- you also have to include education.  I learned a lot in the 2 1/2 -3 years I work there.  Of course Its been quite awhile ago since I work for someone else.

Some areas are union.  That changes a few things.  They won't let your boss work you over 8 hours  and they have to give you breaks -  your pay is based on your experience and performance.  Of course the union has it draw backs too.

Another place the hours were 8am to 5pm  -- I can't remember what I got paid.

Another place the regular hours were 7am to 5pm -- but I rarely left before 1 or 2 am during foaling season.  I was privileged enough to see 7 foals born all in one night.  It was awesome!!!  I believe I got 800.00 a month then.  But that was a long time ago too.  I didn't have to stay past 5 pm BUT I wouldn't have missed all the babies I got to see being born.  I loved that job so much my boss would have to insist I go home and get some rest.  Sometimes I would show up on my days off, just to check on my baby barn.

So, I guess the answer to your question what is the average pay.  In the ranch world bartering is king.  It is more about what you don't have to pay for VS what you get paid.  It also depends on your experience and your position and the length of time you have worked for them.  To put numbers to it the average will run between minimum wage and $15.00 an hour.

Being a ranch hand for some is a career and others a stepping stone --  This makes a big difference in how and what form the individual seeks their pay. Either a Labor of Love or Means to an End.

EDIT:  Hey, Sam M what area do you live in, I have individuals that want to work there.  That pretty good pay.

Answer 8

Hmmm...well, in the southeast, in 2005, I worked 2 days a week (sat & sun) and made "$8ish" per hour.  I was 18.  I use the quotes because I wasn't paid.  I had a private hour lesson in exchange, which was really a $55 value.  So, a little more than 8 in a slightly rural, just past suburban area of in the southeast.  So, this was almost 4 years ago, I had some experience--had fed and barn-sat for a friend--was younger.  So, with inflation and depending on where you live, how nice the barn is, etc. you would make more or a little less.  This was a very high medium-grade barn (cross country course, 25 horses, show jumping arena, dressage arena, training arena, and grass jumping area--a medium size eventing barn.

Again, this was just my experience.  Others can and will vary greatly, depending on barn, year, area, experience, responsibilities, etc. (I brought the horses in, cleaned stalls, fed, cleaned automated waterers, cleaned troughs, and cleaned the barn aisles.  I did this together with another stablehand--who became an excellent friend.  We still keep in touch.  Nothing bonds you like hard work and a common love of horses).

Answer 9

The going rate around here for help is 8-10 per hour.  I'm in the Midwest.

A professional setting...boarding facility, vet hospital, etc...would be more likely to offer a full time (40 hour) position than a private setting.  I have someone come in whenever I need certain things done...hay put in the loft, the shelter cleaned out, etc.