Freelance Groom

[Peterpiperspepperpot]

I have changed my name for this but I'm an MN regular. I qualified as a BHSAI many years ago, and ran a yard/taught at riding school/freelanced. Not done any of it professionally for years but have always had a horse and occasionally helped people out. I did a stint of pony club teaching 5 yrs ago and did a few cpd days with them/bhs then.

I have recently been made redundant. I'm well into middle age but I'm fit and have no trouble spending a morning poo picking and mucking out.

I'm wondering if those of you with horses would consider someone like me as a freelance groom on an ad hoc basis. The adverts I've seen from freelancers are all about all the things they offer from riding and lungeing to plaiting and clipping, going to shows etc. With smart websites and fb pages to match.

I was just thinking of helping out people with horses at home who find it difficult if they go on holiday or have commitments elsewhere. Just turning out,bringing in, mucking out etc. I will be insured and get DBS checks and references, and will probably go on the BHS coach or grooms register (still in the thinking about it stage)

Thoughts? Is there room for me? And if so how much would you expect to pay? Only planning part time, just for coin in my pocket and something to do instead of looking for a job at my age. Do the posh websites impress you or does the way I used to do it by word of mouth and a postcard in the tack shop suffice?

Thank you!

Thank you. There aren't many purely DIY yards round here as far as I'm aware but it will be interesting to see who responds to my advertising. Who knows who and what is hiding behind all the hedges or down the long drives?
Just getting some photos together then I'll do a FB page etc and see what happens.

I’ll just second what everyone else has said. My friend does this full time (she charges £15ph) and actually most of her business is full yard- as in, she’s hired by the owner to do “the yard” and charges by however many hours she does for each.

She charges extra for riding and clipping etc etc. I think she got most of her jobs through word of mouth, but when she first started out it was jobs advertised on social media.

She loves it; but is by no means rolling in it! Horses never pay. The other thing to consider is, if she is injured etc she earns no money. Her partner works a 9-5 so they aren’t without but it is something to think about.

We are in the north btw, and she is turning work away!! Big demand if you are responsible and reliable.

I'll look into that insurance company. @margotrose Thank you. I was intending to go with SEIB as that's the one the BHS tends to go with for teaching insurance, but it's worth looking around as I'm not going the whole hog.

@feelingalittlehorse I hear you! Thank you. My husband is still full time and quite supportive of this little enterprise as my previous job made me quite stressed, so I'm planning on him hoping he'll keep me if it all goes tits up!