Working as a stable hand?

Question

Do u have to have any kind of experience to work as a stable hand at a riding school?

Answer 1

Sometimes they will take a eager beginner. You didn't say if your a adult looking to do this as your primary job. Nor if you a horse crazy teen who's looking to learn and may be earn a little money.

Some barns have whats called a "WORKING STUDENT" position.As a working student you usually don't get cash (sometimes but a very small amount) You learn everything from mucking( cleaning) stalls ,turning out horses, feeding, grooming, tacking and health care and trailering, show grooming . You will also get more advanced riding lessons. You may also be taken to horse shows or show horses for your barn. You might learn some basic horse training or help with childrens lessons.Some times with being a WORKING STUDENT you can even live at the barn if your over 18 ( they usally have trailer or old house for the working students to live in) If you own a horse his board may be included. It's hard work but at a really good show barn you will learn so much in this manner.Note if it's a well known top barn/trainer it may be very competitive to get a working student position.
Now , if your a teen and just love horses and want to learn perhaps pick a stable and take a few lessons. If you like the place ask if they might be able to hire you to work there .A stable that knows you a little from taking lessons might be more likely to say yes . You might be offered to work in exchange for lessons or ride time. This is a good deal is you want lessons.Lessons can be very expensive.If you want cash they may not say yes cause lots of teen girls are willing to work for just lessons. If you make a deal make sure you get the lessons you earn and make sure its a fair deal. Stable owners are notorious for " forgetting" to give you all of your earned ride time/ lessons.

Now if your an adult looking to work with horses for pay for the first time ...it doesn't really pay all that well.Maybe a race track might but a riding stable probally a little better than min wage if you have no experience if they will even hire you. You could ask at few places you might come across a kind owner that really needs help.

Working with horses is hard work but so much fun.Its not hard to learn to care for horses but ask lots of questions... and follow the safety advice they give you. GOOD LUCK

Answer 2

If it's voluntary- No. They need all the help they can get. Paid- yes. Most horse places won't pay someone unless they can't afford not to. There are alot of people that work with horses voluntarily to gain experience, and then ask for a paid position. You might have to take this avenue.

Don't stress about not having experience- you have to learn somewhere, and not everyone that loves horses has grown up with them (me included). I have more experience now than some that have grown up with horses. By working with them you gain a whole new perspective on the horse and how they work, and you get to see the different personalities of the horses because you are around so many of them.

Just call some riding schools in your area and ask them how to go about working for them. I don't think you'll get a turn down, as horse places are known for always needing an extra hand.

Good Luck

Answer 3

YES
taking care of horses is not as easy as people think, go to the stable you are intrested in working at and ask if they have any jobs available that dont require as much horse experience, working there you will start to pick up on the horse stuff and will eventually be able to move up. thats what I would reccomend. Im sure they could start you cleaning tack, its actuall fun and it smells good haha. maybe you could help out with the kid riding students.

Answer 4

Most stable hands are experienced. cause woking as a stable hand means you have to groom the horses properly, exercise the horses, feed them, water them, give them hay, tack them up for riding lessons for other people. but im sure if you really want the job the barn owners will teach you all these things if you will work hard. you also have to muck out stalls and turn the horses out to the padocks,and bring them back in, not all the horses but some of them its alot of work..

Answer 5

Most of the stables that I had horses at were willing to train an inexperienced person. However, be aware that horses can be dangerous to work around. Especially if you have no experience with them.

Answer 6

For safety sake (and the insurance problem of the stables) you should have some experience with horses. Unless someone's going to take the horses out of their stalls so you can muck them out, or you won't be grooming etc.

Answer 7

I worked as sturdy hand for some years at my equestrain midsection, I now help prepare and lesson horses for the vendors. As a sturdy hand i became in charge for: mucking stalls, putting sparkling bedding interior the stalls, feeding and haying the horses, turning them out and bringing them in from the fields, cleansing water buckets and refilling them, sweeping the isle techniques. those are exceptionally plenty the fundamentals. Extras might contain: cleansing tack, grooming horses, bathing horses, helping load horses directly to trailers

Answer 8

I think a little bit of experience with horses would help. Horse can sense if you are scared of them. But you won't need that much experience.

Answer 9

It is up to the people hiring you. I don't know why you would all you do is clean out stalls and maybe walk around a horse or two.

Answer 10

If they have the time to teach you every little thing, no. But most places require some experiance