Stable Hands/Grooms

Ave Sodalis

Hi,
It's something I've been curious about and I wanted to know the general consensus.. How to do other people of the horsey world feel about the working conditions and pay of stable staff and grooms in Ireland? Given that the average worker (taken from UK stats, but although there is no stats for Ireland, I'd imagine it's similar) majority of people work under minimum wage and longer than the legal hours. I know myself, in my last job, I was working nearly 90 hours a week, with no pay except accommodation, and when it came time for a show, I could expect to go all day without food or a bathroom break. Is it a generally an accepted thing, and known to be the way it is, or does something need to change?

aoifemcd

I think it's disgraceful to be honest. I was in a similar boat to yourself OP in the last yard I worked in. I wasn't paid and was lucky to have a second job on a Saturday to keep a bit of money in my pocket. However after working crazy hours as a groom all week I wasn't exactly fit to do my other job.

For the work that Grooms and stable hands do they do my get half enough money or recognition. I appreciate that it's a difficult industry to make money in and that money is tight but I think it needs to be more regulated and minimum wage should be strictly enforced. I know it can be seen that they provide accommodation and food etc but at the end of the day if you work for someone you deserve to have money coming in at the end of the week.

Just my opinion - I know some may disagree but being a groom is a demanding job- they deserve their rewards!

monflat

I totally agree the conditions are terrible. The pay is terrible and you work your fingers to the bone with very little monetary reward.

The thing that a lot of employers get away with is the fact there is a lot of willing young people out there who love love love horses snd would do anything to work with them .

I remember I worked. Somewhere once my job involved instructing and riding race horses when there was not much teaching to be done.

Myself& another girl were the only 2 out of a possible 10 workers that were registered employees.
Delving into the other grooms ( skivvys ) lives the agreement was they receive pocket money each week and had full board and accommodation.

However the pocket money they had to ask and ask for it
They never went out because they were so tired to even go anywhere.
They lived miles from anywhere and the odd time the owner might drop them somewhere.
They worked 7 days a week though and rarely had any time off.

But the owner had all his horses exercised groomed mucked out fed etc etc young stock assisted with mares foaled all for giving the staff a bit to eat

Shameful

But its goin on everywhere

Ave Sodalis

Has anyone ever actually done anything about it though? What is it the Irish Stable Staff Association do? I seen an article in the Irish Field by them which had something to do with awards but didn't know they were even active until then, and I didn't get a chance to read it so I don't know what the award were for. What's the point in its existence if, not only is there nothing really done, but we don't even know the extent of it due to lack of statistics? Do stable staff have rights and legal hours? Why is it that the equine industry is notorious for its poor working conditions and why is it so many big yards are seemingly completely unaware of the strain they put their staff under?