Personal Grooms...

[NatBeu]

Ok so nobody at my barn has a personal groom. We do all of the work ourselves. I mean we do have stable hands that clean the stalls and buckets and turn our horses out, but we do all of the grooming and tacking. What does everyone else do and what do you think of it?

[countercanter]

I am a hunter rider but I am weird - I do ALL my own horse care. I feed, turn out, turn in, clean stalls, give my own vaccinations and worming and hold my own horse for the farrier. So, no, I don't use a groom at shows. The closest I come to having a groom is sometimes I ask my gf to tack up a horse for me if I have more than one to ride and I am running short on time.

I had recently turned over some morning chores to someone in my barn in a sort of a co-op situation and it turned out that nothing was being done correctly or consistently so it solidified my view that if you want something done right, do it yourself.

[miruseques]

Anywhere where I've boarded, I had to do just about everything or at least help sometimes. The first place I boarded at, I groomed and tacked my own horses. I would help feed some nights, I would help turn in if I was there at the time, and my father and I would clean out our own stalls. We've never had stable hands around, just people who went to the barn anyway and would help out. I liked that a lot better than if there were people hired outside of the barn to help out.

The last place in which I boarded I had to clean out my own horse's stall, clean and fill his bucket, I usually fed him, everything.

It was good practice for when I brought my horse's home.

I really think everyone should have some experience at doing things like that incase they can't afford to board at that nice of a place or end up taking their horses to their house where they the more than likely wouldn't have that luxury.

[Lindsayanne]

I absolutely do everything I can. I consider that a huge part of being a rider. Honestly, I enjoy grooming and tacking up as much or more than actually riding.

[countercanter]

I really think everyone should have some experience at doing things like that incase they can't afford to board at that nice of a place or end up taking their horses to their house where they the more than likely wouldn't have that luxury.

haha, even when I have been at so-called full care barns I have still ended up doing much of my own care. At one "nice" barn I ended up being the only one who ever filled the water troughs in the paddocks and eventually that turned into me being the only one to fill the trough for the owner's three cows as well. I also cleaned my own stall because the stall cleaner decided my horse was "loco".

At another very well-known local barn I was one of about three people (all boarders, no management) who hand watered all 80 horses during an ice storm that broke the automatic waterers.

I will never board at a full care facility again.

[jumpers4me]

I keep my horse at my own place but, in the winter when we are at a barn everyone tacks up their own horse. I think if you want to own a horse you should know how to do things yourself. It is just part of being a horse owner. I think it is pathetic when you show up to the barn, hop on your horse already warmed up, ride for a little while then hand your horse back over to the groom. half the fun in owning and riding horses is spending time with them. They have so much personality and u dont realize it if you never spend time with him/her.

[ProvidenceJRhtr]

I am at a barn where you are expected to do most of the work, but there is help too. But when I go to the shows at monroe I usually am the only person that goes so I braid myself and I clean Eric's stall and Dinkies and I bath them and hand walk and stuff, I will usually be there from 4am to when ever I am done riding and my horses are fed and at rest. I love doing it though because the pay off is so much sweeter in the end!!! :cool:

[miruseques]

haha, even when I have been at so-called full care barns I have still ended up doing much of my own care. At one "nice" barn I ended up being the only one who ever filled the water troughs in the paddocks and eventually that turned into me being the only one to fill the trough for the owner's three cows as well. I also cleaned my own stall because the stall cleaner decided my horse was "loco".

At another very well-known local barn I was one of about three people (all boarders, no management) who hand watered all 80 horses during an ice storm that broke the automatic waterers.

I will never board at a full care facility again.

I never boarded at a "full care facility", never had enough money to be handing it out when I had the time and ability to do things myself. I always had a lot of fun helping to do things around the barns. I really wouldn't have had it any other way.

I see some of these places that use younger kids (like 11 and 12) to act as grooms and it makes me kind of sad to see these girls running after another girl on her horse to make sure it looks pristine before it steps foot into the show ring. This was at an open show too.

[AidEE]

I think it is very important to handle and know your horse. That is not possible if you dont do a lot of work. At horse shows my mom pays my barn's groom to NOT do anything. it is nice sometimes to have someone help you when you're in a rush...but on the whole i think you should do a lot of the work yourself. Having horses as your life style doesent mean just riding them, its working working with them too.

[Pinnacle]

I'm on full board at my barn.. but I have done self in the past. At shows I do everything by myself.. braiding, etc.

[countercanter]

I see some of these places that use younger kids (like 11 and 12) to act as grooms and it makes me kind of sad to see these girls running after another girl on her horse to make sure it looks pristine before it steps foot into the show ring. This was at an open show too.

I was at an A show once and saw a little girl reaming her (adult) groom for putting a martingale on her pony when he should have known that she was about to do a flat class. It was sickening. It's not like they were even up at the ring yet, it was back at the barn and it took all of half a minute to slip the martingale off so she could take the pony.

When I was doing A shows with a big barn we had our horses braided for us but did the rest ourselves. At the back gate we helped each other put on hoof polish, wipe off tall boots, and remove tail bandages. Whoever was not showing at that particular time would just act as back gate help. It worked out really well.

[Pinnacle]

that's how it works at my barn too, countercanter. I cannot even IMAGINE telling someone to go tack my horse up for me.. 1) b/c I'd feel like a complete cow, and 2).. because I'm anal and I'd probably retack him "my" way anyways! hehe

[RMF Frequent Flyer]

I do all the grooming and such. I dont live with Ice, hes at my trainers barn, and she has a stable hand that helps her clean the stalls and feed. But as far as grooming, owners do it all

[cowgurl1811]

I do full board so they feed and clean stalls but i ALWAYS do it when im out. I groom my horse, I tack, I train. I dont exspect anyone else to do it. SHe is MY horse and it is MY resposibility. I think im already asking alot having people feed her and clean her stall. lol.

[_KELSEY_]

I agree, we have braiders and stuff, but I don't think I could handle a groom. Tacking up my horse/brushing and making him pretty before getting on relaxes me and they would probably tack them up "wrong" (I'm a freak about stuff like that) anyways.

At Thunderbird theres a few pony girls who have grooms, and from what I've seen they were so sweet to them. One (cute little blonde girl :p ) was saying there was water and stuff in their golf cart if he wanted any.. I was surprised, and impressed.

[Hunterjmpr7]

I ride hunter/jumpers. i do tack cleaning. grooming, bathing before shows.. all that myself. but we have people to do the stalls. and my instructors usually feed, or our awesome helpers do. and we take turns doing it as well if we have the time. we do turn out on their own, and blanket, etc.

melissa

[hot2trot]

I have my horses at home so I do all the feeding and whatnot myself. Even when I was boarding I did most everything myself aside from feeding and turn in/turn out, though I'd even help out with that most of the time.

[BluePaint554]

I do everything myself. I feed, groom, etc all of my horses. Granted, there are times where you might need a stable hand but I think part of owning a horse is full care. How else would you learn.

[butterflyfx]

I do everything myself with my horse...i clean her stall and feed her myself where she is now, and on august 1st she will be moving to a full board facility where i don't have to do that. (I have a job now, so it makes it harder to get out there or I would still do everything.)

With the other horse I ride, i just go tack him up and ride. I don't have to clean his stall or anything...i keep him clean and such because I'M the one riding him...not the groom. The groom usually helps me tack up anyways, but i usually end up fixing what he does because it isn't "my way" either. haha! :p

[Lexi&Max]

my barn is full care, i guess. they clean, turnout, bring in, feed, ect. its nice because if you go on vacation its one less thing you have to worry about. I still go to the barn everyday, usually twice a day. I sometimes clean the stalls and help feed and bring in. Everyone really pitches in a guess. Its really nice because board is super cheap!

as far as grooms go at shows..
i have:
my mom- making me look good. shes afraid of horses but my God if i ever went into the ring with my boots dirty..
my dad- he holds Max while i tack up and brush. Its reallly nice when your horse cant be tied to the trailer and you need to change!
:p

[Jumper_Sassy]

i couldnt imagine having someone else groom and take up my horse for me,.i mean without that you dont have that special bond and trust between you and your horse. to me thats one of the most inportant things.

at shows, my barn does that same thing a few people have talked about. some help hold your horse, some wipe your boots before you go into the ring. it makes everything alot soother. and we are always there if someone needs any help.

[HunterDreams]

I do everything for Shelby myself. Paddocks, water, training etc.. and I like it that way!

I think that if you really want a horse, and everything that comes with it, than you don't need a personal groom to do everything for you!

I <3 doing work with him and grooming and getting ready for the odd show, because thats what makes horses so fun! Just being with them and caring for them :). Just my opinion though.

i couldnt imagine having someone else groom and take up my horse for me,.i mean without that you dont have that special bond and trust between you and your horse. to me thats one of the most inportant things.
I agree!

[*Maddy*]

I do my own grooming except braiding. Even if I could afford a groom I wouldn't want one for just one horse. I think its nice doing it myself.
I think if you have several horses to ride then its probably nice to have a groom or someone to help you out. But otherwise I think putting a little work in is good for a rider.

[Honeyloupe]

I work at a high-class show barn, and let me tell you - people pay BIG money to not have to do anything but ride their horses. I've never been that kind of rider (never had that kind of budget!) and have never wanted to. It seems strange to have someone else spend more time with your horse than you do, but...I guess for some people, it's all about riding in preparation for show and anything else is just wasted time.

[QHArabDonkey]

i keep my horses at my house , i get the pleasure of doing everything on my own. about the most help i gt is i'll have a friend or two come over to ride and if im lucky , i can con them into doing a little work. but we really don't much work to do here , all my horses are mainly pasture kept. i've never boarded my horses , the closest we came to boarding was when we were watching a friends stable and kept our horses there. so im a personal groom lol


Andrew**

[Ponyluver127]

Well, At shows We tack up our own horses but everything else is the grooms job.

At the stable
Its full care all you do is tack,Groom clean tack and horses. You can clean out stalls and do all that if you want.

[gloryrider]

I ride at a pretty high-up-there show barn, but we generally don't have grooms for shows. I'm really lucky because almost everyone there, and everyone on the "show team", are really nice people and really like taking care of the horses at shows themselves (even the super rich ones and the super good ones). Granted, we pay someone to braid our horses, although I'm trying to learn how so I can save money to go to more shows. Everyone there's cleaned at least one stall in their life. The more advanced students are usually perfectly willing to help turnout horses or bring them in. At home, we all groom and bathe are own horses, and whichever other horses we ride, of course. Like people have already said, taking care of the horse is just as big as actually riding it; you just usually don't win any pretty, fancy ribbons. :p