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Horse care: turnout, grooming, exercise Beta
A neighbor who knows horses handles turnout and bringing in, grooming, hoof picking and light exercise when you can't get to the barn.
- How often
- Weekly
- Where the work happens
- Outdoors
- Who it suits
- Can suit a teen working alongside an adult
These open your Papalocal account. You'll be asked to log in or sign up first.
Horse care help covers the daily handling a horse needs: leading out to pasture and back, blanketing in cold weather, brushing and picking hooves, checking legs for heat or cuts, and lunging or riding for exercise if the owner wants it.
Owners who work long hours, who are laid up with an injury, who travel, or who have more horses than time ask for this help. Some want it a few days a week; others need a regular evening person.
A neighbor who knows horses can come in the early morning or after dark, already knows the local farrier and vet, and learns each horse's quirks, which matters with an animal that size.
Also called: horse care help, horse turnout service, barn help for horses, horse exerciser, horse sitter, equine care help.
What's usually included
- Leading horses out to pasture and bringing them in
- Grooming, hoof picking and a once-over for cuts and swelling
- Changing blankets and fly masks with the weather
- Lunging or riding for exercise, only if agreed
- Feeding and watering on the owner's schedule
- Holding horses for the farrier or vet, if asked
What to ask before you hire
- How much experience does the helper have with horses, and which jobs are they comfortable doing?
- Will they ride, or only handle from the ground?
- What are each horse's habits: kicking, crowding the gate, hard to catch?
- What should they do if a horse looks colicky or lame?
- How can the owner be reached, and who is the vet?
Staying safe
- Never wrap a lead rope around your hand, and lead from the side rather than in front of the horse.
- Approach where the horse can see you, speak as you come up, and never stand directly behind it.
- Riding a customer's horse should be agreed in writing, with a helmet worn every time.
- A teen should work alongside an adult who knows the horses until the owner is comfortable.
Horse care: turnout, grooming, exercise by town
Questions people ask
Can a teen help with my horses?
Many teens who ride are skilled handlers, and with a parent's OK and an adult nearby they can be a big help. Watch them catch and groom each horse before leaving them to it.
Will a horse care helper ride my horse?
Only if you both agree. Many helpers do ground work only, so say clearly whether riding is part of the job.
What if my horse colics while I'm away?
Leave written instructions, your vet's number and how much the helper may approve. Agree that the helper calls the vet first and you second.
How do I know someone is good with horses?
Ask them to bring in and groom one of your horses while you watch, and read the ratings other neighbors have given them.
Thinking of offering this yourself?
- Be honest about your experience; owners will ask, and starting with ground work beats promising riding you aren't ready for.
- Learn the signs of colic, lameness and heat stress, and what each owner wants done about them.
- Price per visit or per horse once you know what barns and horse people in your area pay, and set what's fair for you.
- Owners who find someone their horse trusts tend to keep that person for years.
- Wear boots with a heel around horses at all times, and a helmet whenever you ride.
