Came up to Wiltshire on the train yesterday and had the afternoon to settle in and stock up on food etc. I've got my own little flat on the yard, nothing fancy but it's only just been converted from old stables and is newly decorated and very clean and warm. The boss is managing director of several very well-known equestrian businesses and is currently away in China doing businessman type things, so I won't meet him for a few days, but his wife is here and is super friendly (though a little dotty), and disproportionately excited about having a French-speaking groom around (they are Belgian and she says she finds speaking English all the time very tiring!).
There's 3 separate yards - one for his horses, one for hers, and one for a small group of DIY liveries - plus indoor and outdoor schools, all-weather gallops, an extensive cross-country course, and miles of rolling pasture. It is really beautiful even in the foul weather! Apparently there's a lot of professional riders in the area and many of the local eventers come here for training, including a couple of big names who I do hope will make an appearance while I'm here
Anyway I've had a good first day - I'm always a little apprehensive about starting on a new yard, so I'm glad I've got day 1 out the way with no hiccups! I'm in charge of the boss's 6 horses - his two top-level eventers, two coming up through the levels, and two retired - and have got his little yard to myself, which is nice as I like to organise my own time and not have to do too much socialising although to be fair the head groom is really nice so I can probably stretch to a tiiiny bit of human interaction It's a non-riding position but she's told me that some of the liveries need a hand with exercising occasionally and suggested I leave a note in their tack room tomorrow offering my services. I do have a friend with her own yard just a few miles away who has said I can go there on my days off for a bit of saddle time.
The job is quite straightforward and I've got plenty of time to get things done, which is nice as I don't like having to rush all day! It will be a bit busier when the boss is here and he's riding every day but I have a few days to get into the swing of things before he gets back.
There's 3 separate yards - one for his horses, one for hers, and one for a small group of DIY liveries - plus indoor and outdoor schools, all-weather gallops, an extensive cross-country course, and miles of rolling pasture. It is really beautiful even in the foul weather! Apparently there's a lot of professional riders in the area and many of the local eventers come here for training, including a couple of big names who I do hope will make an appearance while I'm here
Anyway I've had a good first day - I'm always a little apprehensive about starting on a new yard, so I'm glad I've got day 1 out the way with no hiccups! I'm in charge of the boss's 6 horses - his two top-level eventers, two coming up through the levels, and two retired - and have got his little yard to myself, which is nice as I like to organise my own time and not have to do too much socialising
although to be fair the head groom is really nice so I can probably stretch to a tiiiny bit of human interaction It's a non-riding position but she's told me that some of the liveries need a hand with exercising occasionally and suggested I leave a note in their tack room tomorrow offering my services. I do have a friend with her own yard just a few miles away who has said I can go there on my days off for a bit of saddle time.The job is quite straightforward and I've got plenty of time to get things done, which is nice as I don't like having to rush all day! It will be a bit busier when the boss is here and he's riding every day but I have a few days to get into the swing of things before he gets back.
