Helping out

Gemsluvshorsesx

Gemsluvshorsesx

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Feb 23, 2007
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Lovely Lincoln :)
Does anyone here help out at their local stables (if youre about my age say between 16 and 18 years old). Erm how good do you need to be and do most stables allow you to do this? I dont see the point in learning to ride if I never end up learning how to look after the horse/pony...
 
Hey im 19 and have my own horse but when i was about 6/7 i helped at my local riding school and had a wee pony on adoption! When starting to help out i don't suppose i knew very much about caring for horses etc. You can get riding schools that offer pony days/camps which allow you to kind of adopt a horse for the day/week and you have to muck out, feed, groom and ride etc. Im sure your local riding school would be happy to take you on as long as you prove sensible, confident and keen to learn! seems like you are! so why not try phoning around local yards and see? The worst they can do is say no :)
Im sure you will find somewhere fab - those were the best yrs ever and i loved helping out!
Good luck! :)
 
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I helped out at a local RS from the age of 12-14, but there were several people who were older than me there. Most RSs are happy to accept free help.

The RS I was at insisted that people who haven't helped out before did workshops (half or full days helping out including a 1hr ride for around £25), then once the workshops knew the basics, they could move onto becoming helpers, free of charge (we didn't get anything in return). They worked us hard (quite often I ended up doing 5.5hrs of leading lessons per day), but it was good experience when it came to grooming, mucking out, tacking up, etc.
 
thats shocking!! a lot of the little kids at my RS got worked hard too but always got a free ride at the end of the night :)
Its slave labour sometimes at the RS's but yeh like you say its fab to learn everything from!!:)
 
Yes, the reason I left was due to the amount they were expecting me to do (so many helpers had left I was one of the few left). They used to do free rides before I started, but apparently the YO was told that giving free rides counts as emplyment, and employing under 16s is illegal:confused: Therefore, he cut them out entirely. Out of a little under 2yrs there, I got one free hack as I won Helper of the Year. We also got discounted entry to the Pony Club, but the days themselves were still £30 per day for teaching about horse care and a short ride, so I only went to the first one.

It was very valuable experience, but do be warned that some RSs really will take advantage if they can!
 
I approached the BHS about volunteering to get some hands on horse experience and they suggested asking at my RS first because then you get to know the horses you ride. I'm due to start volunteering this week at the age of 27!. The RS do prefer people to go on their stable management course first but i have just missed their last course and the next one isn't till summer so i think because of my age they have agreed i can start anyway. Maybe you could see if your RS do a similar type course as others have suggested and then the RS will know you can cope with the basics. I think i am going to be shadowing someone at first as i don't have any practical experience at the mo.

Anyway good luck!
 
Sounds good, I cant really walk far or be on my feet too much but Id love to learn about horse care as I cant ride at the mo, dunno if ill get to again, but its better than sittin at home thinking about riding. Im thinking I might struggle with the leading thing in lessons though... but i can clean tack and groom i suppose.
 
i help out at my local stables and im 13 there are older people aswell i had to fill out a young workers form even though i dont get paid or get rides:confused:
 
We have a 'Weekend' Club where those 11+ can come and be taught by the yard staff and the older teengers the basics of care.

They are not expected to do all the work but initially will groom the retired ponies, then move on to grooming and tacking up ponies for rides, Help with stables, doing waters etc and eventually learning how to muck out. By 13 they will be able to catch in and turn out and do their own allocated pony totally.

They help with one lesson each session, again starting off as a 'spare' helper shadowing an older helper and then getting their 'own' rider who they stay with for the introductionary lessons.

At the end of the day (11-5pm) they have a 2 hour session which varies from jumping to a mini show to teaching each other ( under my eagle eye!!) to lunging/longreining, vaulting etc.

By 15/16 they are often offered paid work when full time staff go on holiday or for summer camps etc.

AND gemsloveshorses often if they cant do other things they come and spend the day tackcleaning ( one girl did six weekends after she broke a leg falling off a friends pony!)


Ask around someone will want your help.
 
I'm a mature newbie and have just started helping out at my RS, I'm lucky that it's a fairly new venture and there doesn't seem to be loads of helpers yet. On Sunday I got to bath two horses and to say it was a dream come true is an understatement!! Instructor said I could come Saturdays as well!!!!:D I am free labour but I get experience and can cuddle gorgeous ponies and I LOVE IT. I don't have loads of horsey friends so this is ideal and completely flexible.
 
I've been going to the same stable for the past 7 years. The Barn Manager will accept help from anyone who is level headed and can do the work safetly. I work whenever she needs me, and am in line to start giving lessons. I've started helping her instruct a group of three beginners and I love it. I might start working 6 days a week this summer.
 
Local stables allows people from the age of 12 to help out.

You have to have basic knowledge of horses (been riding a while, able to tack up etc). it helps if you've attended pony club at some point, too :)
 
Ive been helping at my local RS for about 4 years or so now, im 16 (almost 17 :p ) and am pretty much in charged of the yard and getting all the jobs done at the weekend. We have kids of all ages helping, some my age, some younger. Go for it, good fun and experience :)
 
eml said:
We have a 'Weekend' Club where those 11+ can come and be taught by the yard staff and the older teengers the basics of care.

They are not expected to do all the work but initially will groom the retired ponies, then move on to grooming and tacking up ponies for rides, Help with stables, doing waters etc and eventually learning how to muck out. By 13 they will be able to catch in and turn out and do their own allocated pony totally.

They help with one lesson each session, again starting off as a 'spare' helper shadowing an older helper and then getting their 'own' rider who they stay with for the introductionary lessons.

At the end of the day (11-5pm) they have a 2 hour session which varies from jumping to a mini show to teaching each other ( under my eagle eye!!) to lunging/longreining, vaulting etc.

By 15/16 they are often offered paid work when full time staff go on holiday or for summer camps etc.

AND gemsloveshorses often if they cant do other things they come and spend the day tackcleaning ( one girl did six weekends after she broke a leg falling off a friends pony!)


Ask around someone will want your help.
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=O i wish the riding school i used to help at was like yours!!

the one i helped at, there was "helpers" about 7 years old who would "lead" a total novice on a pony around the arena.
and they would bring in/take out ponies to the field, without being showed how
and it was just extremely poorly run.

i helped there from the age of 10 to 13, only EVER got 2 free rides and i was there both saturday and sunday, and would go down every single day of the school holidays!!

i still go down on the odd occasion to see friends, but i never stay after lessons have finished to "clean the yard" as they put it.
they have about 15 people. who dont work there, sweeping the yard, with brooms that are near broken.
drives me crazy.
 
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