Have you ever thought about what really makes a good employee or boss? The usual interview answers immediately come to mind. Someone may say that a good employee is a “team player,” someone who “gives 110% every day” or “goes above and beyond.” While a good employer is someone who “appreciates their staff,” “doesn’t micromanage,” and “gives freedom to their employees.” While these answers are not wrong, are they really right?
It feels like every time I scroll through Facebook, there are ISO ads out there. Some are people looking for work; others are looking for employees. While there is a natural ebb and flow to the equestrian world – meaning there are more jobs available during busy circuits – some people are just frequent fliers on either side of the job search. What causes these people to be undesirable employees or employers? One of the most common threads I see with those who are always looking is they never take responsibility for their own actions. By this, I mean it is always someone else’s fault why they didn’t keep the job or employee. The hours were too long; no one has ever worked as hard as I have; kids don’t know/want to work these days.
Not A 9-5
I’m going to immediately throw out my disclaimer because I KNOW that working with horses is not your standard 40-hour week job. The minute you have plans your horse will know and do something to keep everyone in the barn way longer than they should. This is part of the game, and grooming will never be a 9-5 or even a Monday-Friday. Coming to terms with this will immediately make your working life better. But respect is a huge part of being a good employee or employer. When working with horses, you must respect the job, yourself, the horses, other professionals, and time itself.
But wait there’s more…
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Feature photo courtesy of Arnd.nl.
My years working with horses as a rider, stable manager, and groom took me many places — including working as head groom for Olympic Eventer Doug Payne and going to the Tokyo Olympics — but many of my favorite moments were those spent at the finish at the ingate jumping up and down and whooping and hollering, making everyone and every horse feel like they’re special.
Though no longer in the equestrian world full-time, I still want to be a cheerleader for the grooming industry. I hope through my articles on HorseGrooms.com to educate the next generation of grooms and establish a space in which individuals on this side of the industry can band together to make it better and make the most of the industry we all love.
