What does it really take to build a successful career as a freelance groom?
How do you decide what to charge? What should be included in your daily rate? How do you handle travel expenses, cancellations, and clients? And is it possible to build a business alongside a career grooming horses?
Those are just some of the questions we explored in the latest episode of The HorseGrooms Podcast, where Dinette Neuteboom sat down with Czech freelance groom and entrepreneur Lucie Kostecka.
With experience working throughout Europe, the United States, and Canada, Lucie has built a career around freelancing while working at some of the world’s biggest horse shows, including the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, the Sunshine Tour in Spain, and Spruce Meadows in Canada.
The conversation was packed with practical advice for anyone considering freelancing, while also offering valuable insights for employers looking to better understand the freelance side of the industry.
Freelancing is More Than Just Grooming
One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation was that freelancing isn’t simply about caring for horses.
It’s also about running a business.
Lucie explained how important it is to have clear agreements with clients before accepting a job. Topics such as daily rates, travel expenses, accommodation, meals, transportation, payment terms, and cancellation policies should all be discussed in advance.
Setting those expectations doesn’t make you difficult to work with. It creates clarity for everyone involved.
She also spoke openly about learning to set boundaries, something many grooms struggle with early in their careers.
Every Barn Is Different
Having worked in professional barns across multiple countries, Lucie has become an expert at adapting to different routines while maintaining her own high standards of horse care.
She shared what the best barns have in common, how she approaches unfamiliar systems, and why communication and respect are essential when working with a new team.
One interesting point she made was that if she notices something that could be improved in a barn where she’s only working temporarily, she first takes the time to understand why things are done a certain way before offering suggestions.
It’s an approach built on observation rather than assumption.
Thinking Beyond Today
Beyond grooming, Lucie is also preparing to launch EQQU, a secure marketplace for buying and selling secondhand equestrian equipment.
Please note: This podcast was recorded at the end of June 2026. At the time of recording, EQQU was preparing for its official launch in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. By the time this episode goes live, the app is expected to be available in those countries and later also in the rest of Europe.
Rather than viewing entrepreneurship as something that replaces grooming, Lucie sees it as another opportunity to learn, grow, and build something alongside a career with horses.
Her advice to anyone considering a side project?
Start small, solve a real problem, and don’t be afraid to take the first step.
More information about EQQU can be found at: www.eqqu.app
To learn more about Lucie’s freelance services, visit:
https://equinefreelanceservices.com
Horse Care Still Comes First
Although much of the conversation focused on freelancing, horse care remained at the center.
Lucie talked about adapting to different stable routines while keeping the horse’s welfare as the priority, shared a few of her favorite horse care practices, and reflected on what she has learned after working in so many different professional environments.
She also discussed technology in the modern barn, including Horcery’s AI-powered Stall Monitor.
Having seen the system in use during the Winter Equestrian Festival, Lucie believes technology can become another valuable tool for horse people, particularly when it helps identify unusual behavior or allows managers and grooms to check on horses remotely. At the same time, she admitted she’s still a fan of a traditional whiteboard in the barn and believes technology should support good horsemanship, not replace it.
Learn more about Horcery’s AI-powered Stall Monitor at: https://www.horcery.com and take advantage of a 5% discount with the coupon code HORSEGROOMS05.
Listen to the Full Episode
This article only scratches the surface.
In the full podcast episode, Lucie shares practical advice about:
- Becoming a freelance groom
- Working internationally
- Visas and work authorization
- Contracts and payment agreements
- Setting professional boundaries
- Horse care in different barns
- Freelancing in Europe versus the United States
- Building EQQU while continuing to groom professionally
- Technology and the future of stable management
Listen to the full episode here:
Presented by Horcery
This episode of the HorseGrooms Podcast is presented by Horcery.
Horcery’s AI-powered Stall Monitor helps horse owners, grooms, and barn managers stay connected to their horses around the clock by monitoring activity inside the stall and sending intelligent alerts when unusual behavior occurs. It’s an extra set of eyes that can provide valuable peace of mind when you’re away from the barn.
HorseGrooms listeners receive 5% off a Horcery Stall Monitor with the discount code HORSEGROOMS05.
Go to horcery.com to learn more about these helpful tools in the barn.
Helpful HorseGrooms Resources
If you’re considering freelancing, or you’re already working as a freelance groom, these HorseGrooms resources may also help.
Read the article Tips For Grooms Starting Their Freelancing Business
Download Instagrooms’ 10 Tips for Grooms Starting Their Freelancing Business
We have a whole Guide to Freelancing available to our Insiders. Want to check it out? Become a HorseGrooms Insider here and use the code HGPODCAST for 10% off your membership.
Want to learn more about what Insiders has to offer? Click here and here.
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HorseGrooms is a platform of resources, education, and support for grooms by grooms. This is an online community, hub of resources, and spotlight of industry highlights born out of love for the horse and love for the sport. But our mission goes beyond simply providing resources and creating content.
Our goal is to create a space to keep horsemanship alive; for grooms to support and educate each other; and to help advance the craft of grooming. HorseGrooms is dedicated to ambitious grooms everywhere.
