So, you're hoping to find someone to do some special care for your horse, and the best option is to ask the barn manager or one of the workers. What's fair compensation? Geez. A flat hourly rate, say, $10/hour, may not apply to certain tasks. For example, handwalking a half-crazed thoroughbred on stall rest is not a $10/hour job. I'm going to throw out some possible pay rates for common horse care tasks. What do you think?
Monday, August 30, 2010
"Hey, would you mind..." Part 2
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Wow, I'm well-known for being cheap, but the lowball amounts amazed me.
ReplyDeleteEspecially for the bandaging and the longeing, two things that require skill beyond the basic "clean and turn out". Inadequate skills in those situations could spell disaster!
My friend and I board our horses together at a small private farm. I would be happy to do any of these tasks for my friend's horse with no compensation. I know if I offered to pay her to do these things for me she would refuse.
ReplyDeleteThe hand walking is probably the most dangerous and most important. That cost should be high and the person doing this task should be highly skilled. This should not be overlooked...
ReplyDeleteThe hand walking is probably the most dangerous and most important. That cost should be high and the person doing this task should be highly skilled. This should not be overlooked...
ReplyDeleteI'd try to barter most of those. The handwalking, lungeing though I might pay for.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting topic because I board at a self-care barn so I am responsible for cleaning my stall, turning in, and feeding PM, but my BO feeds AM and turns out.
ReplyDeleteI am going on my honeymoon for a week in September and I asked my BO to clean my horses stall for me during that time, but I'm not sure how much extra to pay him. It wouldn't be the full board rate because it's my hay, my shavings, my grain etc, and really the only thing extra he'd be doing is cleaning the stall and turning in/feeding PM. Any ideas?
My board as is, is $225/mo.
I'm paid around $3 a stall where I work but in this case, where it's a short time period and someone you have an ongoing relationship with, I might be tempted to pay more than $21. Will the owner be doing anything else? Is it likely you'll use this service again? If it truly is a one-time-thing I might go more on the generous side, say, $40-50 to say thanks for helping you out when you'll definitely be unavailable, and also in case your horse requires something extra while you're gone. If you'll likely use the services again, it might be good to talk to her about what rate she thinks is fair. For seven days, assuming about 15-20 minutes to do the stall, I'd say $30 is reasonable, but again, in this case you'll want to think about your relationship to the owner.
ReplyDeleteI entered what my barn charges. Is there a "package" deal that includes all of these layup charges?
ReplyDeleteMy barn charges the following for al la carte services, but I would say 99% of the people use a monthly package which includes everything. This way could get very expensive:
Handwalking $25/per
Med Administration $15/per
Lunge $35/per
Grooming $25/per
Unwrapping $10/per
I probably don't have a life, but when my horse was on stall rest for four months I did all that myself. I can't imagine asking a barn employee to do those things for me. On the few days that I missed a friend helped me out. Of course when that friend needs something done with her horse and can't get to the barn, I will step in for her.
ReplyDeleteThanks Stacey, $40-50 sounds reasonable and that's about what I was thinking (as a totally uneducated guess) anyway :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with "anonymous" in that when my horse was on stall rest last year I did it all myself. Bandaging twice a day, handwalking twice a day. Though I didn't do the extra stall cleaning unless it needed doing when I got there. I didn't pay any extra for that service and my barn owner wouldn't have done the extra work of bandaging and handwalking even if I had asked...
ReplyDeleteThis was interesting to me....I have had my horses at my own farm for almost eight years now, so I am completely out of touch with board rates and such.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I am having a friend do stalls and evening feed/turn-in for five days (I will be out of town and my husband gets home from work too late....he will do morning chores). I have three horses, all well behaved.
Thoughts on what I should pay? I have no idea. I was thinking $100 but maybe that is not enough? I don't want to be cheap, I just really don't know what to pay.
Thanks! :)