The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Employment at a stable.

3K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  BarrelWannabe 
#1 ·
I need your opinions on this.
I recently moved my horse to a local community college's barn. Turns out they have the ability to hire people for an hourly wage and I am very interested in this. Thing is, I would only be paid once a month and supposedly am limited to a certian amount of hours a week. I understand that part baing as a college has to have some sort of budget. My current job, I absolutely hate. I dont want to go to work, i dred going to work, I'm never able to spend the time with my horse that he deserves and my manager has begun holding me up to an hour or more over my time. I sometimes cant feed my horse because of this and the barn hours are from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. I often dont get off work until 10 p.m. or later. This is extremely frustrating as I have explained to him why I need to leave at a certian time. He just doesnt seem to get that my horse CANNOT feed himself and has to rely me for his food.

All right
Here are the Pros. vs. Cons.
Current job:
Pros:
Paid every two weeks
I earn about $300 a check
25 hours a week.

Cons:
Miserable time working
Stressful and draining
Never leave on time
Cutting in to time with my horse
Sometimes I am not able to feed my horse.


Stable job:
Pros:
Working with horses
Bonding time with my horse
Could possibly work off my board
I would be around other people who could help me be a better horseperson and rider
I enjoy working hard and I would NOT have any problem staying late
Would give me experience in working with horses as I want to work with horses as a career in life

Cons:
Paind once a month. I could actually learn, so not really a con.
certian amount of hours(supposedly)

And as hay becomes more and more scarce here in Olahoma, I have to worry about hay and the cost.

I've also thought about working a few hours a week so I still have a job to fall on for hay money and other things and work the majority of my time at the stable.

So here's the baseline: Quit current job, work at stable or Keep current job, work like 10 hours a week for hay and then the rest work at the stable to work off board and then work for actual pay after my board is worked off.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I would keep your current job but cut your hours there (like you suggested) and pick up those hours at the horse barn. This way you have either job to fall back on just in case it doesn't work out at either one of the places. Try checking with people who are already employed at the barn and ask them what their average hours are so you'll know the ballpark range of how much money you'll expect to rake in. Goodluck!
 
#18 ·
Excellent advice. Never put all your eggs in one basket. Two part time jobs provide a bit more security, and if one job goes away you'll still have some income from the other.
 
#4 ·
Hi Barrel.... if I were you I would possibly do a side business for yourself possibly like cleaning houses or something to that nature for hay money because you can sey your own hours and do the stable job. That's just me. Or possibly keep the dreaded slave job and find someone you trust to feed your horse for you when you have to stay late. I don't know your financial situation and don't need to know it but you have to make the right decision for the well being of your horse and also for your happiness. :) I recently quit my job because of how my ex employer treated me but I have a s.o. that works and makes good money so I could just up and quit. I already have a job interview lined up. But thstd besides the point...(adhd moment there ...sorry!) Anyways if working at the barn is going to make your financial situation worse find soomething better than your current job. Idk I guess its really up to u...but do the best decision for botth you and your horse :) sorry if I jump around and didn't make a lick of sence. Haha its been one of those days!
 
#5 ·
Things to consider, horse career ? not alot going on, too many people ( like you lol teasing here) willing to do it for free, It is almost always better to just pay board than to think you are gonna work it off, you'll end up spending more hours working it off than you would just working a fair wage some where else. I board when I am on the boat 2 weeks on 2 weeks off, but my board only comes to 5 dollars a day, It would take me more than an hour just to drive back and forth, not worth my time,
You should see what kinda hours you can expect, (ask the boss not other workers) at the stable.
Ok now with the old fart speech, you sound like you are young and I'm gonna guess not supporting yourself so dont have alot of must pay bills, looks like taking care and enjoying your horse is your primary expense because someone else is taking care of your basic expenses,
Take the stable job! you are young, enjoy it while you can, you have the rest of your life to be stuck in a job you dont like because you must work to feed yourself, and maybe others.
 
#14 ·
Be very careful with minimum wage jobs in OK. There are exemptions to the minimum wage law. For instance as a sole proprietor of a barn, who makes less that 100K per year, has less than 20? I think employees, I can pay $2/hr for an 'apprentice' job here at the barn. Waiters and waitresses never get minimum wage here, they are expected to make it up with their tips.

Just fyi, I don't pay minimum wage either, I pay over because I don't want someone who works for $2/hr, I think you get what you pay for. Instead of having 5 barn hands for the same money, I just hire 1 really smart, dependable person and pay them what I think they're worth.
 
#21 ·
Lucky! I bet that's great horse country up there. What's the name of your facility?
Posted via Mobile Device
Dreamcatcher Arabian Horses LLC is the business name.
www.dreamcatcherarabians.net There's a link to my website.

When there's no drought, yes it's lovely horse country up here, TONS of places to ride and trail ride at. We can go horse camping within 30 mins of here at Lake Carl Blackwell. LOVE it when it's green!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top