- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to use your initiative
- to be flexible and open to change
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- customer service skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- thinking and reasoning skills
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Your day-to-day duties might include:
- giving horses food and water
- replacing bedding
- cleaning equipment like saddles and bridles
- cleaning, brushing and clipping horses' coats
- mucking out stables
- monitoring the condition of horses and reporting problems
- treating minor wounds, changing dressings and giving some medications
- following instructions from vets when treatment is needed
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work at a riding stable.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers.
With experience and further training, you could take charge of a yard or become head groom.
In a racing yard, you could progress to head lad or girl, travelling head lad or girl, or to assistant trainer or trainer.
On a stud farm, you could become a stud groom, stallion handler or stud manager.
If you work in a riding stable you could become a riding instructor.
You can find out more about training and working in the horse racing industry from Careers in Racing and the British Grooms Association.
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