# Work for Board -- What can I ask for?



## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

Do the math. Say you work 5 days a week for 3 hours at $X per hour, how much money would you be making? Do that math and go from there. Keep in mind though that you aren't the one in the position to do the negotiating though- THEY are. You may want to work X hours and get $Y off board, and they may want you to work Z hours and get $Q off board. Do the math to see where you stand, and then talk to the folks running the barns. This way you make sure that you don't get the short end of the stick (where you'd be better off getting a part time job elsewhere and paying full board) and that way you don't tick them off by offering them little in return. 

Then... there's the age old issue that I always have to bring up. Make sure that you have the money to spend in case emergency care is needed for either horse. I was recently contemplating the acquisition of a second horse- I can pay the monthly board- but a $235 vet bill for my horse's choke made me reconsider! Far too many people don't think about the issue when they find that they can cover a horse's basic expenses!


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I'd leave it up to the BM- if they're open to letting you work off part of your board, ask them how much they'd allow you work off. I'd be surprised if any had enough work available for a boarder to completely pay off 2 horses' board. At my barn, for example, it's usually boarders who do the feeding and turn the horses in and out for a discount on board. If a new boarder came in, they'd only be able to do such work in exchange for board if there was an opening (e.g. one of the current working boarders moved away or just didn't want to do the work for the discount anymore). Until someone gave up one of their tasks, the new boarder could be a back-up (in case the regular person got sick or couldn't make it) but wouldn't be able to count on any regular work to offset the board bill.


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## Alexmac156 (Jul 15, 2013)

Absolutely understand. I'm a boarder, first and foremost.. and at the end of the day.. it's a business for them. I would never want to step on anyones toes, or "demand" an amount. I guess I was just looking for an average on lets say.. 3 days of work or something could come out to be


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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

Alexmac156 said:


> Absolutely understand. I'm a boarder, first and foremost.. and at the end of the day.. it's a business for them. I would never want to step on anyones toes, or "demand" an amount. I guess I was just looking for an average on lets say.. 3 days of work or something could come out to be


I would approach every barn and ask what their price for board is, and then ask if you could make an arrangement where you work off some of it. If they say yes, ask them how much and how many hours of work it would require. Figure out how much money/hour it comes to, and decide from there.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

For me, as a barn owner, a lot would depend on your actual knowledge. I have a boarder and occasionally allow her to work a little of her board off but it isn't a lot because she's very inexperienced. She can pick, she can fill waterers, she can place feed in the appropriate feeders and lead most of the horses in. But it's all under supervision. I wouldn't leave the place and expect her to cope, she couldn't handle an emergency. 

So......someone who could, feed 2X/day, handle all of the horses including the stallion, do the picking, cope at least well enough to stop bleeding in a minor emergency or had enough knowledge to recognize a major vet emergency and get the vet headed out to the ranch and was capable enough to at least keep things calm til I got back or the vet got there, THAT person would be worth a LOT more to me. 

How much do you know, how many horses do the barns you're looking at have? How good of a manure picker are you? I can pick 10 stalls in less than 1 hour unless someone got REALLY messy. My boarder takes 1 hr to do one stall kinda sos so. 

Are you comfortable around stallions? Broodmares in heat? Broodies about to foal? Can you help with foal watch? Can you handle a broodie with a foal at side? Handle the foal? Can you handle deworming a horse on your own? Having a list of your actual horsemanship type skills will be handy for you.


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## Alexmac156 (Jul 15, 2013)

Thank you! That was very helpful. I've been around horses pretty much my entire life. I've helped run a barn before.. so I'm pretty aware of how things are run, and how to get them done correctly. I appreciate your input!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Alexmac156 said:


> Thank you! That was very helpful. I've been around horses pretty much my entire life. I've helped run a barn before.. so I'm pretty aware of how things are run, and how to get them done correctly. I appreciate your input!


If it's a one person barn, you could be invaluable. I know that if I had someone I could trust to spell me, it would be lovely! To actually be able to go on a vacation, or to just take 1 or 2 scheduled days off every other week or so......I'd be willing to discount the board a LOT for such a person. 

It's my own fault, I had quit doing outside boarders and I met this sweet college kid and her half starved pony (NOT her fault) and knew she was strapped for cash so I'm doing a very cheap board for her. She's also in a Master's program so not a lot of time to spend with horses. Here's what we're doing, she pays for pasture board only and buys his grain which I feed him. She picks stalls when she has the time, fills waterers for me and helps me feed when she's here. In return, I bring her horse in to a stall when I bring mine in, I've loaned her one of my junior sized blankets so she won't have to buy one, and I'm teaching her horse his ground manners and teaching her how to teach him his ground manners. 

So, for someone who knew what they were doing, and I could leave them in charge for a day or 2 every couple of weeks and maybe for a week's vacation every year, I'd do free full board & turnout and I'd probably find some other things that I normally would charge for and I'd toss them in for free. Time off , for someone who never gets any, is VERY valuable.


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## 2BigReds (Oct 7, 2011)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> If it's a one person barn, you could be invaluable. I know that if I had someone I could trust to spell me, it would be lovely! To actually be able to go on a vacation, or to just take 1 or 2 scheduled days off every other week or so......I'd be willing to discount the board a LOT for such a person.
> 
> It's my own fault, I had quit doing outside boarders and I met this sweet college kid and her half starved pony (NOT her fault) and knew she was strapped for cash so I'm doing a very cheap board for her. She's also in a Master's program so not a lot of time to spend with horses. Here's what we're doing, she pays for pasture board only and buys his grain which I feed him. She picks stalls when she has the time, fills waterers for me and helps me feed when she's here. In return, I bring her horse in to a stall when I bring mine in, I've loaned her one of my junior sized blankets so she won't have to buy one, and I'm teaching her horse his ground manners and teaching her how to teach him his ground manners.
> 
> So, for someone who knew what they were doing, and I could leave them in charge for a day or 2 every couple of weeks and maybe for a week's vacation every year, I'd do free full board & turnout and I'd probably find some other things that I normally would charge for and I'd toss them in for free. Time off , for someone who never gets any, is VERY valuable.


Can I come work for you? :lol:


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## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

When I was looking for a new barn, I wasn't looking for a work off board situation, just a reasonably priced barn (not easy to find in my area...) but ended up finding a work for situation that works out well. I feel like it's more in my favor than the owners, but they suggested it, so I took it :lol:

I go out Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri in the evenings, let the horses out (7 of them), do a second stall pick up, throw feed and fill waters. On Sat I go out in the mornings and do the same, plus some added chores that only need doing once a week (scrub water buckets, pick up the pasture near the barn, etc.). The owners have a second property that they like to go to every other weekend, so on those weekends I go out twice on Sat. On average it takes me less than an hour a day and I get to see my horse, so it works out well. For this I get free board, just have to provide my own grain.


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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

When I was 16 years old, my girlfriend had a leased horse for the summer. Her dad paid for it. My dad wouldn't, so I approached the barn owner and asked if there was a way I could lease a horse too, and work for it?

For that summer, I had a mare just for myself, but rarely had time to ride her. Thi s is what I did for my leased horse.

I would be at the barn at 0600 hrs to feed the horses.
While they ate, I would clean out the waterers.
Then the ones with blankets on would have the blankets removed.
Turn out the horses that were to be turned out.
Place the blankets over the fence and beat them clean.
Clean 21 box stalls, moving horses into the aisle if necessary.
Sweep the asile clean, then keep it clean if any of the boarders dirtied it.
Set up the evening grain in the trolly. (wheeled trolly, a godsend!)
Brush the lesson horses.
Clean the saddles and bridles for the lesson horses.
After lessons, wipe off bits, put away the tack, rub down the horses.
Evening feed, evening hay.
Bring in the horses from the field, put on blankets.
Sweep the aisle one last time, then head home for supper at 1800 hrs.

12 hour day there. That was for full board on a leased horse. That was the agreement I made as a 16 year old girl with general experience. I learned a LOT from this barn, and actually got to go to the horse shows (which required me to be at the barn at 0500 hrs), learned how to properly groom for shows, braid, re-braid, be the gopher, etc.

What you agree with the barn owner is what you're able to do and what they are willing to accept.


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## HorseMom1025 (Jul 17, 2012)

Someone mentioned it up thread, but make sure whatever you negotiate it's a fair deal.

I've seen so many posts on here about people working off board (they work 30+ hours per week for $250 board per month...so $2.00 an hour or so). That is not right at all.

Make sure you negotiate hours, tasks, and rates. Offer to track your hours and tasks on a time sheet so you can show you worked your hours, and make sure the hourly break down is fair (I wouldn't work for less than minimum wage).
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

I've always made sure that it was fair for me AND the BO (and since I'm horrible at math I just bartered it out with my skills....). For my two I made a list of my skills and presented it to the BO, I'm a competent rider/driver, can help her train, I did rough board for myself and others for years and so I can fix fencing, feed/water, and know if something's wrong, and also can give first aid if necessary, I also helped during her lessons (like helping kids get ready, being there in an accident, helping explain things, and being an obstacle with another horse). For doing all these things and working seven days a week almost all day during summer (during school I only came out 1/2 day) I asked off the following: 

-no handling fee for the farrier/vet/worming when I couldn't be there
-no blanketing fee (but I provided her a blanket)
-no tack room fee (long story why one was initiated but I was exempt)
-the stall charge dropped from $25 a night to $10 because I mucked all the stalls 
-a little off of my board when I needed it (like for a couple of months we were running short of money so I asked for a little off and my BO was more than happy to comply. 

She added in that when she was giving a lesson I could jump in at any time and while she wouldn't give me her full attention, if anything was glaringly wrong she would talk me through it. 
We're a small barn, but she was the only one working there so between my honesty, hers, we came to a mutual agreement. I'll just say be upfront and honest about your skills, and above all be fair to everyone involved. Since then she has another boarder who comes out and feeds and for that she lets her keep her horse there at a reduced rate because the girl is out there without fail 3X's a day and never misses. Reliability is key.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Make sure that, no matter what you end up doing, you get a signed contract. That will protect both yourself and the BO from getting ripped off.

Personally, I would always rather pay board and have a job job... No gray area there.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

In Canada it is considered a job, therefore the worker is entitled to minimum wage. My preference was to pay the worker by cheque for hours worked, then she paid her board by cheque. We both had records of payment. What she did with her wages was up to her but her board had to be paid monthly. A gal, in early June asked if she could work in exchange for pasture board. I told her to pay a visit and we'd go from there. There would be almost nothing for her in the winter so I'd had in mind she could bank time. Summer is a good time to get stuff done, painting, repair, (never ending). She didn't show. In mid Sept. she contacted me again. I let her know I could have used help over the summer but that I no longer had enough work for her. I could use someone for about 2 hrs and that's about it until next spring.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

2BigReds said:


> Can I come work for you? :lol:


LOL! Well, you might freeze to death in winter. It can get pretty darned cold here and windy on top of it. One thing you wouldn't do down here is starve to death. My husband went to some training in AZ and came home complaining because they didn't put out any FOOD for the seminar students. Here in OK we tend to feed you because we're happy, because we're sad, because you're happy, because you ought to be happy...whatever, it's a good excuse to have a party. 

I have considered actually advertising for a barn helper that wants to work for board for their horse or even a full time one who wants board and care for themselves and their horse, but I just haven't figured out yet how to work it.


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## nikelodeon79 (Mar 3, 2008)

My BO pays hourly wages, even if it's in exchange for board. Workers get $8.00 per hour.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I've always paid a minimum of $8/hr, I figure if you're willing to work that hard and really, risk your life handling strange horses, you deserve it. There's a place not too far from me that pays $3.50 or less per hour and puts the workers in an "apprentice" program which allows her to pay less than minimum wage. I just totally can't do that to someone. Bad enough I normally don't have full time hours, and to pay that tiny amount on top of no hours? NOOOOOO! That's just wrong on so many different levels that I just can't stand it. Bring me someone who KNOWS what they're doing and I want to treat them GOOOD, and keep them HAPPY! Cos if they aren't happy and leave, I don't get even a 1/2 day off.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

As others have said, you want your exchange to be roughly around minimum wage. 

If you're doing it tight I have always found that people with their own farms and such were willing to offer a lot cheaper agistment. All through my undergrad study I had free agistment and in return if they went away I'd keep an eye on the horses. Now I rent a room on a place that agists horses and because of the rent+agistment I end up paying only $10 a week per horse. I'm just saying there are always options out there that are usually a lot more flexible than the business run boarding barns!


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## 2BigReds (Oct 7, 2011)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> I've always paid a minimum of $8/hr, I figure if you're willing to work that hard and really, risk your life handling strange horses, you deserve it. There's a place not too far from me that pays $3.50 or less per hour and puts the workers in an "apprentice" program which allows her to pay less than minimum wage. I just totally can't do that to someone. Bad enough I normally don't have full time hours, and to pay that tiny amount on top of no hours? NOOOOOO! That's just wrong on so many different levels that I just can't stand it. Bring me someone who KNOWS what they're doing and I want to treat them GOOOD, and keep them HAPPY! Cos if they aren't happy and leave, I don't get even a 1/2 day off.


Ugh. People who do that crap make me so angry! You can't even live off of minimum wage (MOSTLY true, anyway) and horses are inherently dangerous. I can understand how some BOs can't afford more than that, but to actively seek out loopholes that allow you to pay LESS THAN HALF THAT??? Insanity, I'm telling ya! The people taking those positions are only cutting each other off at the knees as well... If nobody would take that rate, I guess they wouldn't keep offering it, either. :?

*sigh* The state of the current job market in the U.S. is ridiculous right now and I am so terribly done with it. Sorry for the slight segue, I'm in the middle of job hunting right now and it's really frustrating. I'll quit threadjacking now, lol!


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

When I did something similar, I was paid under the table, and it was less than $7 an hour. So, to say that it's what all people do is simply not true.


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## 2BigReds (Oct 7, 2011)

Zexious said:


> When I did something similar, I was paid under the table, and it was less than $7 an hour. So, to say that it's what all people do is simply not true.


I don't recall ever saying that? Sorry if something was misconstrued, my rant wasn't directed at anyone here, though I was taken aback at less than half of minimum that was mentioned which sparked it. I was paid under the table as well when I was grooming, so that I fully understand. :/
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

2BigReds said:


> I don't recall ever saying that? Sorry if something was misconstrued, my rant wasn't directed at anyone here, though I was taken aback at less than half of minimum that was mentioned which sparked it. I was paid under the table as well when I was grooming, so that I fully understand. :/
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


The one I'm talking about who is paying $3.50/hr is not paying under the table. I still can't believe it's legal.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Too many times someone gets confused as to how many hours the "barn slave" has put in and all to often the slave winds up with more demands put on them. This is when swapping labor for board. Then in time the BOs memory becomes even more confused and somehow the barn slave owes them money. It's not in me to treat someone like that so paying weekly for time worked, by cheque, keeps things on an even keel.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I've successfully swapped board for work but I don't demand much either. Pick a couple of days a week, feed the same and cover me for a vacation or show and feed the rest of the critters when I'm gone. For that, I've swapped full board and care.


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