# Equestrian Job Titles? What am I?



## HorsesandHappiness (Oct 4, 2016)

Lately I seem to be at a loss when people ask me what my job title is, what I do for a living, or what company I work for. I just don't have a short answer. For paperwork, I usually say "stablehand" working for Employer X and Company Y. It wouldn't bother me except that it comes up every time I meet someone new or fill out paperwork, and it should be an easy answer, right?

The tricky thing is, I have two regular jobs and a couple volunteer "jobs". I work at Company Y as a stablehand for 10 hours/week (feed, water, muck stalls, etc). I also work for Employer X about 25 hours/week. My job there is mainly to ride/exercise the horses and do miscellaneous barn chores for a woman at her property. I also volunteer at a ranch where I will be working with their horses starting again in spring. 

My doctor's office has my file written as "horse groomer". Then they don't understand how I'm hurting myself ( a _Groom_ does a lot more than brush horses ). Among horse people, I would feel weird calling myself a trainer because I don't have a ton of experience nor am I hired out by different people, but stablehand doesn't seem right either. When I refer to myself as a groom, horse people tend to think I'm travelling to shows or something.

Sorry for the novel.


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

Equine technician?


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## HorsesandHappiness (Oct 4, 2016)

mmshiro said:


> Equine technician?


I would love that! It sounds very professional. Although I can imagine that would cause even more confusion. There aren't a lot of horse people around here.


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

Do you do any management of supplies? Ordering feed?
It sounds like you are a horse exerciser and caretaker. 
If you managed supplies, organized schedules for those you work with, and did ordering I'd say barn manager.


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## Loner (Dec 21, 2017)

All around Ranch Hand sounds better then Stable Hand.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I was going to suggest ranch hand or farm hand, depending on which side of the Mississippi you're on.


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## HorsesandHappiness (Oct 4, 2016)

I am east of the Mississippi.I do not do barn management at this point in time. 
Ranch Hand sounds like what I was looking for, especially since I not all of my work is horse/stable related. Thank you!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

If you're east then Farm Hand would be more fitting. I don't know anyone who considers their place a ranch even if they're raising cattle or horses. It's a cattle farm or a horse farm.


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## HorsesandHappiness (Oct 4, 2016)

I'm probably overthinking this, sorry. I'm just socially awkward and like to have a concise way to say, this is my job.

I appreciate all the suggestions!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

For the purposes of forms and such in the East, I would go with stable hand or horse farm hand. Most folks outside the horse world have no idea what a groom does. The average paper shuffler would likely equate it to dog groomer. If they need more detail, say you do barn and farm chores, and exercise horses. You may need to specify any machinery you operate, like tractors or manure spreaders. 


Sound like they think you stand around brushing horses, and can't understand how you get your knees and such banged up.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

You want something that will sound interesting, cover duties in a varied field that is extensive in needs met...
Equestrian Management
Eques, is horse...
Management, can mean anything and everything.
_"Equestrian Management"_ = anything related to horses.

Now if you also do the maintenance of the grounds, fixing/replacing of stall structure then I would do _
"All-around farm hand and animal caregiver specializing in horses"._ 
:runninghorse2:...


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Farm Hand, Ranch Hand, Stable Hand to me says the same as I have worked all three and had the same jobs - feed, muck, groom, exercise, clean tack, general maintenance. Only difference was the location. Farm Hand here. Ranch Hand in Texas and Stable Hand in the north east.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

If it makes you feel better I've been working professionally for many years and still don't know what to put/say.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Equine care technician.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

JCnGrace said:


> If you're east then Farm Hand would be more fitting. I don't know anyone who considers their place a ranch even if they're raising cattle or horses. It's a cattle farm or a horse farm.


Except for Florida, they have ranches in Florida.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Interesting, I didn't know that @LoriF. Not that some places around here don't call their place a ranch but most people I know consider a ranch as being a place with a lot more acres than most people in the east own. Do they take into consideration about how big the place is or what they are doing? I find different customs fascinating.


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