# groomed, tacked and saddled?



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Have you talked to her about it? Was anything regarding tacking up, grooming, etc mentioned when you came to your agreement? If not, just talk to her about it.


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## peppersonlygirl (Jan 21, 2014)

I will, I just wondered if it was reasonable to ask.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Very reasonable. That's something that should have been hashed out when you made the arrangement (not entirely your fault, as she should have said something if you didn't).

I used to ride for my grandma's neighbor years ago. Part of the deal was that I had to groom and tack up (she would help, though, because the saddle she had me using weighed almost as much as I did ;-) ). I didn't even get paid to ride. I just rode for the experience.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

The majority of trainers/paid riders that I have known tack up the horses that they work with prior to the ride, and untack afterwards (or, if they are at a large facility with many horses to ride, they will sometimes have a working student or hired groom do it). Point being, I think it's somewhat rare for the owner to be expected to have the horse ready to ride -- at least in my area.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

horse at our barn who have paid training, well, the rider/trainer gets the horse, tacks themselves (training happens here, too) and rides. charge is by the ride, niot the hour.


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## Chicalia (Nov 5, 2013)

Personally, I'd want to check the tack myself before hopping on, especially on a trail ride. I'd say that the situation is to your advantage... You can make sure there is nothing under the saddle pad that will bother the horse, and make sure everything is fitted to the horse to your liking (and the horse's comfort).


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## gssw5 (Jul 30, 2013)

It sounds like the concern here is you do not feel like your getting paid to tack the horse, as she does not "start the clock" until your in the saddle.

Do you have something in writing that says what is expected and what your getting paid to do?

Back when I was riding for other people I had a set price, for a set amount of time, and had an understanding with my clients that if I had to go out get the horse, groom it ect it was part of the time. Some people would have them groomed and ready for me others were happy to let me spend their money while I went and got the horse up and ready, which cut into training time. I always rode in my own saddle, so I would not have expected the horse to be saddled.

If your not happy with how your getting paid, or the arrangement discuss making changes, and always have everything in writing.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I think it's unreasonable to expect the horse to be tacked up in this situation. I just generally think the rider should tack the horse up, it's the safest option too, and how I've always done it. If you're exercising a horse for someone who doesn't have time it's a bit strange to expect them to saddle up the horse for you. 

However, if you're literally being paid by the hour and she times you then that timing should be started when you arrive. Or if you're paid a set amount for two hours riding ask if that includes saddling/unsaddling time, and either work out a new arrangement or subtract it from your riding time.


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## peppersonlygirl (Jan 21, 2014)

She does have time but is an older lady who just wants someone younger to ride him, run him, do some things she is too nervous to do. She always wants to be there when I come out. 

She also just texted me saying she found out she has a stress fracture in her hip and needs to take it easy. Sounds like we will need to get a couple things figured out.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Time is money.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

peppersonlygirl said:


> She does have time but is an older lady who just wants someone younger to ride him, run him, do some things she is too nervous to do. She always wants to be there when I come out.
> 
> She also just texted me saying she found out she has a stress fracture in her hip and needs to take it easy. Sounds like we will need to get a couple things figured out.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 Yikes! Sounds like she has reached the stage of needing a very calm, well trained horse...if she is going to have a horse to ride.
In the meantime you will get paid for riding the one she has. But you do need to get some things worked out.


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## greenhaven (Jun 7, 2014)

Eolith said:


> Point being, I think it's somewhat rare for the owner to be expected to have the horse ready to ride -- at least in my area.


yes, but:



Saskia said:


> ..., if you're literally being paid by the hour and she times you then that timing should be started when you arrive.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

If I am paid to work a horse then I would want to tack it myself. Generally the owner would not be around so I would have to tack anyway. 

I would expect the horse to be in a stable and clean for me. I never set a set time. I will allow at least 90 minutes for each horse. I might ride it for that length of time and still tack and untack it. Other times I might only ride for 45 minutes but it is all the same price.


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## Whinnie (Aug 9, 2015)

She should be paying you for your time, no matter what you are doing. I hope you are assertive enough to discuss that with her. If she does not want to pay for tacking up, then she should do it. And it should be done before you arrive so that you don't have to wait around, either. Time is money. I would have no problem paying someone for the whole process, and in fact, I have. When I take lessons, I am in the saddle and warming up in the arena before my trainer gets there, she is not being paid to wait around for me. If she only has an hour for me, I want all of it to be in the saddle.


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## peppersonlygirl (Jan 21, 2014)

Dustbunny said:


> Yikes! Sounds like she has reached the stage of needing a very calm, well trained horse...if she is going to have a horse to ride.
> In the meantime you will get paid for riding the one she has. But you do need to get some things worked out.


Yes, I don't think this is the horse for her but that's another story....
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Textan49 (Feb 13, 2015)

I don't see tacking up a horse that you are being paid to ride as any problem. If you feel that you are not compensated enough for your total time there to include the grooming you need to bring that point up


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## peppersonlygirl (Jan 21, 2014)

It's the time she takes.....getting the horse, grooming him, saddling.....snails pace because she has all day. I try to help to move things along but it's still a 10-15 minute ordeal....sometimes 20 minutes cuz she likes to talk! 
But anyways I plan to talk to her today and seeing if we can come up with something different especially since she's supposed to be babying her hip.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I don't feel like you're clear on how you are being paid--per "session" (ride) or per hour? Is there a contract in place?
It's sort of protocol for trainers to groom/tack up the horse they are riding. At least, in my area and to my knowledge


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## peppersonlygirl (Jan 21, 2014)

Basically she wants to pay me a certain fixed amount per hour that I spend riding the horse.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

If it doesn't work for you, dollar related to time, and you are doing this as a business, I'd quit.

If you are doing this to a) get experience riding as many horses as you can, and/or b) just to get horse time, I might put up with it.

If she just annoyed the heck out of me, regardless of any of the above, I'd quit.

I groom for the club's slowest, most chatty, player. I do it because I like her and her horses. If I didn't, I wouldn't.


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## EdmontonHorseGal (Jun 2, 2013)

i personally want to groom and tack any horse i'm about to ride, so that i can spend time making sure that horse is in the right frame of mind for work that day and also to be checking for any injuries first hand. 

if the lady tacks up the horse but missed an injury and you came back from the ride and then she saw it, that would be likely to put you in the spotlight of hurting her horse, even though you didn't.

15 to 20 minutes is my usual timeline for grooming/tacking. wouldn't call that a snails pace. but i'm not a competitive rider and i don't have a tight schedule at the barn at all. i enjoy that time before riding/working a horse - to ensure all tack is on 'just so' and the horse doesn't feel that i'm rushing/hurried. that just stresses the horse in my experience.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

When I pay someone to ride I pay by the ride. I'll have the horse in the pen and groomed. If you choose to check over anything done (regroom) that's you. I do expect you to tack for yourself. Some bring their own saddles but I provide the bridle/bit. If you want to use my saddle I will set that out for you. I expect a minimum ride of 40 minutes but you can ride over if you choose. I'm pretty easy if you've ridden for me a while and I know what you are capable of. If I trust you and you say XYZ needs added time to work on something specific I'll add 1/2 hour to your pay. If you are just joy riding then that is on your time and I'm ok with that too.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Over the years I have watched relationships between Pro and clients. I believe it is easy for some owners to get the idea that by paying a person to handle/ride/train that somehow also includes being a friend. It would be difficult to be in the position of balancing the desires and emotions of some owners and getting one's job done and not going crackers in the process.
Starting out with clearly defined rules and boundaries certainly would be easier than having to walk things back later...after someone gets their feelings hurt and tells anyone who will listen what a jerk the pro is.
My hat is off to those who are successful. It's a difficult balancing act.


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## BreezylBeezyl (Mar 25, 2014)

I personally find it strange that you don't do the tacking. Any time I've ridden anyone's horse, or ridden a lesson horse, I have to do all of the work associated with it. Catching, grooming, feeding, tacking, blanketing, turn out, etc.

Furthermore, when I have people put training rides on my horse I certainly don't take the time to come out and tack up for them. I am paying them money to deal with my horse for the day, essentially while I take a day off.

But each situation is different. No one can answer this question but the owner. Sounds like you two had a miscommunication somewhere.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

Usually this kind of arrangement isn't handled as if the rider is punching a timeclock and paid by the minute. It's usually understood that there may be a minimum amount of time involved but it's not like having an employer hanging over you watching every minute to make sure they get a certain amount of work out of you.

I sympathize with this woman because the catching, grooming and tacking up is all the face to face time she can have with her horse being unable to ride. But...if she wants to get this strict about paying exactly by the minute she may not be worth dealing with.

Definitely time for a heart to heart-if she wants to do the prep work, she needs to be ready when you are ready to ride or she needs to have you do it and include it in what she wants to pay for riding time. Fortunately most people who pay to have a horse ridden/trained are not obsessive clock watchers as long as they don't feel cheated.


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