# Does this farm assistant job sound feasable?



## dianneS (Jun 29, 2011)

I am trying to find work at a local show barn to gain experience and exposure in the horse business as I continue to build my equine massage practice.

Horse farm jobs are hard to come by and I don't have any big show barns very close to me.  I have one opportunity right now, but its 30 miles away and only pays $7 an hour.  I know that the experience I'll gain is worth a lot too and I have a great deal of free time on my hands right now and any opportunity to get out of the house is helpful these days!  

The other problem is that my services would only be needed for 3 hours a day five days a week, but it could lead to 5 hours a day five days a week.  It all depends on how many horses are being trained at the time.  Out of town shows would give me more opportunity to get more work hours too, so the hours and pay would fluctuate.  This is all fine with me, I don't need a set salary to survive right now and the very part time hours would give me lots of opportunity to build my massage practice, continue to see my human clients and get my work done around my own farm.  Plus, like I said, the experience has value too?

I'm just concerned about the 30 mile one-way drive for only three hours of work per day?  The good thing is that the hours are flexible and I can pick and choose my start time each day making it much easier for me to work around my exsisting massage business.

Any opinions or advice would be helpful!  Thanks.


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## goodhors (Jun 29, 2011)

Sounds like most horse barn jobs, cheap and unreliable.  You will barely be paying your gas with a 60 mile trip daily plus it will be an hour a day in the car.  So $21 dollars minus withholding (if they even pay that), and divide by 4 hours. I get $5.25 an hour with no withholding, even less if they do take out taxes etc..  And all the rest of your day will have to revolve around the barn job hours, which may fluctuate.  The lure of more hours, didn't hear about pay raise though, is always part of the spiel when hiring.

Personally, I would not go for it, not really making any money.  You will make more contacts by attending a local show, doing demos and giving out coupons for services or reduced rates, than you will at the barn.  Barns tend to be a closed community, only barn people go there, hired help is just laborers.  You SURE do not want to get involved in barn dramas.  Advertising in local papers might get you known too.  Have you put out notice of your services with the horse Vets?  They might refer folks on to you.

I would work fast food for minimum wage, close to home for busywork,  before getting into a barn job like that.


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## dianneS (Jun 29, 2011)

Thanks a lot!  I really did need an unbiased opinion on the matter.


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## carolinagirl (Jun 29, 2011)

goodhors said:
			
		

> Sounds like most horse barn jobs, cheap and unreliable.  You will barely be paying your gas with a 60 mile trip daily plus it will be an hour a day in the car.  So $21 dollars minus withholding (if they even pay that), and divide by 4 hours. I get $5.25 an hour with no withholding, even less if they do take out taxes etc..  And all the rest of your day will have to revolve around the barn job hours, which may fluctuate.  The lure of more hours, didn't hear about pay raise though, is always part of the spiel when hiring.
> 
> Personally, I would not go for it, not really making any money.  You will make more contacts by attending a local show, doing demos and giving out coupons for services or reduced rates, than you will at the barn.  Barns tend to be a closed community, only barn people go there, hired help is just laborers.  You SURE do not want to get involved in barn dramas.  Advertising in local papers might get you known too.  Have you put out notice of your services with the horse Vets?  They might refer folks on to you.
> 
> I would work fast food for minimum wage, close to home for busywork,  before getting into a barn job like that.


I agree 100%.


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## freemotion (Jun 29, 2011)

It is not legal to pay someone less than minimum wage....it shows how they would view you.  You won't likely get any good contacts from that job since the clients will view you as a low level employee, too.  It is best if you are simply the "expert from afar" and they know nothing about you other than what you tell them....

You would be better off doing demos of your work.  This can be very effective.  It is how I got my first clients.  Then my work impressed a vet and I got referrals that way, and a farrier.  Work ON the farriers!  They sure need it!

Start small, like a 4H group or some local club so you can work the kinks out of your lecture/demo with people who won't likely be your clients anyways, then go to various barns and talk with the manager or trainer and see if you can set up a demo.  Work on them if possible.  They all have whiplash and back and hip issues!


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## dianneS (Jun 29, 2011)

Thank so much.  I had only asked my mother for advice prior to this, which was a big mistake.  Her opionion is totally biased.  She doesn't understand the massage thing or the horse thing, and generally dislikes animals of all kinds.  She insulted me to the point that I was about to take the job just to spite her!

I think I'm going to cancel the interview for tomorrow so we don't waste each other's time.  Plus, I have to meet a buyer of an old saxophone I've had for sale.  Maybe I'll invest my sax money in marketing my business!


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## freemotion (Jun 29, 2011)

Now don't go throwing money away on advertising.  You know that people get massage through referrals, through seeing you work at the chair at events, through experiencing your work through gift certificates and chair massage at events.  It is similar with horses.....except trainers and riders tend NOT to refer you as you are their big secret advantage!  Vets and farriers....it can be different if you can win them over, which can be tough, but all you need is one or two.

If you can do demos, people can see the difference right away.  Ask for an older horse that is in regular work that has never had massage or chiropractic.  Everyone will see the imbalance in movement as you have the horse walked directly away and directly towards them.  Point some things out.  Work on the horse, then have them walked again.  Then continue to lecture on the importance of regular treatments.  Offer discounts for anyone who books an appointment for their horse right then and there.


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## michickenwrangler (Jun 29, 2011)

Good advice here.

I've worked at several boarding stables through the years and in most cases the owners are hard to impossible to please.


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## dianneS (Jun 30, 2011)

I just cancelled my interview.  My husband agreed it was a bad idea.  

I contacted several horsey friends and all but one agreed that the job was beneath me.  The only one who told me to go for it is a barn owner who is also always trying to find free or cheap barn help!  She even mentioned that she wished I lived closer to her (so I could work for free I'm sure)!  She was probably the wrong person to consult.

But all-in-all, the advice I recieved has pretty much been a resounding "NO!"  so thank you all!


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## jodief100 (Jun 30, 2011)

I am glad you are happy with your decision.  I agree with it completely.  It is not a good idea to try and get contacts from a low level position.  People tend to view these individuals as beneath them.  At my Aunts horse barn, she has a stable hand, Sergio. He has fed, watered, exercised and cleaned up after the horses for 20 years and done an excellent job. He knows more about their horses than they do.  I have never seen a single person even acknowledge he was there.  

I cleaned houses in college.  It was good money, flexible hours and paid in CASH.  Despite the fact I was a college student with a degree in biology working on one in engineering and on the Dean's List, I had clients who spoke to me in slow, loud, highly enunciated tones as if I didn't understand English.  This continued even after I responded in clear, correct English and intentionally and correctly used a plethora of 3 and 4 syllable words.  Others wrote detailed basic instructions with things like use the Tidy Bowl to clean the toilet and the Comet to clean the sink Duh!  I can read the labels and I have cleaned my own bathroom since I was 5.     One even felt the need to show me how to work a vacuum cleaner.


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## Roll farms (Oct 12, 2011)

I dunno if you have any farm stores near you, but several times a year at TSC we have "Out Here with _____" days, one is horses, the others are just 'animals', but we're always verrry eager to find ANY one w/ animal knowledge to show up / help us get people to come there.

You can also ask if you can come and do a demo on really busy weekends in their parking lot.  Advertise it in free papers / free radio ads if there are any in your area.  
I know a lot of farmers get their info from 'freebie' places, we're a cheap lot.  

We have a cashier who works at a horse barn...customers come in and Judy will say hello, and ask how (horse by name) is and the people look surprised / ask how she knows their horse.  She says, "Well I see you with it at the barn 3x a week, I work there." and the Snooties of the lot sort of go, "OOooooh." and you can tell they've found her 'lacking'.

I have a vet here who'd LOVE to find an equine massage therapist to refer people to.  Maybe make an appt. to talk to some good equine vets / get them on board w/ your practice and ask for referrals.  

Good luck.


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