What kind of salary can an Asst Trainer/Instructor/Rider make these days?

[Used To]

I started the search for a new job today, and the information I've been coming across is enough to send me screaming back to retail.

I'm only looking for a smallish barn, goes to a few A shows and locals, no drama, combo of BM, asst trainer/instructor, some riding etc.

Some websites were showing things like $500/mo + housing!!!!

SERIOUSLY?

Someone tell me that they are making a decent salary (i'm not talking Donald Trump II, just enough to pay the rent and a truck payment and some student loans)

*headdesk*

[findeight]

Um, yeah, that is about what an entry level assitant trainer would start at in a small barn-around 15-18k. The place with the housing is valuing it at around 1k-1200 a month it looks like. That is well above minimum wage...remember $10 an hour on a 40 hour week is around 19k a year.

After a few years you could go to around 30k or it's equivalent combined with housing as an assistant trainer.

After gaining experience you could go to a big, AA level barn and make 40 or so but you won't get rich or pay off those loans in this profession, especially as a brand newbie with no reputation and in a small barn.

Head trainers make their money off of commissions and show charges and you need to be moving expensive horses and going to multi day shows all the time to make anything that way.

Seems those that own their own farms and the land they sit on are the only ones that really make a good living at it.

Sorry but it's just not a high paying job and old Donald T was right when he said you'll never get rich working for somebody else. In the horse business you probably won't working for yourself either.

[Alterageous]

$1500-$1700 a month (which would include the value of the housing) sounds totally reasonable to me.

[MagicRoseFarm]

to give you an idea for outside assistant instructor. per student per lesson

On our horses and ponies, 33% to the farm, 33% to help with our insurance, and 33% to the assistant instructor... and NOTHING for extra set up time and schooling etc( which can quickly add up to equal actual ring time) ... this is pretty much the norm

If they seriously work a consignment horse, or help bring along a young one, i will give them what i feel is a fair chunk of our commission, never more than 33% again

[Used To]

I knew numbers for outside trainers (previous barn charged 50% of $40 for an outside trainer to come in).

I'm not a nobody with no name or Rep- just am too burnt out by A show land to go near it for a while.

if teaching and barn work really was a 40hr job then it might be a better deal, but you know as well as I that ain't nothin 40 hrs about a horse job.

I give up already. I'd rather find something thats not going to break my body for minimum wage.

[gottagrey]

With housing included that is a huge chunk of salary and living expenses included. Would the housing include utilities (water, electric, gas and if you're lucky cable/Internet?) If so that would add another $100-$500 to your living expenses (depending on the type of heating/cooling electric or gas could be 200-500 in the winter)

Also hate to be the grim reaper here but... did you read or hear the news about 1) unemployment numbers 2) stock market down down down but up a little at COB today. The situation out there is not looking too good right now- aand 3) check your finances - do you really need a truck? - do you really need that monthly payment. If you don't need a truck and be realistic (not like one day I want to get a trailer) then maybe sell truck pay off note and purchase smaller vehicle (think better fuel economy saves $$) to get you from place to place. however, do not sell truck unless you have money left over to purchase another (reliable used) car. 4) be realistic about any employment opportunities - many of us older and wiser folks will tell you it aint easy out there and right now it is going to be especially challenging..

That $500 per month + housing might begin to look pretty darn sweet

[LovesHorses]

$100 a day around where I am. That was doing everything as an assistant...riding,teaching, grooming, barn managing and going to some shows, etc. Not sure how one could live on that after taxes. You would need to bartend at night or something else for extra money.

[Horseymama]

My assistant makes $1300/month + housing which is a quaint private cottage with a view and includes all of the utilities (heat, electric, water, garbage) + she gets a cell phone and board for her horse. She works 6 days/week. We give our employees 2 weeks paid vacation or sick leave per year, but we still have a hard time keeping people! I think we are a nice, normal, no drama kind of place to work but the other day she was remarking to me how she wants to go to the community college at night so she can get her dental assistant's degree so she can someday have only a five-day work week. I think this is the main thing, people want to work only five days/week, but that is so hard at a barn. It's really hard being less a person two days/week. And we personally hardly ever take days off! My husband slept on a cot in the aisleway of the barn last night with a sick horse!

We have a hard time finding people that are truly "cut-out" for this job, even if we do try to pay as much as we can afford. It's never going to be a high-salaried position, but doesn't someone want this quality of life? Living on a beautiful farm working with horses every day, having their dog and horse right there with them, not having to commute or work in an office, etc., etc?

[CaliforniaSyndrome]

500 monthly is on the low side, I'de say minimum 1,000 - (including housing) if there's no housing you SHOULD be making more! My position includes housing, and soon will have benifits. I think right now everyone needs to take in the consideration that they should really even be thankful to have the oppertunity to work - people are getting laid off left and right in other businesses.

[shade]

My assistant makes $1300/month + housing which is a quaint private cottage with a view and includes all of the utilities (heat, electric, water, garbage) + she gets a cell phone and board for her horse. She works 6 days/week. We give our employees 2 weeks paid vacation or sick leave per year, but we still have a hard time keeping people! I think we are a nice, normal, no drama kind of place to work but the other day she was remarking to me how she wants to go to the community college at night so she can get her dental assistant's degree so she can someday have only a five-day work week. I think this is the main thing, people want to work only five days/week, but that is so hard at a barn. It's really hard being less a person two days/week. And we personally hardly ever take days off! My husband slept on a cot in the aisleway of the barn last night with a sick horse!

We have a hard time finding people that are truly "cut-out" for this job, even if we do try to pay as much as we can afford. It's never going to be a high-salaried position, but doesn't someone want this quality of life? Living on a beautiful farm working with horses every day, having their dog and horse right there with them, not having to commute or work in an office, etc., etc?


Yes there are people out there that are "cut out" for that lifestyle, I am one of them. I just left an office job after 21 years to return to working with horses again full time. I had worked in horses for over 15 years before I went to an office job. I put up with it for all that time so I could leave with full medical benefits and go back to what I love doing, working in a barn with horses. To me that is not a job it is my life. Of course now I"m unemployed...LOL..sadly the job I left for did not work out.

So we are still out there.

[tja789]

My assistant makes $1300/month + housing which is a quaint private cottage with a view and includes all of the utilities (heat, electric, water, garbage) + she gets a cell phone and board for her horse. She works 6 days/week. We give our employees 2 weeks paid vacation or sick leave per year, but we still have a hard time keeping people! I think we are a nice, normal, no drama kind of place to work but the other day she was remarking to me how she wants to go to the community college at night so she can get her dental assistant's degree so she can someday have only a five-day work week. I think this is the main thing, people want to work only five days/week, but that is so hard at a barn. It's really hard being less a person two days/week. And we personally hardly ever take days off! My husband slept on a cot in the aisleway of the barn last night with a sick horse!

We have a hard time finding people that are truly "cut-out" for this job, even if we do try to pay as much as we can afford. It's never going to be a high-salaried position, but doesn't someone want this quality of life? Living on a beautiful farm working with horses every day, having their dog and horse right there with them, not having to commute or work in an office, etc., etc?

The sad fact is that, for the amount of work you are expecting an employee to do, this is very low pay. How many hours does your assistant work--7am to 5pm? This would be fairly typical for a full-time barn job, but many have even longer daily hours. In any case, you may be expecting at least a 60 hr week, which is far more time than most Americans put in. And being a barn assistance generally involves hard physical labor in all sort of disagreeable weather conditions. Although it is great to provide housing/utilities, the worker still has to pay for a vehicle and maintenance, gas, food, personal items, and health insurance. Although they get to board their horse, is there really any point in owning a horse? At that salary it would be hard to afford vet/farrier care and there would be little money available to do anything with the horse--clinics, shows, and trailering anywhere costs $$$. Even in this economy, there are so many jobs that pay much more, offer benefits, and require a regular 40 hr week (e.g., being a dental assistant). I don't mean to be critical, it's just that I can see why no one wants your job for very long.

It's important to realize that being a barn slave six days a week is exhausting and stressful. Although undoubtedly you work very hard too, it is in fact more stressful to be the bossed than the boss. And you have a financial investment in the property and the incentive to keep your business growing. Your employee has nothing but a relatively hazardous job, very long hours, little personal freedom, and low pay.

[Horseymama]

tja- She works 8:30 to 5:30 in winter and 8 to 5 in the summer. But of course, as you said, it can be longer hours depending on what's going on (shows, clinics, sick horses), although we compensate her if she works overtime. I know it's exhausting and stressful, but I wonder how much more she would have to earn to stay around a long time? We have never had anyone stay in this position for more than a year, and we have paid more (although never over $2000/month). I think it has more to do with working outside in all sorts of weather and not having as much personal freedom. But it just seems like there would be someone out there that appreciates it. We can't afford to pay more, we can hardly afford to pay what we do. It's kind of a dilemma for us because I HATE having high turn-over and having to train someone new every year or 6 months.

I actually like this girl and I feel bad that I can't make it so that she wants to stay on a while...

[SaturdayNightLive]

Average Profit of Head Trainer per week: $20 and a variety pack of Ramen
Average Salary of Assistant Trainer per week: $3 and a pack of gum

Welcome to the horse world.

[Viva]

"It's important to realize that being a barn slave six days a week is exhausting and stressful. Although undoubtedly you work very hard too, it is in fact more stressful to be the bossed than the boss. And you have a financial investment in the property and the incentive to keep your business growing. Your employee has nothing but a relatively hazardous job, very long hours, little personal freedom, and low pay.[/QUOTE]

As a farm owner who has been both the boss and the bossed, I would strongly disagree with this. I arrive before my employees and leave after them, and every buck--financial, equine, emotional--stops with me. Yes, I have the financial investment, but I also have 100% of the $$ risk. In the end, it's up to me to make sure clients are happy, horses are healthy, the hefty mortgage and insurance are paid, and the pipes aren't frozen (that was January's excitement this year). No, I can't pay my employees much, but they go home after evening chores and leave it behind. I'm on 24/7. I wouldn't have it any other way, I love what I do, and I've got all kinds of creative recipes for Ramen :D But as SNL said, that's the horse world. You either do it because you love it or you don't stick around.

[tja789]

tja- She works 8:30 to 5:30 in winter and 8 to 5 in the summer. But of course, as you said, it can be longer hours depending on what's going on (shows, clinics, sick horses), although we compensate her if she works overtime. I know it's exhausting and stressful, but I wonder how much more she would have to earn to stay around a long time? We have never had anyone stay in this position for more than a year, and we have paid more (although never over $2000/month). I think it has more to do with working outside in all sorts of weather and not having as much personal freedom. But it just seems like there would be someone out there that appreciates it. We can't afford to pay more, we can hardly afford to pay what we do. It's kind of a dilemma for us because I HATE having high turn-over and having to train someone new every year or 6 months.

I actually like this girl and I feel bad that I can't make it so that she wants to stay on a while...

Maybe it would work out a lot better if you split the job between two part-time workers. This might prevent the burnout that I think will be almost inevitable given the long hours a single employee must work.

[dray]

I agree with Viva....as the owner of a small breeding and riding farm, I am persnoally responsible for mortgage, insurance, vehicles, 32 horses, trucks, trailers, all utilities, care and feeding of said animals...

I have just hired an assistant trainer and she gets housing and all utilities, furniture for items she doesn't have, lunch every day, help tacking up her set of horses (by me), coaching on young horses, lessons, show fees paid, sliding commission scale on sale of horses...experience for her resume so that she can move on to bigger and better at some point...it's her lifestyle choice and I am committed to doing everything I can to help her moneywise...like find a project for her once we get in the groove...offer her a mare to produce a foal from, etc....I think the relationships that work long haul and the ones where there is creativity, flexibility and lifestyle choice.

I think beign the husband of me is the hardest job. :)

Donna Ray

[tja789]

"It's important to realize that being a barn slave six days a week is exhausting and stressful. Although undoubtedly you work very hard too, it is in fact more stressful to be the bossed than the boss. And you have a financial investment in the property and the incentive to keep your business growing. Your employee has nothing but a relatively hazardous job, very long hours, little personal freedom, and low pay.

As a farm owner who has been both the boss and the bossed, I would strongly disagree with this. I arrive before my employees and leave after them, and every buck--financial, equine, emotional--stops with me. Yes, I have the financial investment, but I also have 100% of the $$ risk. In the end, it's up to me to make sure clients are happy, horses are healthy, the hefty mortgage and insurance are paid, and the pipes aren't frozen (that was January's excitement this year). No, I can't pay my employees much, but they go home after evening chores and leave it behind. I'm on 24/7. I wouldn't have it any other way, I love what I do, and I've got all kinds of creative recipes for Ramen :D But as SNL said, that's the horse world. You either do it because you love it or you don't stick around.[/QUOTE]

I agree that, as jobs go, yours is indeed difficult. However, all studies indicate that stress levels are much higher in lower-level employees than in the people who boss them. You're living your dream, have a great deal of personal control over everything that happens at work, and presumably make more money than you pay people. Your employees have no ownership in the farm and hence no reason to love the place. They have little personal control and instead get ordered around all day doing hard physical labor for little pay. That's stress.

[dray]

Exactly...and the farm owner is the one who pays the vet bills, for the colic surgieries, for the breedings, for the imported horses, for four months of young horse training so that the assistant trainer doesn't have to take the hit physuically....gets to let her animals live the farm life...and I love my new assistant trainer...I am taking her to the World Cup with me.

[Vandy]

It's important to realize that being a barn slave six days a week is exhausting and stressful. Although undoubtedly you work very hard too, it is in fact more stressful to be the bossed than the boss.:lol: :lol: :lol:
As a "boss", I see I am not the only one who disagrees completely with this statement! Perhaps in some barns it works this way, but certainly not mine! If I were independently wealthy and I could hire out every little task and never worry about making enough $ to pay the gigantic mortgage, perhaps tja's statement would be a little closer to the truth. In my personal reality, not only do I work much harder, more hours and zero vacation time than any assistant I have ever had, I also have less disposable income at the end of the month. If I were living rent-free and making $1000/month, I'd be ahead of where I am now :uhoh: Until you have owned a barn, it's difficult to understand the reality of what everything costs and what your "bottom line" is.

Regardless of what studies may indicate, I've been on both ends of the equation, and for me being the boss is waaaay more stressful. Exponentially.

[dray]

My life was way easier when I got board for my horse in exchange for being an asst. trainer. I got hauled to shows, fed, kind of spoiled by the family I worked for to be honest....not that I am complaining. I'm very happy....