Ask 100 horse professionals what the most difficult part of running a business is these days, and I bet 95 of them will tell you that it’s finding, training and retaining good workers. Why is it so hard? Is it really worse than it used to be? Are there ways we employers can do it better?

This is my final article in a series I’ve done on the state of the horse industry and the many challenges we face. I’ve saved employment for last in my series of articles about challenges to the horse industry revealed by my survey of 1,500 horse professionals, because I think it’s the hardest nut to crack. Full disclosure: My choice to close my barn almost exactly a year ago was due in large part to the frustrations of finding and managing good workers. I loved the horses, I loved my clients, but—like so many other professionals—I was worn out from the stress of managing people. 

As I started to write this, I realized I wanted more feedback from the employees themselves. So I just conducted a new survey, only for employees. About 200 people have taken the survey, and it’s still open for more responses! I’d love to hear from anyone working in the equine industry, so please take the time to fill it out here. So far, 75% of respondents said they want to stay in the equine industry long term—they love the horses, they want this to be their career, the flexibility and lifestyle they desire is on the farm or in the barn. But many employees don’t know if this is a realistic path for the future. They have a lot of valid complaints for us employers too!

The Core Problems: What’s Driving People Away

So if the vast majority of current employees would like to keep working in this industry, what are some of the problems driving them away? 

• Compensation and financial sustainability is the biggest issue: 57% of respondents from the employee survey were not satisfied with how much they were making. I think we all know working in a barn is not a great money-maker, but there is much more at play than workers just wishing they made more money. 

Many respondents talked about how they understood that their wages would be on the lower side to start with, but as the cost of living keeps increasing, they cannot make that equation work any longer. Others said the pay doesn’t adequately compensate for the physical demands of barn work.

Many employees expressed dismay at employers using their love of horses to justify the poor pay they received. Should employees just shut up and be grateful that they get to be around horses all day long, since they love them so much? Is it worth it for a young person to get some riding opportunities but not enough money to pay for their own health insurance each month?

• Work-life balance is another major issue driving away good employees. Horses require 24/7 care, but should employees be available 24/7? Of employee survey respondents, 26% reported feeling their employers did not respect their time, their privacy or other boundaries. And many respondents reported frustrations with inconsistent schedules that kept them from planning for daily life activities like doing laundry, grocery shopping, exercising or going out with friends.

“Balance is a relative term,” organizational psychologist Adam Grant says. “I don’t know a lot of accomplished people who feel like they’re in perfect balance. The successful people I know mostly tend to be strategically imbalanced, meaning they have work days that are super productive, where they don’t necessarily do a lot else, and then they have days that are set aside for family or leisure. Their lives are segmented. 

“That’s a more realistic goal,” he continued. “You’re probably not going to get balance in a typical day, but over the course of a week, and certainly over the course of a month, you can spread out your schedule such that you end up feeling like you get to pursue all of your priorities. There’s no such thing as a perfect work-life balance, but there are ways to be happy both at work, and at home.” 

As a trainer, this means considering your employees when you’re in a “super productive” time, like at a week-long horse show. Clearly communicate with your team about how you will help them to re-balance things once the show is done, or the crisis of a veterinary emergency has passed. 

• Lack of benefits and job security is a major issue for horse industry employees, who work physical jobs with a clear risk of injury. A whopping 92% of respondents in the employee survey reported that they do not receive health insurance through their horse job, and 72% lack worker’s compensation coverage. Many respondents told stories of getting injured on the job and needing time off, only to lose their job, since the employer had to hire someone else.

Most trainers I know would love to offer better benefits to their employees but just don’t see any way to afford it. Some are getting creative with offering long- and short-term disability insurance, which is often more affordable than worker’s comp. And others pay into their employees’ health savings account or offer a stipend each month that goes directly to the employee’s health insurance payments, so the employee still finds their own insurance, but they can rely on a portion of that monthly bill being paid by their employer. 

It’s time for our industry to take a serious look at this problem and see where we could get creative about finding solutions that work for employers and employees alike. For example, employee survey respondents listed other benefits that would appeal to them: riding lessons, competition opportunities, subsidized educational opportunities, housing, use of a vehicle, meals/groceries, matching retirement contributions, etc. As an employer, think about what you might be able to offer, even if more money is not on the table.

“It’s time for our industry to take a serious look at this problem and see where we could get creative about finding solutions that work for employers and employees alike.”

• Employers’ poor leadership and communications skills are the final thing pushing many people away from this industry. Many workers reported feeling micromanaged or, alternately, frustrated by disorganization in the barns where they worked. They noted that many employers lack basic people-management skills, fail to provide proper training, and/and don’t understand the time and effort required for quality horse care. Others told me stories of employers promising to give them saddle time, lessons, or other professional development, only to work for months or even years and never have those promises fulfilled. 

What Workers Actually Want

The problems are clear, but what do workers actually want? Is it just more money? It pays to find out what motivates your employees and what would keep them happy long term. In my survey of employees, I asked respondents to briefly explain what their goals were when they first started in their jobs. Their most common answers were:

• Learning more about horses: Many employees entered their job hoping to deepen their knowledge of horse care, training or barn management.
• Gaining professional experience: Some aimed to build a resume, start a career or step into a new professional role. For these people, mentorship and regular, focused goal-setting sessions and feedback are particularly important.
• Bartering for board or lessons: A significant number took the job in exchange for riding lessons, stall board or other benefits rather than cash pay.
• Pursuing a passion: Respondents often cited their love of horses and desire to work in a horse-focused environment as a key motivator.

A few folks said they took horse jobs simply to get some cash and get on with their lives, which is not a problem, but it’s good to understand as an employer that these folks will not likely develop into your long-term, highly skilled employees. 

• Professional development was important to many, many respondents who hoped to work in the industry long-term. This might seem obvious for someone hired as a working student or assistant trainer, but it also holds true for many hired to clean stalls and do more manual labor on the farm. The most commonly desired form of professional development was regular progress meetings with owners, trainers or bosses. Providing regular feedback, mentorship and other professional development opportunities doesn’t cost an employer and helps with retention, particularly in an industry known for low pay. 

• Autonomy and respect were also important to employees. The overwhelming majority of respondents want a combination of structure and freedom. Most prefer having essential tasks like feeding and tacking up scheduled, while having flexibility in how and when to complete other duties. A good manager provides enough training to make sure their workers have the knowledge to do a good job, and then avoids micromanaging or second guessing every choice.

I know when I first started managing people, it was hard for me to not correct every little detail: Why did they sweep like that? Why didn’t they do tasks in the same exact order I had always done them? I had to learn to pick my battles, be extremely clear with my expectations, and then let some of the smaller details go. If the horses are well cared for, does it really matter that they don’t stack the feed buckets the way I do?

• Communicating reasonable expectations was an area many employees said was fraught. All workers must know exactly what their responsibilities are. Clearly communicated job descriptions—which include a reliable schedule for pay days and days off—are always appreciated. If someone is hired as a highly skilled employee—barn manager, assistant trainer, etc.—employers should also schedule meetings to discuss job performance and opportunities for advancements in pay, more professional development, etc. Team meetings in the equine industry are not common; only 30% of respondents to the employee survey reported having them regularly. But the majority of respondents said they would like to have regular meetings, so everyone can stay updated and issues can be discussed in a timely manner.

Generational Perspectives: Moving Beyond Stereotypes

Now let’s think about things from the employer’s perspective. When I interview employers, the discussion almost immediately turns to generational differences, and how it seems like “no one wants to work hard anymore.” I’m guilty of feeling this way. It didn’t used to seem so hard to find working students, did it? It didn’t used to feel so hard to find reliable, honest workers who would show up when they said they would and take accountability when something went wrong, right?

Well, there’s actually research out there on this topic, because it’s so ubiquitous across all industries. It even has a name: “The Illusion of Moral Decline.” Turns out every generation thinks the next generation is lazy, disloyal, lacking a work ethic, etc. And there is no evidence that this is true. 

“Whatever your grandparents said about your generation, you’re likely to say the same thing about your grandchildren’s generation,” says Grant, the organizational psychologist. “Psychologists find that we stereotype generations because of a failure of comparison. Instead of comparing younger generations to our younger selves, we compare them to our current selves.”

I’m sure some of you will say, “Well, I have life evidence that it IS true!” But you can also probably tell me about some great, hard-working kids you know. And if we’re honest, we probably were not the most amazing employees when we were young either.

The problem is often not a generational one but a communication one: Have you, as an employer, clearly shared your bigger goals for how you want your facility to function? Think of your “Big Why”—your reason for running a barn, training horses, teaching, etc.—and from there, clearly communicate all the tasks that have to be done to support that vision. And, as an employee, have you clearly communicated with your boss to ask questions about anything you don’t understand, to speak up respectfully when something goes wrong or you think a change could be made? 

Taking time to sit down and implement some of these ideas can help employers retain employees for longer and have less burnout. Staff will also feel empowered to innovate and problem solve on their own, providing their bosses with more time, not less.

A Sustainable Future For Equine Careers

I chose to close my barn a year ago, worn down by the very problems we’ve discussed. But writing this article and hearing from so many employers and employees has convinced me that we’re standing at a crossroads, not a dead end.

The question isn’t whether we can afford to make these changes—it’s whether we can afford not to. Every talented employee who leaves the industry takes with them years of knowledge, passion, and potential. Every barn that closes due to staffing frustrations represents a loss not just to the owner, but to the entire equine community.

The path forward isn’t just about saving an industry; it’s about honoring the people who make it possible. Every time we choose to provide clear communication over confusion, fair compensation over exploiting passion, and professional development over stagnation, we’re building a legacy that extends far beyond our individual businesses.

Employees shouldn’t have to choose between their love of horses and their financial future. The solutions in this article aren’t just suggestions. They’re blueprints for change that starts with your next hire, your next team meeting, your next honest conversation about what working with horses can and should be.

The horses we love deserve the best care from people who can build sustainable careers caring for them. Let’s make that possible.

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Eliza Sydnor Romm is an FEI rider and trainer from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She is a USDF Certified Instructor and sought-after trainer and clinician. She teaches horses and riders of all levels, from starting under saddle to Grand Prix.