How to Work as a Dressage Groom

If you've been around horses all your life, and you're interested in working as a groom in the world of dressage, you might enjoy finding a local trainer or owner who is looking for help with her horses. Dressage owners have usually spent a pretty penny on their animals, and they'll be looking for a fastidious individual who has a strong horse sense and a dedication to detail. But in return for your hard work, you'll usually get to watch the horse and owner in training, and gain much knowledge.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

How to Work as a Dressage Groom

1. As with any groom position, you'll have a variety of stable duties. Expect to start the morning by feeding, watering and mucking the stalls as the horses eat their breakfast.

2. Start grooming the horses for their morning ride. Brush the horse's body, mane and tail, pick out hooves and apply hoof dressing. Trim the horse's bridle path and muzzle whiskers, as well as attend to any other details that the owner requires. Do all horses intended for use that day, starting with the one who will be ridden first.

3. Tack up the first horse with saddle pad, saddle, leg wraps, bridle and lunge line if necessary. Leave the stirrups up. Have the rider's lunge whip and helmet ready. As the first rider is off riding, tack up the second horse.

4. When the first horse comes back, untack it. Rinse or wash the horse in the shower stall. Scrape it dry. Brush out its mane and tail. Walk it in the sunlight if possible to air dry. Put it in an outdoor pen or back in a stall.

5. Clean and oil sweaty tack.

6. Continue with next horse as above until all horses are done.

7. You might have time to watch a few lessons between chores. Sometimes you will be allowed to lunge or exercise horses. Sometimes you will restock hay, clean the tack room or sweep the stalls and ceilings for spider webs.

8. You might end the day by mucking and feeding one last time and sweeping out the barn.