
Equipment/business tools for Freelance Grooms
The ESSENTIAL CHECKLIST
On the whole, Freelance Grooms use the same equipment as any other groom, but Freelance Grooms often have to provide and maintain much of this themselves!
Things to consider:
A car
Freelance Grooms, by the very definition of being self-employed, will work at a variety of yards over a week or month. Due to the nature of working the hours required by horses and the typically rural location of many equestrian establishments, public transport is just not often a viable or sustainable option year-round. Having a car, small van, or even a moped or motorbike (with panniers), will be essential for you to be available to a broad client base, to be able to turn up on time, in all weathers and to be able to take the items you need to perform your duties (spare sets of clean, dry clothes and boots, your riding hat and spare gloves, plaiting kits etc).
Branded clothing
If you are presenting yourself and your services as a professional business you may wish to consider having clothing that is branded with your name/business name and, if you have one, your logo. These needn’t cost a lot – if you are buying a new jacket/fleece/beanie you can often buy them directly from suppliers who will embroider/apply your name/logo for a small fee. You’ll look and feel the bee’s knees when you rock up to clients’ yards with your very professional-looking, clean, colour-coordinated outfit, clearly displaying who you and your business are to yard members and other potential clients.
Spare sets of clothes…LOTS of spare sets of clothes!
Whether you opt to build up a wardrobe or personalise with branded clothing or not, you need to present yourself professionally every day. If you are popular and have a regular set of clients, and especially if you offer emergency cover/services, you need to be prepared at all times. When you are booked to plait or clip a yard full of horses after a morning mucking out session elsewhere, you don’t want to turn up looking like a scarecrow and wreaking of ammonia. If you can quickly change into fresh, clean, dry clothes before travelling to your next yard, you will look and feel (and smell) much better. Whilst as a Freelance Groom you may get away with wearing ‘tracky’ bottoms, an old t-shirt and a pair of trainers say, for clipping, it’s safe to say, it will not give a good impression if you turn up looking routinely dishevelled.
Insurance
We can’t overstate the requirement NOT to wing this “I’ve been around horses for 20 years and not killed anyone yet!” Running your own business is a very serious matter and vital that you get yourself proper and complete insurance – your clients will expect you to have your insurance cover and you will need it for :
- 3rd party and Indemnity – this is VERY important when you are taking responsibility for other people’s horses. Should there be any debate after any incidents and you are NOT able to prove that an accident was not your fault you could find yourself liable for huge, life-changing expenses, vets fees, lorry/vehicle repair, someone else’s health care, compensation to name but a few!
- Loss of income if you are injured or suffer illness – you will not get sick pay as a self-employed person.
- Medical bills in case you need to seek private medical care.
- A financial payout if injury or illness prevents you from working with horses again. It is crucial as a Freelance Groom that you have an insurance policy that covers you for Temporary Total Disablement.
When you can advertise and tell potential clients that you are fully insured it shows a considered and professional understanding of what your business is about. It demonstrates respectful maturity and responsibility, which most potential clients will find very reassuring. We suggest you carry your certificate of insurance with you and show it to each new client. It demonstrates very clearly that you know what you are about…don’t forget to ask to see there’s too, it’s only fair and eminently sensible!
A price list
You need to work out a price list for your Freelance Groom services, as you will be charging your clients rather than receiving a wage/salary package. When working out your price list, you need to remain competitive without underselling yourself. You will need to factor in the time and expense of travel, wear and tear on equipment you use, and even the unpaid time you spend on marketing, bookkeeping and general business administration. You also need to factor in income tax and national insurance, plus accountancy fees. Whatever you earn is not all yours to keep! Research the going rate for Freelance Groom services in your local area, or your speciality, and work out your rates according to your experience, skills, and ability.
A service agreement
When you are self-employed and performing services for someone else it is highly advisable to avoid any misunderstandings, that you have an agreed, written service agreement with each client. This should detail:
- Your understanding of the task(s) in hand
- Your hourly rate
- If applicable, anything that is excluded from your hourly rate (e.g. you may charge a flat fee for clipping)
- Start and finish times each day
- The start of the period of service and, if applicable, the end of the period of service
- Who is covering you with insurance (you or your client) and the name of your insurance company.
Speak to the British Grooms Association about drawing up a contract template and everything it should include.
Clippers and plaiting kits etc
If you are good at clipping and/or turning out for shows you may wish to offer these in your list of services, in which case it is a good idea to equip yourself with everything you need for the task. Many clients will have their own clippers, plaiting kits, shampoos coats glosses etc., but this isn’t a given. If you come fully equipped with good quality products that you are practised with, you will be able to work quickly, and efficiently, and produce a finish to the best of your ability. Of course this could come with additional charges:
- Ensure your clippers are kept scrupulously clean, and regularly serviced, your blades are sharp, you have spare sets of sharp blades, and that your model of clippers is up to the job. You can’t clip 4 horses in one day with clippers designed for a leisure owner of 1 or 2 horses. Do your homework before investing.
- Ensure you have bands and thread in all colours, and keep any combs and clips scrupulously clean to prevent cross-contamination between yards (you don’t want the spread of some unpleasant disease being traced back to your show turnout services!)
- Always ask horse owners before using your chosen brand of clipper oil, or applying any shampoos or coat sprays – they may not think to tell you their horse breaks out in urticaria at the mere mention of baby oil or [brandname] clipper oil, so play it safe and always make a point of telling the owner which products you will be using and gain their express agreement to it.
Yard Tools
As a Freelance Groom, you might have your own set of yard tools (fork, broom, skip bucket etc). In fact, you technically should. Under UK employment law, one of the defining features of a Freelance Groom is that they use their own equipment and are not provided with equipment by the yard they are working at. Sounds strange? Have a read of our article, “The Difference Between Employed, Self-employed and Freelance Grooms“, it will explain it in a lot more detail!
References and Testimonials
Freelance Grooms do need references and testimonials. If a potential client wants to hire your services for, let’s say holiday cover, it’s not unreasonable for them to want to see some evidence of your ability, suitability and reliability beforehand. It would seem very professional to maybe have them all to hand, readily displayed in a waterproof folder. Be proud of your track record and achievements; you have worked hard to earn them and to show them off. The quality of your offering and your hourly rate should reflect your quality & experience and these documents are a testament to that.
A DBS check
DBS stands for “Disclosure and Barring Service” and is basically a copy of your criminal record. This is called ‘basic disclosure’, and it’s available for people living or working in England and Wales. It costs £18 to obtain and you can request one here. As with your CV, references and testimonials, this is extremely beneficial to have and show prospective clients.
A First Aid Certificate
This is one thing that will not only look good on your CV and adverts, it could help keep you and others around you safe – to the extent that you could save someone’s career, or even life. Find out more and save yourself 10% on a first aid qualification by clicking here. Again do have this readily available to show to new clients
A website /A Facebook Page
You will need to have somewhere to showcase your services, photographs and testimonials and your own website or FB page is another way to do that. Not essential by any means but it could give a point of contact for potential clients to find you and contact you. You can showcase your services, photographs and testimonials too.
A passport
It may seem an unlikely one, but you never know when you might get the opportunity to travel to an overseas competition, or with a client going abroad for training with a top trainer.
Stationary and “office equipment”
Just because you don’t work in a physical office does not mean you are exempt from office duties! You will need to think of your car as your mobile office and have a space at home to keep your important paperwork. If you are going to be working as a Freelance Groom you need to ensure you are fully aware of your legal responsibilities regarding your income tax and National Insurance contributions. This means doing paperwork!
To give you a basic idea of some of the things will need:
- Folders and pockets – for keeping your monthly client invoices, and purchase receipts for clothing, equipment, insurance, lunch receipts and even the stationary you’re using to organise your paperwork.
- You may benefit from having a home printer to print out invoices, agreements and even adverts to put in local equestrian shops and venues. Do consider e- alternatives of course to do your bit for planet saving!
- Crisp, clean paper to write or print invoices and agreements on to give to clients. (You may just email them of course to avoid using paper and thus again another opportunity for saving the planet!)
- A notebook and pen to keep in your car/bag so you can make notes about any tasks, information, names, numbers, addresses etc. (Do consider ‘e-alternatives again! )
A phone holder that goes on your belt, so you are always contactable and have your phone at hand in case of emergency. I find the horizontal belt holders good because they don’t bounce about, especially when you’re riding.
- It might be a good idea to sort yourself out a decent hands-free kit for your phone. You don’t want to fail at your freelance venture through clients giving up on you because you never answer your phone, and you also don’t want to get a reputation of always being glued to your phone or driving points or worse for illegal phone use whilst driving!
A First Aid Kit
Although the majority of yards/horse owners will have their own medical kit there is never any guarantee of it being well stocked. If you are independently looking after other people’s horses you may want to consider carrying some first aid provisions of your own, so you know that you are prepared should you find yourself tackling an illness or injury. It is advisable that you ensure you are knowledgeable about the basics at least. If you are offering your services as a Freelance Groom you need to be confident and competent at recognising common symptoms of an unwell horse and understand the correct course of action to take and when. Our article Understanding a Horse’s Vital Signs will help you understand the very basics.
An HGV Licence
An HGV licence really gives your employment and salary prospects an uplift – a real uplift! You may even have your own horse lorry, BUT you need to ENSURE you are genned up on insurance and any additional licences you might need to legally transport other people’s horses in the owner’s or your own horsebox or trailer. We recommend you speak to Specialised HGV Training to learn the ins and outs of HGV horsebox licensing and driving. While you’re speaking to them, mention The Grooms List by Caroline Carter Recruitment and get 20% off any HGV or trailer driving training.
An account on THE GROOMS LIST
A key place to be seen by advertising your services and availability is right here on THE GROOMS LIST. What’s more, these services to Freelance Grooms are completely FREE OF CHARGE. Your would-be clients often advertise their need of a Freelance Groom but more often will look on THE GROOMS LIST for local or speciality Freelance Grooms, and contact them directly. You can ensure you are on that list by adding and updating your free listing. Additionally, when you are struggling to get bookings, or you have availability to fill, you can contact us and we will help you promote your services, again completely free of charge. You really have a lot to gain and absolutely nothing to lose by advertising on THE GROOMS LIST! You can find out more about our services to Freelance Grooms here. Add your business listing to THE GROOMS LIST here.
***As a Freelance Groom, all of the equipment you use to run your business and earn your living are “allowable expenses” that can be offset against your earnings in your HMRC tax returns. From clothing to clippers, yard tools to office stationary, an office printer to an accounting app/program); you can keep receipts and records and submit these expenses on your tax return. You can also claim 45p per mile you drive your car to a yard/contract. You can find out more on the UK Government website.***