Freelance Grooming – The highs and lows

All jobs have their ups and downs of course, and working as a Freelance Groom is no different.

We talk with Freelance Grooms all the time who wouldn’t choose to work any other way. Many possess that fab blend of equestrian know-how and skills, the ability to work hard and consistently plus the understanding of how to establish and grow their own business. With excellent interpersonal and communication skills they can make a real go of being self-employed and they never look back.

We also talk with those who have got themselves into a real old pickle. They are non-plussed with accounts, can’t seem to cover their living costs or deal with the feelings of insecurity of income that can occur from time to time. Some people just aren’t cut out to deal with a self-employed life, there’s no shame in that.

For those considering freelancing as a career pathway, you should consider the following:

Highs

• You can have a varied working life, doing lots of different things, gaining new experiences and meeting new people.
• Freedom – which can’t be underestimated. You are a free agent, able to accept or reject work with no one to answer to but yourself.
• You can set your working pattern/routine/hours – you can take your time off and holidays when and for how long you want to and can spend more time with friends and family than many of your employed counterparts.
• You can focus your attention on a specific industry sector, or specialist area (e.g. clipping and competition grooming, riding, or dressage yards).
• You should be able to earn a higher hourly rate as a Freelance Groom.
• Your income potential is not capped like it is when employed by someone else; what you earn is down to your particular ‘offering,’ what you charge and the hours you put in.

Lows

• You may earn a higher hourly rate as a Freelance Groom, but you need to source and secure every one of those working hours, every day/week/month/year to cover all your bills and lifestyle.
• You may earn a higher hourly rate as a Freelance Groom, but you need to account for Income Tax and National Insurance, plus other expenditures that don’t necessarily come with an employed groom’s work, so your take-home wage is not all yours to spend by any means!
• There are no guarantees of work or income and this may fluctuate throughout the seasons.
• You have a big responsibility regarding bookkeeping, tax and other associated paperwork. Hiring an accountant to assist you with tax returns is an additional expense to consider but one that should be seriously considered so you can avail yourself of all the ‘tax breaks’ you are legally allowed.
• You are likely to be more ‘disposable’ as a Freelance Groom vs an employed Groom, so maintaining high standards, good working relationships and making yourself indispensable is a requirement for some ‘job’ security.
• As you are not an employee you are not protected by employment laws and you cannot escalate unresolved issues to an employment tribunal. Instead, your unresolved issues are a “civil matter” and you must take legal action via a solicitor.
• You won’t get a pension or pension contributions, paid sick leave, paid holiday leave, maternity leave etc.

If you would like assistance and/or advice regarding finding freelance grooms or freelance grooms work opportunities in the equine industry please don’t hesitate to contact us.