Vindicated wrote:While I still think paying more than $50 a day is asinine....we do have too remember how this money gets divided.....
In Canada, it costs a good $45 dollars per day in labor: a groom clears $20 per day per horse, hotwalker $6, rider $15, Assistant makes whatever he wants, Comp is $10.23 per hundred. The only guy not making any money is the trainer!
The help situation here will drive many people out of business. Many good trainers are running ads for experienced help, especially riders. Currently, a new incompetent rider who should be on someone's payroll learning the ropes gets $15 per horse to jog around because if you let them go to the track and gallop, they could fall off or get run off with. There is no way they could go to the gate or take a horse at a specified speed. The experienced people likely all went elsewhere as it is a little discouraging to get paid the same as a useless new guy who is out there trying to kill you. The new guy doesn't learn anything, and will soon get hurt, ruled off, or understandably frightened and quit. For some bizarre reason, other new riders lure new people to the track straight from eventing or showing, and tell them they will get $15 per horse. It is frightning how many have never been to a training center or farm first. They are out there on the main track not even knowing any etiquette. I even know of farms that pay $16 per horse.
Someone suggested the racing commission should not let new people free lance until they have a few years under their belts and a few trainers will sign for them. Currently, anyone with a helmet and vest can wander among the 2000 horses looking for 10 to ride so they can make over $1000 week. I have even seen this at Keeneland where it is a tad busy for someone who has never galloped before to be heading to the main on someone's fit horse.
I would love to hear other's take on this as it is a recurrent theme throughout the horse industry. If I were an owner selecting a trainer, I too would be inclined to use one of the small, hands on guys. At least I would know he had competent help.
