That is just how it is

Lucy Katan, Executive Director of the British Grooms Association (BGA) shares her thoughts about changing attitudes and the importance of Good Employment Week.

'That is just how it is when you work with horses’ - a phrase I have heard hundreds of times over the past fifteen years since forming the British Grooms Association.

However, I think and I hope, that I am hearing it less and less - which is good news.

We passionately believe that everyone who works has the right to be employed legally, fairly and kindly, and the equestrian industry is no exception.

Good Employment Week is the EEA's annual occasion where they raise the awareness of the importance of being employed/employing staff in a ‘Good’ manner - something that the BGA fully supports.

Times have changed in our equestrian sector. Although I acknowledge that it is not perfect yet, progress has happened and the pace of change is increasing.

Grooms, please be part of the change. Be educated about your employment status and what your rights are and please do not accept anything less than what is legally your right.

The BGA has created a brilliant website that should answer every question you have, but if it doesn’t, our team are here to guide you. We are all former grooms, so we do understand. Check your status here.

GIVE YOUR STAFF A PIZZA DAY

'Give your Staff a Pizza Day' was also my idea, and this derived from another great employment position that I previously held.

Many years after I ceased working hands-on with horses, I was a PA in a company. Once every so often, and without much warning, the boss asked me to treat the staff (35 of them) to pizza on a Friday lunchtime.

I would simply order the pizzas and then send out an all-staff email at midday saying “Pizza arriving in 30 mins” – I could hear all the individual office rooms whoop with delight at the surprise.

This simple effort, which really didn’t cost much in the big scheme of things, brought the team together and really was an appreciated thank you.

I always witnessed the following Monday the team come into work with a spring in their step and with a positive feeling towards their work, the company and their boss!

This year’s Give your Staff a Pizza Day was the biggest yet, with yards from all sectors joining in.

It was really lovely to see how it was embraced from the well-known equestrians like Carl Hester and Piggy March, to riding schools, hunt yards and many more.

Let’s together make this phrase “That is just how it is when you work with horses”…. a positive statement meaning that when you work with horses you are only ever employed properly. If everyone in our industry refused to work for employers who were not employing grooms correctly then the change would happen a lot faster...

We get that it is not easy, but we are committed to bringing about this change with you - the real question is... are you?