Taking care of horses is time-consuming and physically demanding work. Grooms, yard assistants, and other equestrians tend to work long hours for low pay.

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The equestrian industry is also insular and informal, meaning that typical employment practices are overlooked.

Equestrian environments are not exempt from employment laws and regulations, regardless of the employer’s financial position or your relationship with them.

Employers should:

• Provide all employees with an employment contract to ensure legal compliance.
• Use written volunteer agreements to set out intentions and expectations from the outset.
• Adhere to minimum wage requirements.
• Comply with the accommodation offset rates.

Contracts

All employees should be provided with an employment contract. At a minimum, contracts should include:

• Job title and description of responsibilities
• Start date and location of work
• Salary or hourly wage, and payment schedule (weekly, monthly, etc.)
• Expense reimbursement policies
• Standard hours and days of work
• Overtime expectations and pay rates
• Leave entitlements
• Required notice period from both parties
• Grounds for dismissal
• Grievance and disciplinary procedures
• Which country's law governs the contract (important for work where international travel is involved)

The Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service provides free resources for writing employment contracts to help you understand your rights and responsibilities.

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For unpaid workers, it is good practice to use volunteer agreements. Volunteer agreements are not legally binding but are helpful when setting expectations for both the employer and employee.

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The National Council for Voluntary Organisations has helpful guidance on how to write a volunteer agreement.

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Employer provided accommodation

Employers providing accommodation for employees must follow legal guidelines for how much rent they can charge. Accommodation for employees on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) or National Living Wage (NLW) must not exceed £11.10 (daily) or £77.70 (weekly).

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Employees earning above the NMW/NLW may be charged higher rental rates but must never take someone’s pay below the NMW/NLW. Failure to comply with these rules could amount to modern slavery.

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These rules apply regardless of whether:

• your employer takes rent out of your wages
• you pay rent to your employer after receiving your wages
• your employer provides the accommodation as part of a package

Read government guidelines for employer provided accommodation.