Given that there so many nuances to the challenges of people leadership in the equestrian industry, I think it’s worth spending some time exploring some of the contributing factors that have led us to this place…
Falling into leadership
Not unique to equestrianism but lots of folks who end up running yards and businesses do so because they are talented riders or SMEs. Again, it’s very common that when someone then becomes a “boss/head person/yard manager” it’s because they are good at their role. But then they are left to figure out how to lead a team of people to be great at their role without any help, let alone training. Often this leads to copying what’s in front of them or what they have experienced, which might not be the ideal model to learn from.
Military hangover
We have inherited a culture of militarism from the very nature of the fact that horses were working animals employed by the armed forces and were on the battlefield. Think about some of the characters; the terrifying Pony Club DC, the old Major who field mastered. Consider the way they spoke to people (sweeping generalisations here), one way instructions, barking orders, don’t question people who out rank you. It was not uncommon to be bawled at in lessons and many worked harder for fear of being shouted at. It’s important to note that this isn’t a condemnation of all military practices; so much is extremely valuable (discipline, order, routine, presentation) but it’s worth noting in terms of people leadership/culture there is a legacy that we have to contend with today.
Putting working with horses in a different box to other employment
To be clear, this isn’t all equestrian employers, but organisations such as The Equestrian Employers Association ,The British Grooms Association and FEI International Grooms Association advocate for the rights of those working in the equestrian industry. Frequently highlighted are problems regarding loopholes around self employed grooms, inconsistent benefit offsetting, a belief that working with nice horses makes up for not paying a proper wage.
Generational challenges
It’s not uncommon for opinions such as “young people aren’t prepared to work hard” or “youngsters these days can’t handle working with horses”, to be a loud voice in articulating issues with getting good staff in equestrian business. This presents a point of conflict when a large demographic of those working in equestrian businesses are young people. The Low Pay Commission EEAreport found that 34% of equestrian employers stated that they cannot afford to employ those older than 21 years old due to uplift in NMW at this age.
Tribalism
For a community that all has a single interest at heart, the horse, there is a huge amount of tribalism, factions and in fighting that goes on. Natural horsemanship, barefoot vs shod, opinions on rugging – if you want an argument you can find one. But now more than ever we need the community to pull together and that is going to require leadership – not just from governing bodies but everyday leadership from all horsey folk who want this to be a way of life passed down to future generations.
It’s up to us as equestrian leaders and employers to navigate through this and find a way to lead people in line with our values, with smart business strategies to make sure we have an equestrian industry that is fit for the future.
