At some universities there are societies that make people go through an ritual initiation to show they belong.

People do horrible things to fit in, and be part of the group. I have never understood why some parts of the horse world seem to have their own version of this for grooms.

‘Grooms are tough’ or ‘well it was good enough for me’…. 

How many good and talented grooms have we lost from the horse industry by taking this attitude when people merely dare to ask for fair wages, or time off, or when they finally collapse with burnout.

Some within the industry seem to think grooms should be able to totally put aside their whole self to care for their horses.

You need a holiday? You don’t care enough. 
You want to have a hobby or go to the gym? You’re not committed enough. 
You would rather not risk your health for your job? Snowflake.

This is sadly demonstrated when you see the pushback generated by the IGA’s Hydrated Happy Grooms campaign,  which highlighted the need for clean and accessible drinking water for grooms at FEI events.

The campaign was a consequence of IGA members' responses to the Member Voice survey and reports from shows.

We know this is an issue on showgrounds around the world and yet a significant number of people piled in to argue that access to safe drinking water was a wildly unnecessary suggestion.

Safe. Drinking. Water.

This is the most basic of health requirements. Sure, you can bring your own bottled water but if you don’t have anywhere to refill, or you’re not sure about the water supply you might struggle to drink the 2-3 litres you need during a busy working day.

The challenges facing horse sport are well rehearsed: financial pressures, social licence, and an apparent lack of people wanting to work in the industry.

As to the latter, if you were 21 and a newcomer and had just worked a busy show and you saw equestrian professionals mocking grooms for speaking up and saying it would be good to have drinking water in the stables. Why would you stay in the profession?

It is not good enough to bury our heads in the sand and say ‘no one wants to work anymore’ we have to look at ourselves too and see where change needs to be made.

Grooms have never before had a formal voice to speak on your behalf- finally you have been given a chance to be heard by show organisers and the FEI. 

When grooms use that voice to highlight something that affects them, and are greeted with widespread disdain it only reinforces how important it is for every groom to use their voice.

Time and again the grooms we speak to tell us things like ‘we just want to be treated like humans’. And why shouldn’t you be?

---

There are people listening, and helping us make improvements, but for real change to happen we need grooms to work together with us, as well as organisers and the FEI.  

The IGA is here for every FEI level groom. We work to make sure that you are seen- and treated- as the professionals you are.

The changes we are working for will benefit all, so it is important that all grooms play a part in helping bring it about. 

Be part of the IGA, use your voices, push together for change where it is needed.

We've waited a long time for the progress that has already happened, so it's important that all grooms now take the opportunity to be changemakers.

 

Join now