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Professional grooms are responsible for some of the most important aspects of a horse’s daily life. They recognize changes in behavior, monitor health, manage feeding and exercise routines, and provide the hands-on attention that keeps horses comfortable and prepared for their work. Yet while horse welfare has become an increasingly important topic throughout our industry, the welfare of the people providing that care doesn’t always receive the same consideration.
For Dinette Neuteboom, founder of HorseGrooms, the two issues are inseparable.
“Horse welfare and groom welfare, that was the big reason to start HorseGrooms,” she explained during an episode of The Plaidcast recorded live in Hartford, Connecticut.
Through education, professional development, and community-building, Neuteboom is working to improve the experiences of grooms while strengthening the care they provide to horses. Creating a better environment for horses also means creating a better environment for the people responsible for them.
The Pressure Behind Professional Horse Care
The demands placed on professional grooms have become increasingly complex. Alongside traditional responsibilities such as feeding, grooming, and preparing horses for exercise, many grooms now manage specialized therapies, monitor detailed health information, coordinate veterinary appointments, and navigate complicated horse show schedules. These responsibilities require considerable knowledge, attention, and time.
Neuteboom described her own experience managing a barn of 19 horses while also riding, coordinating staff, preparing feed, monitoring horses competing at nearby shows, and keeping track of veterinary care and other responsibilities.
“It is a lot,” she acknowledged. “If you look at everything, it really is a lot.”
For grooms working long days with limited support, those responsibilities can create considerable pressure. An unexpected schedule change can quickly disrupt an already demanding day. Neuteboom believes grooms need the time, education, and support to recognize problems, make thoughtful decisions, and remain attentive to the individual horses in their care.
Education Creates Better Advocates for Horses
One of HorseGrooms’ primary initiatives is providing educational opportunities for working grooms. During the winter season in Wellington, Florida, the organization hosts free gatherings at different farms. The sessions cover a range of subjects, including practical horsemanship, specialized horse care, communication, workplace expectations, and professional development. These events provide opportunities for grooms to develop new skills, exchange knowledge, and become more confident in their roles.
One experience Neuteboom shared demonstrates how that education can help grooms advocate for the horses in their care. A groom working for a high-level rider attended a HorseGrooms educational session about saddle fit. She had concerns about the saddles being used on several horses in her barn but had struggled to convince her employer to address the issue. The rider had an established relationship with a saddle brand, making the groom’s concerns particularly difficult to communicate.
Rather than abandoning the issue, she continued bringing up what she had learned. After attending a second educational session, the groom was still working to convince her employer to pursue a professional evaluation. However, Neuteboom later learned that a saddle representative had visited the barn and provided feedback about the equipment. The groom’s persistence had helped bring attention to her concerns.
“Most riders see their grooms; they really respect their grooms,” Neuteboom explained, while acknowledging that communicating concerns depends partly on the employer’s personality and willingness to listen.
The groom’s experience demonstrates how continuing education can support professionals who recognize potential welfare concerns but struggle to communicate them effectively. By continuing to share what she had learned, she helped encourage a closer examination of the equipment being used on the horses.
Communication Is Part of Good Horsemanship
Even knowledgeable, experienced grooms need clear communication and reasonable expectations to perform their jobs effectively. Neuteboom described common situations in which trainers expect grooms to anticipate their plans without providing adequate information.
“Why didn’t you tack up that horse?” she said, offering an example of a common misunderstanding. “Well, because you didn’t tell me.” The trainer might then respond, “Yeah, but why didn’t you know that I was gonna lunge it?”
These seemingly small misunderstandings can create significant stress for grooms who are already managing demanding workloads. A groom might discover halfway through the day that a horse needs to be prepared for an unexpected veterinary appointment or that a training schedule has changed. Small misunderstandings can create significant stress when employees are already managing demanding workloads.
Neuteboom suggests that trainers and riders should make time to communicate their plans before the day begins.
“As a rider or as a trainer, maybe show up 15 minutes before you would get on your horse,” she suggested. “Talk to your grooms. Tell them what’s going on that day so they can make their own plan for what they’re gonna do.”
That communication allows grooms to organize their responsibilities more effectively and approach their work with greater confidence. It also reinforces their position as knowledgeable members of the horse’s care team rather than employees who are simply expected to follow instructions.
A Shared Responsibility
Neuteboom acknowledges that different programs have different needs. Some grooms thrive in demanding show environments that involve extensive travel. Others prefer the consistency of caring for horses at a home barn. Similarly, the responsibilities associated with a stable worker, home groom, traveling groom, and barn manager can vary considerably.
Improving the profession requires cooperation from everyone involved. Trainers must communicate expectations. Grooms must continue developing their knowledge and skills. Horse owners should recognize and respect the expertise of the people responsible for their animals.
Horses depend on people who recognize their needs, notice when something changes, and have the knowledge and confidence to respond appropriately. When those people are educated, supported, and treated as valuable members of the team, the horses in their care stand to benefit as well.
To hear more about the connection between groom welfare and horse welfare, listen to the full interview with Dinette Neuteboom and Piper Klemm on The Plaidcast. Subscribe and follow The Plaidcast on your favorite podcast platform for more conversations about horsemanship, education, and the future of our industry.
