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Posted on 01/02/2007 9:57:39 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
Speaking of ponies, I ordered Sarah's cheer leading costume. My school is now the "Ponies" She wanted just "horse" but it just didn't roll.
Well, here's an interesting development... Hubby is browsing through the employment ads and comes across one that says "Exp. Horseman/Farm help" needed. Not knowing what that means, I called, we got directions to a place that turned out to not be a horse farm but rather a construction company, went inside and the secretary tells us the owner owns a thoroughbred training facility (racehorses) that I gather is only fairly recently completed. Talked with the secretary for a little while, chit chatted about her son's horses and such, and brought the applications home.
If we apply for it, ecurbh and I would like to apply as a team. Neither of our work experience would lead us to appear qualified, so I thought we'd fill out the applications, staple them together with our professional resumes, and include this cover letter. What do you think? I know it's very conversational in tone... I don't really know how to be more 'formal' about it, it's not a standard kind of a job! Let me know how you think it reads.
___________________
RE: Exp. Horseman/Farm help position(s)
My husband and I are very interested in interviewing for your available horseman/farm help position(s) as a team. We've only been told a little bit about the position; i.e. that you are a Thoroughbred training facility. I don't know how many horses and how many staff you have employed or even if you're interested in part time or full time help, but I think my husband and I bring some skills with us that you might be able to use. Skills that will not show up in our employment history, so I wanted to expand on those in this letter.
I've had horses over twenty five years. We currently have three at home, and we mostly trail ride at the moment, though I used to train and show Arabians, as well as a little dressage, and some jumping. My husband has only been riding a few years; he hadn't ridden before we met 3 ½ years ago, but he's proven to be a good hand with a horse and a quick learner.
Together we can handle most jobs that need to be done around a barn. We can handle horses, groom, clip, and bathe, and are skilled with moving, lunging, exercising and cooling horses. I am also skilled at evaluating horse health and welfare and soundness. I don't like to give shots, but I can give wormer and other meds and identify symptoms of colic or injury that might need attention. We certainly know how to clean and bed a stall, and we can buck hay bales, or feed and water horses. We know how to fix and build fencing, we can build a good strong corner and pull wire, as well as build and repair wood fencing. We can help load and unload horses, as well as pull a horse trailer with the safety of the horses in mind.
My husband and I both work in ongoing separate employment from home. Both of our positions are flexible and allow us to seek additional work and still maintain those positions. The hours and days we'd be available are very negotiable.
The reason we're interested in this kind of employment, and the reason we are applying as a team, is that we plan to one day build and operate a boarding and training facility of our own. Working at your facility would give us both valuable experience in the operation and management of a large equine facility.
Thank you for your consideration! I hope to hear from you.
Signed... both of us
____________________
Comments? Edits?
Wowee, how exciting! The letter sounds very professional to me.
Hey that sounds really cool...Good luck:)
Becky
The reason we're interested in this kind of employment, and the reason we are applying as a team, is that we plan to one day build and operate a boarding and training facility of our own. Working at your facility would give us both valuable experience in the operation and management of a large equine facility.
Becky
Why? What concern does it bring up?
I got the feeling from talking to the secretary that what they really want are grooms, not stall cleaners, though she did also mention fencing. They want someone that can take the horse from the stall and groom him to be worked, and when done, take him from the trainer/exercise rider, bathe and walk them to cool them out and put them away. They want people that can handle the horse, they have other barn workers (probably illegals, lol) that clean stalls.
I think there's interesting work and pretty good money in being a racetrack groom.
1. Don't emphasize on Ecurbh's years of experience. Take out "only" and focus on what he knows .
2 Drop the not liking to give shots. If it becomes a requirement they can in service and one of you can do it. They might think, what else does she not like to do.
3 I agree with Becky on not talking much about your future plans. It can go both ways. Some people might think , hey we got some really motivated people. Others may think, hey, we hire and train them and then they take off and may even end up competition.
I'd kill to work in the racehorse industry. There's none more exciting.
Good considerations... will do 1 and 2.
On the third, I just thought, since both of us have done professional jobs for more money than this probably is, they'd wonder why the heck we'd apply to work in a barn. That we have a plan... though it might be years from now, far enough off in the future that they'd not worry about it right now.
I'll try to adjust the wording so it sounds rather distant in the future.
Remove the contractions (I've, we've), looks more professional (I know you're trying to be conversational, but that's a little too casual for a resume cover letter.) Last sentence in 1st paragraph is incomplete. . . change to "These skills will not show up in our employment history . . ." In 2nd paragraph, say "do a little dressage" and remove comma after "dressage" because that makes it a complete phrase. In 3rd paragraph, "experienced" once rather than saying "skilled" twice.
Don't talk about what you don't like to do (e.g. shots). Don't go negative - be positive! It may not even be required, if these are high end Tbreds they'll probably have the vet do it.
And tell them that you've always been interested in working for a professional facility to learn more about the industry . . . NOT that you're going to be competing with them in a few years. You can be truthful without revealing your merely hypothetical future plans. Say you wanted to learn more about the high end to improve your horsemanship skills! (that's my story, and I'm sticking with it!)
That's just my take . . . I've only hired lawyers, never barn help, so what do I know?
Just say that the both of you enjoy working with horses and since you have the time to seek additional employment, you'd like to work at something that you would also enjoy.
Wow! That boy is a tank. I love him :)
Bob said when he picked me up that he thinks Friday will foal in the next 48 hours. I sure hope so.
Thanks. It's not as formal as an office job and I think the letter should reflect that, but I'll work on some of the language.
I'll never be a competitor for these people. They don't board, they don't do anything but breed and train racehorses. My little 20 stall facility down the road is not even on their radar.
You have to take pictures when the costume gets here. By the way, we are still waiting for pictures of the swimming pool destroyer.
Good critique :)
Fair enough! That makes sense. Boarding pleasure/trail horses and training racehorses are two different items.
(that's my real day job, reading and writing's what I actually get paid for, as opposed to horses and dogs, which I have to pay out of pocket to do . . . )
BTW, I noted up thread that your new puppy has been born! Congratulations! Miss Ruby Begonia and Miss Shelley the Lab of Doom send their regards.
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