In recent years, a growing number of studies have sought to raise red flags about how workplace challenges specific to the equestrian industry can negatively impact grooms’ mental health.
For example, an independently analyzed survey conducted by the British Grooms Association in late 2024 found that poor working conditions faced by grooms such as overwork, underpayment, lack of time off, and lack of employee rights can lead to severe mental health repercussions. Another informal survey conducted by the information and community resource website ProEquineGrooms.com found that many grooms working in the industry suffer from ongoing mental health challenges throughout their careers.
“Unfortunately, we know that grooms face many challenges to maintaining good mental wellbeing,” International Grooms Association (IGA) coordinator Helen Babington-Smith told HorseSport.com. “The equestrian industry is not yet a place where they can be assured of good, secure or even legal employment situations — which is a huge problem for many grooms who pour their whole selves into their jobs and are not rewarded for it.”
Babington-Smith stressed that lack of mental health support is not just dangerous for equestrian industry workers, but also results in cyclical problems with burnout and high turnover rate in the industry at large.
“No part of the horse industry can survive without grooms, so it is important that we prioritise their wellbeing.”
Despite increased awareness of the challenges grooms face, there are few mental health resources available for equestrian industry workers. The following list brings together a few vital resources for grooms and their employers.
1. International Grooms Association
The IGA is a new not-for-profit professional membership organization created at the behest of the FEI in order to develop officially-recognized international representation for grooms. Its creation reflects a growing awareness within the equestrian industry about the need to formally support grooms’ physical and mental wellbeing in the workplace.
For a small annual fee, the IGA provides grooms working internationally in FEI disciplines with a global community of support. The IGA offers advocacy, education, advice, employment guidance, and mental health counselling. The IGA also offers grooms the chance to have their voices heard and contribute to vital changes being made within the industry.
At the 2022 FEI Sports Forum, founding Director of the IGA Lucy Katan and FEI President Ingmar de Vos signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that named the IGA an official partner of the FEI Grooms Consultative Group (CGC), and the official representative voice of grooms to the FEI. The IGA routinely conducts Grooms Voice surveys and member consultations to obtain feedback on the needs of the community and make recommendations to the GCG.
“The surveys so far have focused more on provision at shows,” said Helen Babington-Smith. “But it has to be said that better provision leads to better general wellbeing. For instance, being able to quickly grab a snack during a busy day can be a big help for grooms so they are not consistently ending their days hungry and overtired.”
All too often, basic workplace necessities like clean drinking water and washrooms are lacking at showgrounds. Babington-Smith said grooms at shows should always be confident of safe and easy access to well-serviced facilities that create suitable conditions for their horses and themselves.
“This improves their wellbeing at shows dramatically. …It sounds like a small thing, but when grooms are working in stables with no easy access to clean drinking water, they finish their work day dehydrated, feeling drained and unwell, and this too contributes to the cycle of fatigue and disillusionment.”
Through International Grooms Minds, the IGA also offers its members free, 24/7 access to live chat with trained counsellors who understand the equestrian industry. The service is offered in collaboration with Riders Minds, a UK-based charity (see below for more details). For information on how to join the IGA, click here.
2. Riders Minds
The charity Riders Minds not only offers its free, online chat service to international grooms, but to all international equestrians and equestrian industry workers experiencing mental health challenges.
“Following the loss of a much loved member of the groom community, we felt it was important to ensure all grooms have access to support,” said Babington-Smith. “Riders Minds is a fantastic charity doing amazing work.”
The charity was created in 2019 by a collaboration between British eventing rider Matt Wright, his wife Victoria, and Lucy Katan, CEO of the British Grooms Association and Equestrian Employers Association and founder of the IGA.
“Matthew was a five-star event rider who latterly had been incredibly open about his own battles with his mental health,” Liz Daniels, social media coordinator of Riders Minds, told HorseSport.com.
“Matthew, supported by Victoria, was passionate about providing all equestrians with access to free mental health resources so that they had somewhere to go if they needed it – something that had previously not been available. Devastatingly, Matthew lost his battle to mental health in 2021, but leaves behind a legacy that is changing and saving lives.”
According to the Riders Minds website, the chat lines help with specific challenges within the workplace or life in general, like bullying. They are also available if grooms are simply feeling low, burned out, or unhappy.
“We have lost so many riders and grooms to suicide and as an industry, we have to do something about this now before we lose any more. The equestrian industry is seriously tough and although it can be the most amazing one to be in, it can also be the most unpleasant,” said Daniels.
Other resources offered by Riders Minds includes a Mental Health Checker self-assessment quiz, and the Head First Checker, a post-concussion mental health checker. To access Riders Minds, click here.
HorseGrooms offers mental health and physical wellbeing resources and education online and in person. (HorseGrooms photo)
3. FEI Grooms Reporting Mechanism (FEI Grooms Toolkit)
The FEI Grooms Consultative Group (GCG) was established in 2022 to assist in developing key structures for the international grooms community. They created the Grooms Toolkit in 2023 as part of the FEI Horse App. The Toolkit provides information about safety at work, third-party insurance coverage, and educational opportunities pertinent to grooms.
The Toolkit also offers access to the Grooms Reporting Mechanism, which allows all grooms with an FEI account to submit feedback and reports via the App during FEI sporting events of all levels and disciplines. The Reporting Mechanism was created in order to understand grooms’ needs and priorities while also increasing transparency at FEI events and accountability of showrunners.
According to their website, The FEI hopes the initiative will help to “Enhance [grooms’] working conditions, welfare, and overall status in order to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment.” Grooms can offer feedback about essential amenities that are necessary for workplace well-being, such as facilities and accommodations.
Frank Kemperman, chair of the FEI GCG, told HorseSport.com that many grooms have used the Reporting Mechanism since its implementation. “It is easy to report any unwanted issues immediately at the event,” Kemperman said. “In this way, the FEI [or the] organizer can take action immediately and “repair” the issue and look that all conditions for grooms and horses are okay.”
“Some issues can be solved directly, but other issues will be listed to solve for the following event. It’s a learning process for everybody involved.”
As part of this ongoing learning experience, the FEI, together with official stakeholder organizations like the IGA, athletes, and owners, signed the FEI Grooms Charter, a document designed to ensure horse welfare and grooms’ physical and mental wellbeing by offering tools, respect, and support to grooms.
Like the Grooms Toolkit and the Reporting Mechanism, the Charter is another means of formally recognizing grooms, whether volunteers or full-time employees, as “essential contributors” to equestrian sport. This formal recognition is essential for improving the treatment of grooms in the industry, including their working conditions and mental health.
The Charter states, “Grooms should always work in a safe environment with respect to their mental and physical wellbeing as well as their fundamental human and labour/employment rights; this applies to both at home and when working at a show/event.”
In addition to promoting workplace safety and good employment practices for grooms — both of which can work to promote good mental health and wellbeing — the Charter also provides job education and recognition for grooms during team announcements and awards at shows.
Click here to learn how to self-register as a groom with the FEI and gain access to the FEI Horse App and Grooms Toolkit.
4. Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association
The Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) has represented the interests of owners and trainers of Thoroughbred racehorses since 1950 by providing resources including education, insurance, and advocacy. Each provincial chapter offers an Employee Assistance Program, a confidential information, counselling and referral service for licensed owners, trainers, assistant trainers, exercise riders, grooms, hotwalkers, and their spouses and dependent children.
For the Ontario HBPA, appointments are available in person or by phone from Monday to Friday, and the Woodbine Race Track offers on site counselling on Tuesdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. For more information, click here.
Through applications to the Benevolence Committee, the HBPA also offers support to members and backstretch employees during times of need through financial assistance. To fill out an application, click here.
5. Online Communities
HorseGrooms.com
HorseGrooms.com is a worldwide online platform dedicated to supporting, educating, and connecting grooms, regardless of experience level. Founder Dinette Neuteboom told HorseSport.com that the HorseGrooms website provides “A space to connect, share advice, and seek support from peers who understand the unique challenges of the profession.”
Mental health has always been a significant concern for the website. They regularly publish articles relating to mental health, wellness, and self-care for grooms. Through online and in-person community events and open discussion, the HorseGrooms platform hopes to remove the taboo from mental health issues and give grooms the tools to recognize challenges and seek support.
“By starting conversations, normalizing these discussions, and showing grooms that they are not alone, we hope to contribute to a more sustainable and supportive industry for the long term,” said Neuteboom.
The HorseGrooms community is free to join. They also have a paid membership option that includes guidance and mentorship from top grooms. To join HorseGrooms, click here.
ProEquineGrooms.com
An informative website created by former pro groom Liv Gude, ProEquineGrooms.com provides a number of valuable resources for grooms under the ‘Employment Issues’ tab, such as how to recognize good employment situations, how to recognize employer red flags, what freelance grooms need in order to be protected, workman’s compensation insurance, and information about harassment in the horse industry. To view some of the resources offered by ProEquineGrooms, click here.
Being part of an international community allows members to normalize talking about mental health challenges ‒ whether online or in person. (HorseGrooms photo)
6. General Mental Health Services
Canadian Mental Health Association
CMHA provides a wealth of resources for those suffering from mental health problems and illnesses. They offer information about the first steps towards finding suitable help for many different kinds of mental health challenges, including workplace mental health.
ConnexOntario
The ConnexOntario site offers confidential 24/7 access to phone, chat, or texting services that provides people living in Ontario with support and information about mental health, gambling and addiction services available in their local communities.
Suicide Crisis Helpline
The Suicide Crisis Helpline offers confidential counselling via calling or texting to people in crisis. It’s available 24/7, 365 days per year.
