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How to hire a stable hand

Stable hand hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring stable hands in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a stable hand is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new stable hand to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a stable hand, step by step

To hire a stable hand, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a stable hand:

Here's a step-by-step stable hand hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a stable hand job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new stable hand
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The stable hand hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A stable hand's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, stable hands from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    The following list breaks down different types of stable hands and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Stable HandDescriptionHourly rate
    Stable HandAgricultural workers maintain the quality of farms, crops, and livestock by operating machinery and doing physical labor under the supervision of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers.$10-17
    GroomA groom is primarily in charge of maintaining the hygiene and appearance of pets. Typically working at grooming shops, a groom liaises with pet owners to identify their preferences, observe the pet's condition to identify its needs, and explain the extent of procedures to pet owners... Show more$10-20
    RiderA rider's job is to maintain a specific route or area to collect or deliver packages. They often used bicycles or motorcycles to perform their duties... Show more$11-51
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Clean Stalls
    • Facility Maintenance
    • General Upkeep
    • Water
    • Water Buckets
    • Barn Maintenance
    • Mowing
    • Farm Equipment
    • General Maintenance
    • Horse Stalls
    • Coats
    • Water Troughs
    • Manual Labor
    • Farm Animals
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Fed livestock, prepare milking machinery and assist with milking operations.
    • Help care for the horses as they are prepared for their day pulling streetcars.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your stable hand job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A stable hand salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, stable hands' average salary in alaska is 40% less than in vermont.
    • Seniority. Entry-level stable hands earn 42% less than senior-level stable hands.
    • Certifications. A stable hand with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a stable hand's salary.

    Average stable hand salary

    $13.38hourly

    $27,837 yearly

    Entry-level stable hand salary
    $21,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 22, 2025
  4. Writing a stable hand job description

    A good stable hand job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a stable hand job description:

    Stable hand job description example

    Its other famed properties include scenic 17-Mile Drive, The Spa at Pebble Beach, Pebble Beach Golf Academy & Practice Facility and Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. It annually hosts premier events such as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational, Pebble Beach Food & Wine and PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee.

    Job Summary:

    The Stable Hand 2 will assist in cleaning stalls, help coordinate turnout schedule, and help with jobs that include driving heavy machinery.

    Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

    • Clean to a high standard, and remove manure and urine from horse bedding and corrals.
    • Assist with feeding at 7 a.m., 12 noon and 4 p.m. in a timely manner.
    • Safely and humanely, work around client and PBEC horses.
    • Provide un-blanketing before 10 a.m. and blanketing before 4:30 p.m. daily.
    • Rake all areas and barn aisles daily of dropped feed and other debris.
    • Deposit manure in the manure hopper in a neat and orderly way keeping manure inside the hopper.
    • Check corrals and stalls daily for dangerous situations, broken wood or metal piping or leaky waterers or non-operative waterers.
    • Check rubber matting in stalls and corrals, turn when needed to prevent curl-up and keep mat clean and neat and in-line.
    • Advise Stable Foreman or Manager of unusual horse activity or signs of changes in daily habits.
    • Assist Stable Foreman when required with maintenance work when needed.
    • Help coordinate turnout schedules.
    • Assist with all jobs that include using heavy machinery; including but not limited to: water and dragging arenas, pushing the manure and dropping shavings.
    • Perform other job related duties as assigned.
    • Comply with all Pebble Beach Company and departmental policies regarding safety guidelines, procedures for performing tasks, using chemicals and operating equipment.
    • Know, model and integrate Pebble Beach Company culture (mission, values and standards).

    Absolutely Required Skills:

    • Able to lift bales of hay and bags of shavings.
    • Excellent horse handling skills.
    • Pride of workmanship.
    • Heavy lifting skills.
    • Courteous relationship with clients.
    • Ability to understand and communicate job related information.
    • California driver’s license with less than 2 points.

    Desired Skills:

    • Basic knowledge of maintenance and simple tool use.
    • High School or equivalent preferred.

    Physical Requirements:

    Ability to stand for long periods of time. Repetitive hand use. Firm grasping required. Able to lift up to 50 pounds.

    Why work for us:

    • We encourage YOU to be our guest . When you work for Pebble Beach Company, we encourage you to experience what our guests experience at a 30% discount in all our amazing restaurants, retail and spa.
    • Golf on the greatest courses. Even if you don’t golf, you’ll quickly become the most popular member of the family and your circle of friends with our amazing employee golf benefits.
    • Grow your career with Pebble Beach University. We understand the need and desire to continually grow and develop, and we provide opportunities for ongoing learning through our Pebble Beach University training programs.
    • Lunch is on us. Enjoy a meal in our Employee Dining Room for every shift you work.

    COVID UPDATE: All employees agree the health and safety of our team and guests is our number one priority. All employees may be required to submit to a temperature test and health survey process daily, prior to the beginning of their shifts. Employees agree to complete a comprehensive training program that outlines new standards on COVID-19 safety and sanitization protocols before the beginning of the employee’s first scheduled shift. Employees must commit to wearing their required departmental Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during their shifts and to adhere to social distancing protocols, as well as all PBC health and sanitation guidelines.

    We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

  5. Post your job

    To find stable hands for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any stable hands they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level stable hands with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your stable hand job on Zippia to find and attract quality stable hand candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as ag hires, farm job, farming work , joe produce, picking jobs.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting stable hands requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new stable hand

    Once you've selected the best stable hand candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new stable hand. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a stable hand?

Recruiting stable hands involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

Stable hands earn a median yearly salary is $27,837 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find stable hands for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $10 and $17.

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