The interview portion of the hiring process is always nerve-wracking—for both the applicant and the employer. This is true even in the horse business where, even though the environment is slightly less formal than a Fortune 500 company, interviews are still tough to handle.
If you’re getting ready to hire horse business employees, these interview questions should help you weed out the bad eggs from the pile and give you a better glimpse of each candidate. Scroll through to find the category of horse business employees you’re hiring or read them all.
General Interview Questions for Horse Business Employees
- Why do you want to work with horses?
- Is there anything about horses that makes you uncomfortable?
- Up to this point, what has been your favorite job (and why)?
- Which is more important to you: Showing up for work on time or dressing appropriately?
- What has been your biggest professional accomplishment?
- What do you expect from your boss?
- Why did you leave your last place of employment?
- Do you think of yourself as a fast worker?
- If you could change one thing about your work habits, what would it be?
- Do you like to work by yourself or with others?
- Can you tell me about a particularly frustrating problem at a past job and tell me how you handled it?
- What can you do for this horse business?
Interview Questions for Riding Instructors
- What age children are you most comfortable teaching?
- Do you have any experience instructing on horsemanship?
- Are you comfortable taking students to horse shows?
- With which riding instructors have you studied?
- Can you describe your horsemanship philosophy?
- What is your greatest strength as a teacher?
- Your greatest weakness?
- Are you comfortable collecting money from students?
- Will you follow the program/curriculum for this stable?
- What is your competition experience?
- What are your top three priorities as a riding instructor?
Interview Questions for Horse Trainers
- What breeds of horses have you trained in the past?
- What ages of horses are you comfortable working with?
- Do you see yourself as a gentle or aggressive trainer?
- What kinds of artificial aids do you use for training?
- Will you bring your own equipment?
- How many horses (ballpark) have you trained in the last five years?
- Have you ever seriously injured yourself while training?
- What kind of competition experience do you have?
- How would you approach a horse that is prone to biting?
- To kicking?
- Are you willing to travel to clients’ homes to train?
- How do you communicate with clients?
Interview Questions for Stable Managers
- What supervisory experience do you have?
- How would you resolve a dispute between coworkers?
- On a scale of 1-10, how organized are you?
- Do you prefer to organize electronically or on paper?
- What is your strategy for delegation?
- Are you comfortable being on call in case of an emergency?
- Can you describe an incident in the workplace where you made an incorrect choice? What happened, and what was your mistake?
- Can you describe your dream job and your nightmare job?
- What are your top priorities when managing a stable?
- How would you handle a phone call from a boarder if she feels her horse isn’t being cared for properly?
Please Weigh In!
What interview questions have you used when hiring horse business employees? Which worked and which didn’t? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I’d be happy to add any great questions to this list.
And make sure to check out yesterday’s great advice on interviewing potential horse business employees.
You might also like:
- Hiring Horse Business Employees
Part Three—The Interview - Interviews for Horse Business Employees
- Hiring Horse Business Employees
Part Two—The Application Process - Hiring Horse Business Employees
Part One—The Advertisement - Do Your Employees Care?
About the Author: Laura Jane Thompson is the Chief Equestrian Officer of Riding Instructor University and the Feature writer for the horses section at Suite101. She believes that any horse business can succeed provided its owner practices smart strategy.
