How to become a Stablehand

Assists with handling of horses, and maintaining and cleaning stables.

Main tasks

• Feeds, waters, grooms and brushes horses to maintain their health, appearance and cleanliness
• Cleans and maintains stables
• Assembles, prepares and stores feed, bedding and horse equipment
• Assists with saddling and bridling horses
• Assists with exercising horses by walking, lunging and long reining, riding (excluding galloping), leading and swimming
• May assist with readying horses for sales, breeding and race days, and attending to horses at track work, barrier trials and races
• May administer equine first aid and assist in the delivery of some allied therapies, including massage therapies and ice boots

Ways in

• TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Horse Care (ACM30821); Certificate III in Racing (Driving Stablehand) (RGR30318); Certificate III in Racing (Stablehand) (RGR30218); Certificate II in Horse Care (ACM20221); Certificate II in Racing Industry (RGR20221); Diploma of Equine Management (ACM50421); Certificate I in Racing (Stablehand) (RGR10118)
• Licence or registration: Registration or licensing may be required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• About 28,300 people work in this job group now, and about 28,900 are projected by 2035. (+1.8%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Beef Cattle Farm Worker
• Cattle and Sheep Farm Worker
• Dairy Cattle Farm Worker
• Wool Handler
• Livestock Husbandry Worker
• Piggery Farm Worker

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Stablehand?

Ways in include: Certificate III in Horse Care; Certificate III in Racing (Driving Stablehand).

Is a Stablehand a growing career in Australia?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 28,300 people now and 28,900 later (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Stablehand?

Usually not. Only 7% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Horse Care; Certificate III in Racing (Driving Stablehand).

Will AI change the work of a Stablehand?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04