stable master

A stable master or head groom is the manager in charge of a stable. At large horse establishments there may be several grooms under the management of the stable master. In a professional establishment the head groom usually has complete responsibility for the horses including devising training schedules, choosing feeds for optimum nutrition and ensuring the horses are shod, wormed, inoculated and provided with timely veterinary care. Historically, one kind of stable master was an avener ( ), or avenor, the chief officer of the stables of a king, and the officer in charge of obtaining positions for horses belonging to the king. The Latin version of the word was avenarius, from the Latin avena, meaning "oats" or "straw". The avenar was under the watch of the Master of the Horse, and in his d...