Colorado Technical University

i want a career training horses and riders where do i start ?

i will be taking my GCSE's in about a year and would like to know what is best for me to take at college i was thinking of taking an apprenticeship at a stable but is this wise ??? any advice would be welcome thanks x x x

Public Comments

1. Yes. Any experience you can get, take it!! In the horse world, you work your way up just like the corporate world. Working with horses is hard work, but SO rewarding. Best of luck :)
2. I think first get some A-levels done and under your belt. Working with horses is an extremely tough, demanding, and physically draining job. I know many many people who absolutely adored horses, decided they wanted to work with horses and a few years down the line just didn't want anything more to do with horses, it drained all their passion for them and they never had anything more to do with them. I'm not saying you will end up like this. But GCSE'S are extremely base line pass rates, you will find it very very hard finding a decent well paid job with gcse's and an apprenticeship at a stable - it's a very dead end destination. By getting A-levels under your belt, not only do you make yourself more employable and open to far better jobs, you also give yourself a fall back should the equestrian life not work out for you. Once doing A-levels, personally I would go for something like an equine management course etc on site at a place like harper adams or hartpury from an A-level standard. Apprenticeships at gcse level are very limited in what you can do, and don't tend to offer much fain from it. However, a lot of the courses from A level hold a far greater chance of a better job, a job you enjoy and want to do for life and earn enough money to live properly off it. If you want to teach riders, you've got to do your BHSAI minimum qualifications to get the qualifications to teach. This is usually taught independently of proper courses you're taking, rather as a side course along side or after your course.
3. i suggest equine at brooksby college in melton mowbury x x x
4. I've heard that Meredith Manor is a reputable school for producing horse trainers and instructors. It's expensive, but apprently worth it. It's my personal dream school, but I'll never get there. Good luck!
5. Sazzy says it all. There is a lot of hard work, long hours and little free time with horses if you are a groom without anything but basic qualifications and more people leave horses than stay in working with them. However, as an employer I would rather have someone who had learned through a working pupil scheme than a college trained person who has all the theoretical knowledge but little experience of working with many horses and little common sense. It would be best if you do all your exams and then you have a fall back.