Apprenticeship in Horse Care – Equine Groom Level 2

Day-to-day horse care, including the routine care and condition of the horses, preparing them for competition or riding, health care and treatment, exercising, grooming, trimming, and travelling.

Duties will include all aspects of horse care, such as:

• Grooming
• Mucking out
• Trimming
• Plaiting
• Lunging
• Health care
• Travelling
• Feeding
• Grooming at competitions/riding

Joining an SCT Apprenticeship programme is a serious commitment. To achieve the qualification and be successful in your job, you will need to be hardworking, prepared to work outdoors in all weather and often at weekends. We do everything we can to help you achieve, but we also expect some things from you to:

• Always try your best
• Adhere to the Prevent Duty – promote British values: the rule of law, democracy, and tolerance and mutual respect for others at all times, and keep yourself safe from extremism
• Be committed to improving your English and maths skills and using them at work
• Complete the SCT Online Learning by the target dates
• Attend work and all off-the-job training sessions punctually and reliably
• Be polite, tidy, professional, organised, and cheerful
• Keep your Skillscheck at work and updated, allow time every week for this
• Complete work set in your action plans by the target dates
• Follow instructions
• Work safely, including on the internet
• Always ask if you are not sure about anything

Please see the website for more information: www.stubbingcourttraining.com

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Course contents

• Work safely and efficiently at all times and comply with current health, safety, and security policies and procedures (including PPE).
• Carry out all yard and field duties to include mucking out, skipping out, tidying and cleaning the yard, watering and feeding. Assess suitability of stabling and grassland environments for horses, including checking for hazards, etc. Assist with the arrival of a new horse to the yard, following current yard procedures and measures to prevent and control the spread of disease.
• Recognise, identify, and describe horses, including sex, height, type, colours, and markings. Identify basic anatomy, to include points of the horse. Recognise signs of good and poor welfare (including ill health) and check for injuries. Report relevant information and assist with medical treatment and other industry specialists, including Senior Groom, Dentist, Farrier, Veterinary surgeon. Ensure the horse's welfare before and after exercise or travel.
• Handle a variety of horses in the workplace to include tying up, leading, trotting up, turning out, and catching in. Recognise different types of feed and hay and check their quality. Groom a horse, including checking feet and shoes. Demonstrate trimming and plaiting.
• Fit a variety of common saddlery, equipment, and horse clothing. Remove, clean, and store common saddlery and equipment. Check the safe and effective working condition of all saddlery, equipment, and clothing.
• Prepare horse(s) for travel using appropriate clothing and equipment. Assist with loading and unloading before and after travel.
• Prepare for and provide a variety of appropriate non-ridden exercise, including an introduction to lungeing.
• Handle Thoroughbred racehorses in and out of full training. Fit a variety of specialist racing equipment and tack. Carry out the specific routines required in a racing yard and in taking horses racing, complying with industry regulatory requirements, policy, and practice. Provide exercise regimes to racehorses as directed and effectively care for horses prior to and after strenuous work and racecourse performance. Prepare and lead up a Thoroughbred racehorse at the races in accordance with industry practice and the Rules of Racing. Provide after-race care, including compliance with industry regulations and post-race dope testing procedures.
• Adopt an appropriate basic riding position. Ride an experienced/schooled horse according to instruction, independently and as part of a group in an enclosed area. Ride in a balanced, secure position showing control in walk, trot, and canter, working with and without stirrups whilst demonstrating movements, i.e. circles, turns, etc. Ride in the open, in a forward seat, according to instruction, with control, security, and balance. Ride with a balanced, secure, forward seat over ground poles at trot to enable progression to ride, where practical, over a short course of fences with control, security, and balance. Ride on the road or in public places according to laid down procedures, Highway, and Country Codes. Open and close a gate whilst mounted. Negotiate everyday obstacles/hazards with control, security, and balance. Ride a quiet horse whilst leading another quiet horse or pony.
• Assist with storage of supplies and stock rotation. Contribute to the organisation and maintenance of establishment. Engage with customers and identify their needs. Assist with appropriate office duties, including answering the telephone, processing information, and using workplace IT systems. Contribute to yard-based records, including passports, vaccinations, worming, farriery, dentistry, etc. Assist and support Riding Grooms and provide non-ridden exercise regimes. Prepare for and lunge a horse for exercise in an enclosed area according to instruction.