CALLING ALL WALFORD AND RODBASTON PEOPLE!!!

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Honey Bee♥

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Hey guys! Thinking of doing the equine course level 3. Just not sure which college is better for me. I know Rodbaston show more than Walford, which the experience is always good! But Walford seem to have more fun, which is also good! Whats the point if you dont enjot it, right?!

Ive heard that Walford dont seem to do much work, and in lessons they mainly sit and chat about random things. Im not saying this is true, its just what ive heard.

So! This is where you lovely lot come in :D

Good and bad oppinions and expierences needed pretty please? :rolleyes:

THANK YOU!!! :D
 
I go to Walford, although I don't do equine, I'm doing an ND in Agriculture. Although it'll probably be different for the equine course, I do feel we don't exactly do a lot of work! :rolleyes: we do have a hell of a lot of fun though, if you can take the banter from the agric lads...I often find I have a sense of humour failure at these times :p Can't comment on Rodbaston as I've never been there, but I do think Walford is a good college :)
 
I found the same, but I was doing the animal care course, when I was doing travel to learn, with school in year 9. So I thought that it might be slightly more serious for a proper course. But thank you for your feedback! Guess I shall have to wait and see what everyone else says :) I have a sence of humor failure too, I wouldnt worry :D :rolleyes:
 
smudge99 said:
I can only comment on the level of riders coming from both and I have found that the students from Rod are more rounded individuals.
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That is interesting.
I believe they have now (as of Sept gone) integrated the course though so students spend more time doing other animals and not horses which has caused a couple I know to leave. shame as the people are lovely
 
soulfull said:
That is interesting.
I believe they have now (as of Sept gone) integrated the course though so students spend more time doing other animals and not horses which has caused a couple I know to leave. shame as the people are lovely
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Surely that defeats the object of it being an Equine course?
 
Walford used to be amazing! 10/15 years ago it would have been a no brainer, with Jonquil Hemming at the helm and Tony Tyler, ML Neeson etc it was a great place to learn, actually work hard and have a fantastic social life. I hear this is no longer the case, which is sad.
 
My friend joined Rodbaston last September (I think doing the Level 3 course) and it soon after Rodbaston lost funding for that course, so she was transferred to animal management, which of course was pointless as it wasn't what she wanted to do. From what I heard from her the horses there weren't great, they assessed her poorly and consequently she was placed in a riding group beneath her level, and put on a ploddy riding school type cob which she found very frustrating. I also had a pony club camp there one year and have to admit I wasn't too impressed, the arenas are fairly decent as is the x-country course, but the stables and yards were quite shabby.:o

I have no experience with Walford but would strongly recommend Hartpury college ( http://www.hartpury.ac.uk/Hartpury-College/Home/ ), its a bit further away(Gloucester), but it is residential. I was planning to go there, and my friend went to look round and came back jumping up and down in excitement at the place, the facilities are fab, they have a whole sector for physiotherapy etc, they also have a very good cross country course (I think 3*? can't quite remember) and high level competitions are held there which are good to watch, and also lower level comps to take part in. I also know someone else who has gone there and is thoroughly enjoying it.

If it were up to me, i'd be off to Hartpury in September with her, however the parents have other plans and i'm sticking where I am for A-levels, PAH! :rolleyes:

-Elena:D
 
Thanks guys! I'm still stuck making a decision. I love the sound of Hartpury college, but its just so far away! It would depend on how much living costs were... although, in all fairness, i doubt i would be allowed to go.
 
Sportznight said:
Walford used to be amazing! 10/15 years ago it would have been a no brainer, with Jonquil Hemming at the helm and Tony Tyler, ML Neeson etc it was a great place to learn, actually work hard and have a fantastic social life. I hear this is no longer the case, which is sad.
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I can confirm that this is the case now.

I was there 2 years ago doing equine. In my time there the lectures lost peoples work! Reduced students to tear in lessons! A student was bitten by a dog that had been tormented by two other students and no punishment was given. Lectures lied about students handing work in. The course tutor even admited to a student that the said student knew more about horses than the course tutor! This all happened in 18 months. Needless to say i didnt finish the course there as the college was a mess and i wasn't going to take the risk of them losing my work! and went else where and had to redo my second year.

On the other hand! We attended Rodbastion for the Inter college event and their horses were lovely! As was the yard manager and lectures, very welcoming even tho we where the competition. Students seemed in good spirits even though they didnt win and didnt hear a bad word said from their students while we where there. Can't comment on anything else about rodbastion but if you want to know anything else about Walford Equine feel free to PM me, Ag at Walford is a much better course.
 
watch out for Hartpury as they will tell you all about their amazing facilities but you will never get to actually use them. and they won't help you out with any funding or burseries so if moneys not a problem then thats fine but if you need some funding for your accomadation or anything else then they expect you to pay for it your self.

Have a search on here for other posts about Hartpury and you will get lots of reading material.

Depends whats important to your as to which college you go to. What is important to you? Travel? Social? Learning? facilities? Competing?

Why not go and have a look around the ones that are closes to you? It will give you more of a feel for the place and you can talk to some of the students that are already there :)
 
Yes, that sounds like a very good idea. My perfect college would be somewhere that is friendly and welcoming with good knowledgable tutors and friendly students. I would like to expand my experience with competitions, but it isnt at the top of my list. I would also like it to be a bit fun and not serious all of the time. But I obviously went there to learn and not mess around.

The course I really want to do is at Rod, but I've heard a lot of stories lately that they have intergrated it with other animals and that you hardly do anything to do with horses anymore. Obviously I would have to double check this is true by talking to them directly at one of their open days next week or the week after. But they havent changed anything on their website.

The other thing that slightly bugs me about Rod, is that I have e-mailed them a few times, reguarding entry (because i am now 18) and they have not replied. Where as Walford replied within 2 days!

Lialls- where do you go to college? Do you do an equine course too? I also didnt know they did inter college comps! That sounds amazing! (yeah, im that sad! haha). do you know if this happens often and what level equine course you have to be on to do this?
 
I have heard some quite bad things about walford, I was going to go there at first, now sticking to A-levels! The horses aren't very good and some of the kids there are right snotty c*ws! Just what I've heard though...
 
Honey Bee♥;10347211 said:
Lialls- where do you go to college? Do you do an equine course too? I also didnt know they did inter college comps! That sounds amazing! (yeah, im that sad! haha). do you know if this happens often and what level equine course you have to be on to do this?
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I went to Walford for 18 months to do an National Diploma in Horse Management. And have been to Hereford Tech College to finsh said ND. I have also visited and know people who have been to Rod, Reaseheath & HP.

The inter college event happens once a year, its run by Rod and they invite other colleges. I don't know if they have been inviting Walford in the last 2 years though. I was on a level 3 course (ND). It is only open to the Equine students at walford.

PM me for more info if you want :)
 
I've been to both. Different course at Rodbaston and I was older, but I much preferred Walford to Rodbaston. Facilities are better at Rodbaston, but the people were nicer at Walford.
 
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