Do you deem horsey qualifications as needed for a horsey job?

rotters13

rotters13

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Personally to me it seems a bit like a fad. A lot of people have no qualifications but have been with horses all their lives. However I understand why you would want someone to have solid and vouched for experience resulting in a qualifications. And IMO pony club qualifications are under rated!

Your opinions?
 
I would say they're essential if you want to teach, especially if you want to go freelance.

For a groom/head groom, I'd say experience is more essential. Perhaps as a YM on a large yard, some form of quals would be useful.
 
For teaching yes, for other horse related jobs then experience probably wins hands down. I have my National certificate in horse and stable management which i did a loooooong loooong time ago, sounds good on paper but in reality the course covered too many subjects too thinly to be of any real use in a working environment.
 
I'd rather have experience.
I personaly know of one girl who is doing her BHS AI. she can pass exams beautifully but put her on a horse that spooks on a hack and she falls to bits. Also not all horses respond to text book methods (be they BHS or otherwise).
Look at top riders they very rarely have official qualifications
 
As quals are still relativly new if the person is older and still going/recomended I don't mind if they don't have them, however if its a younger instructer/training/YM I like to see some kind of qualification as well as a back up to thier experience/ recomendatations. At least you know if their experience fails them they can go back to the "standard" method or look it up
 
People can pass exams etc, but I personally don't think you can teach common sense.
As someone who has no horsey qualifications, I don't think they are essential, I have made a sucessful career in horses without them. BUT I do think they give people a good basis of knowledge to start off a career with.
 
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As quals are still relativly new

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Not all quals! Pony CLub B test was taken in the 1960s, ( by me) as were BHS exams, in BHSAI ( ne too) and II and I were avalable too. So anyone under 65 could have those easily. And I sitl think the Pony Club A test is a real achievement,

New things like BSc Equine studise- no rather have someone with more practical experience, and those doing equine degrees seem to want to be managers and administrators, not hands on horsey jobs,
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
As quals are still relativly new

[/ QUOTE ]
Not all quals! Pony CLub B test was taken in the 1960s, ( by me) as were BHS exams, in BHSAI ( ne too) and II and I were avalable too. So anyone under 65 could have those easily. And I sitl think the Pony Club A test is a real achievement,


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I suppose that is a fairly long time ago, I was thinking about jonny arden, a carriage driver, who is ancient and falling appart bless him, but has very little in the way of quals as they wern't around, although he has now taken a few. BDS quals are about 25- 30 years old. (i think) Anyway, i'd still think anyone over 40ish who is recomended but doesn't have the quals i'd still be interested in. weird I know
 
Personally, no. I think that experience stands the majority of people in much better stead than passing an exam.
 
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