Exploding Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
But if you were at college full time you would have a gap on your c.v. I have to say that I know some girls "at college" and they seem to only go 2/3 days a week,
is that the norm?
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Equine college - I'm appalled
- Thread starter TandD
- Start date
is that the norm?
LaMooch
Well-Known Member
But if you were at college full time you would have a gap on your c.v. I have to say that I know some girls "at college" and they seem to only go 2/3 days a week,
is that the norm?
Yes I put was at college just don't put much else and never been questioned. I was there 5 days a week, 4 days were ridden days and couple lectures and the other day was lectures
The wife
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately this is the exact reason why I wouldn't employ a member of staff who had qualifications but without the relevant experience to back it up. I'm sure there are many excellent college leavers that are capable of dealing with young/very fit/competition minded animals... I just haven't met one yet. You can tell them a mile off, all mouth and no balls.
I, myself, did manage to scrape by and get my level 2 in racehorse care and management but the failing is that these qualifications are nothing like dealing with 'proper' horses and I learnt this very quickly in not always the nicest way - and this is growing up in the 80's and 90's where only eventers had BP, riding hats were optional and where being kicked out the house at 1st light and told not to return until dark were the norm, riding bare back across fields and jumping deck chairs without a care in the world.
I feel it's the H&S culture that has allowed so many college leavers to go through the net with all these qualifications, yet don't know diddly squat about how to handle an animal that is even slightly sharp because they have never had to deal with them. Is it the colleges fault? Not particularly IMHO. They have to have safe horses in to cope with such varying degrees of experience. The students fault? Definitely not (apart from lack of work ethic) which is becoming more and more apparent.
Good example of the failings of colleges being my in-laws foster daughter... In 3 months she starting her stage 1 at a local riding school/college, she has been there 2 years already and yet hasn't progressed to canter yet. She natural has a beautiful seat but hasn't cantered because thee aren't any horses she can wind up enough to canter. When she has her stage 1 she has been GUARANTEED that these quals will get her a job in a yard, something she desperately wants. Yes she is technically family, would I employ her or even allow her the experience on my yard? Not in a 100 years, as she is dangerous and would get either my animals hurt or herself. It's sad really.
Sorry about the rant, it gets me a little cross.
I, myself, did manage to scrape by and get my level 2 in racehorse care and management but the failing is that these qualifications are nothing like dealing with 'proper' horses and I learnt this very quickly in not always the nicest way - and this is growing up in the 80's and 90's where only eventers had BP, riding hats were optional and where being kicked out the house at 1st light and told not to return until dark were the norm, riding bare back across fields and jumping deck chairs without a care in the world.
I feel it's the H&S culture that has allowed so many college leavers to go through the net with all these qualifications, yet don't know diddly squat about how to handle an animal that is even slightly sharp because they have never had to deal with them. Is it the colleges fault? Not particularly IMHO. They have to have safe horses in to cope with such varying degrees of experience. The students fault? Definitely not (apart from lack of work ethic) which is becoming more and more apparent.
Good example of the failings of colleges being my in-laws foster daughter... In 3 months she starting her stage 1 at a local riding school/college, she has been there 2 years already and yet hasn't progressed to canter yet. She natural has a beautiful seat but hasn't cantered because thee aren't any horses she can wind up enough to canter. When she has her stage 1 she has been GUARANTEED that these quals will get her a job in a yard, something she desperately wants. Yes she is technically family, would I employ her or even allow her the experience on my yard? Not in a 100 years, as she is dangerous and would get either my animals hurt or herself. It's sad really.
Sorry about the rant, it gets me a little cross.
FireFly29
Well-Known Member
It depends what you want to do after college.
I have friends from college who used their qualifications to get onto degree courses and are now working as nutritionists, college lecturers etc.
I think they would have found it hard to get these jobs with work experience alone.
On the other hand, if they had wanted a hands on job working with horses then I think their time would probably have been better spent working/doing an apprenticeship/bhs stages.
I would also say that just because someone hasn't completed any stages at college doesn't mean that they can't, it might just be that they can't afford to or don't want to.
I have friends from college who used their qualifications to get onto degree courses and are now working as nutritionists, college lecturers etc.
I think they would have found it hard to get these jobs with work experience alone.
On the other hand, if they had wanted a hands on job working with horses then I think their time would probably have been better spent working/doing an apprenticeship/bhs stages.
I would also say that just because someone hasn't completed any stages at college doesn't mean that they can't, it might just be that they can't afford to or don't want to.
magpie92
Well-Known Member
my future sister-in-law did her NC in horse care at Barony which was only a year and she got her stage 1 must just depend on where you go to learn
LaMooch
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately this is the exact reason why I wouldn't employ a member of staff who had qualifications but without the relevant experience to back it up. I'm sure there are many excellent college leavers that are capable of dealing with young/very fit/competition minded animals... I just haven't met one yet. You can tell them a mile off, all mouth and no balls.
I, myself, did manage to scrape by and get my level 2 in racehorse care and management but the failing is that these qualifications are nothing like dealing with 'proper' horses and I learnt this very quickly in not always the nicest way - and this is growing up in the 80's and 90's where only eventers had BP, riding hats were optional and where being kicked out the house at 1st light and told not to return until dark were the norm, riding bare back across fields and jumping deck chairs without a care in the world.
I feel it's the H&S culture that has allowed so many college leavers to go through the net with all these qualifications, yet don't know diddly squat about how to handle an animal that is even slightly sharp because they have never had to deal with them. Is it the colleges fault? Not particularly IMHO. They have to have safe horses in to cope with such varying degrees of experience. The students fault? Definitely not (apart from lack of work ethic) which is becoming more and more apparent.
Good example of the failings of colleges being my in-laws foster daughter... In 3 months she starting her stage 1 at a local riding school/college, she has been there 2 years already and yet hasn't progressed to canter yet. She natural has a beautiful seat but hasn't cantered because thee aren't any horses she can wind up enough to canter. When she has her stage 1 she has been GUARANTEED that these quals will get her a job in a yard, something she desperately wants. Yes she is technically family, would I employ her or even allow her the experience on my yard? Not in a 100 years, as she is dangerous and would get either my animals hurt or herself. It's sad really.
Sorry about the rant, it gets me a little cross.
When I was at college are riding was at a local equestrian centre. Newton Hall in Ipswich and I can say I rode some horses that would not been allowed at a college because of H&S. I believe these horses made me the rider I am today (not a brill rider but better then I was before college). I think if I went to same college now with the riding onsite I think I would be an awful rider.
Most my hands on experience on the ground was from my first equine job and that opened my eyes and for that I'm grateful and I believe I have grown since that job
sport horse
Well-Known Member
I recently interviewed a lovely girl for a job here. She had been two years at a local college and had her level 3 (whatever that is!) As a part of her course she had been out from college to do work experience but was only allowed to go to very local yards as the college assessor was not permitted to travel too far.
Sadly, she was not up to standard to work alongside other staff - she did not have the experience and thus speed to keep up. She was not eligible for an apprenticeship as the college had already used her funding allowance. So, the reality is that she is in the outside world but not experienced enough to work at full up pay rates but not eligible for trainee rates.
She left college last year and has not worked for more than 6 weeks in a temporary job since. She openly told me that I am not the first place she has been to that have told her the same thing. I would like to have helped her because she deserved it BUT I am not a charity or even a business.
Sadly, she was not up to standard to work alongside other staff - she did not have the experience and thus speed to keep up. She was not eligible for an apprenticeship as the college had already used her funding allowance. So, the reality is that she is in the outside world but not experienced enough to work at full up pay rates but not eligible for trainee rates.
She left college last year and has not worked for more than 6 weeks in a temporary job since. She openly told me that I am not the first place she has been to that have told her the same thing. I would like to have helped her because she deserved it BUT I am not a charity or even a business.
Rollin
Well-Known Member
Idon't know about nvq qualifications. I employ students and now have a super French trained stable jockey who did 2 years as an apprentice with a top Race Horse Trainer. One day a week in college and five days on the yard. Lots fo riding.
At 18 years of age he had more common sense than people twice his age. You cannot teach common sense.
I am paranoid about safety on the yard. I don't think the French training is as good in this area. He knows his job when it comes to handling horses. Grooming is A1 and he never misses a cut or a bite.
Never late for work, does what he is asked and is enthusiastic about everthing he does.
At 18 years of age he had more common sense than people twice his age. You cannot teach common sense.
I am paranoid about safety on the yard. I don't think the French training is as good in this area. He knows his job when it comes to handling horses. Grooming is A1 and he never misses a cut or a bite.
Never late for work, does what he is asked and is enthusiastic about everthing he does.
mystiandsunny
Well-Known Member
I couldn't do the riding phase at all, after 20 years of riding I cannot canter, nor jump.....yet I could easily pass the theory at college as well as stable management, I just cannot ride. I have had many instructors over the years but they cannot work miracles, I just haven't got the feel for riding, nor the balance, I have given up now other than the odd hack in walk with a little trot. So maybe not all the fault of the college??
Sorry to go off topic a bit, but do you have a health condition that causes this maisie06? Dyspraxia? I have taught a few dyspraxic riders (was asked as a favour as I'm not a RI but they'd been through lots of instructors and nothing helped), and balance was the biggest issue. I ended up schooling the horses to lighter seat aids, and the riders spent a lot of time bareback to develop their balance.