Equine Gap years

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Ali_H

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Was just wondering if anybody had taken a horsey gap year? If you have were did you go? Any advice on taking a gap year in the equine industry? I think i want to stay in the UK for the majority because of my horsies.

Any insporation much appreciated!

Ali xxxx
 
I personally haven't but the majority of my course have gone on gap years and have gone to all sorts of places, eventing yards, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, rehabilitation yards, etc so is plenty of variety out there. Do you have any particular type of placement in mind?
 
Something with plenty of hands on experience really. I was think about a home help/groom placement. Or on a yard... so long as i wasnt used as a poo shoveler so to speak!

xxxx
 
I suppose what i did could be called an equine gap year...i brought a horse and spent my time bring her on and working to pay for her
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(with quite a bit of traveling mixed in!) Great year! The plan was to sell her but now she's coming with to uni at christmas!
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Also planning to take another one at the end of my uni course
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A lot of my friends at uni had a year out to competition groom for the experience. I know Louise Whitaker always takes a couple of for her season with the opportunity to spend a few months in the USA. My best mate went to rim rock camp for the year and loved it. To be honest, don't let the horsies tie you down too much, if you are having a gap year I would say get as much experience away from home as you can.
 
I took a year out and worked in a racing yard. Very nearly didn't go back to Uni I loved it so much. 20 years later I appear to still be working in racing!
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Just out of interest how long were you out there for? and also what dates? (Ive got a really long summer hols and that sounds like fun!) V
 
I worked for 6 months in Italy as a sole charge groom of a small livery yard in the Alps, which was fab. Then got itchy feet, put an advert in the Suddeutsche Zeitung and got the best job on earth of a horsy au pair to two show jumpers owned by a married couple with no children in a lovely part of Switzerland. For some stupid reason, I left after 6 months to return to qualify as a solicitor. Stupid stupid stupid the guy's friend was going to buy a horse for me to compete as well!
 
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