help! Horsey Education..

[edgedem]

Bear with me lots of thanks to anyone with the dedication to read through this!!!


and I have been thinking for months about doing a suitable course in equine studies or stable management, im 22, no former qualification involving horses but i do have extensive GSCE & A Levels that i could use for university etc.

Im looking at this list of courses:

http://www.equinestudies.co.uk/_files/course_pdfs/pdfs/toces-course-fees-01.10.11-31.12.12.pdf

http://www.equinestudies.co.uk/_files/prospectuses/files/OpenCollegeProspectus2.pdf

now id love to do a full advanced deploma but at £3k and not sure how ill get on with home study so intensively, i waned to start with a smaller course.

im looking at the senior horse masters course (a college certificate) 1 & then 2 or BHS levels. which is obviously BHS so more recognised.
or if I'm paying for the senior horsemaster 1&2 this is the same price as a BTEC Certificates in Horse Management..

i know its a long shot but what do people recommend?

I'm basically unsure what route to take!! can anyone help?confused:

I'm not going to launch a livery yard yet but having a level of qualification for the future could be handy!

 

[Orls]

It all depends on what job you want to do. Are you looking to become a yard manager, instructor, groom or something else? What are your plans?

What I was advised to do was get out there and start working. Many employers in the equine industry are looking for experience, a good CV, good horse sense and good common sense over hundreds of qualifications. What I ended up doing was I spent four years as a working student abroad and in the UK working for various different people, doing various different disciplines. I learned so much, had some amazing opportunities and experiences, and actually one woman I worked for sent me to college and paid for my qualifications as part of my wage. I got my BHS stages and I got a coaching certificate while I was abroad so actually at the end of the four years I ended up much better off than if I had simply attended college as I had multiple references, many certificates/qualifications and also had real life experience of working in the horse industry which has set me up very well to begin my own freelance teaching business.

Of course if you want to be an instructor you may be better off going to college and working your way through the qualifications as it is a more specialist job and I have found the coaching certificate which I gained abroad is sometimes met with suspicion even though it is perfectly valid and I worked very hard to achieve it! However, again some working student jobs will fund you to gain this. Have a look around and see what jobs are available, you may have to be prepared to travel although I went to the extreme and moved to America this is not necessary!

Feel free to PM me if I haven't made myself very clear I think I've rambled a bit haha!