Level 2 Technical Certificate in Horse Care

This course is suitable for school leavers and provides the knowledge, skills and work experience to help you gain employment within the equine industry or to progress to the next level in your career.

You will be taught in both a practical and theoretical environment. This course is ideal for someone looking to improve upon their basic equine skills and knowledge and to open up employment opportunities within the equine sector.

Riding is offered as a recreational part of the course and is not assessed as part of the qualification. Applicants will still need to pass a riding assessment to be offered recreational riding lessons.

• Three GCSEs or above at a grade 3 and above in English, Maths and Science.

You will need to have at least six months prior experience in handling horses, and a reference may be required. You will need to be highly motivated and demonstrate a keen interest in the equine industry. There is a mixture between classroom and practical, hands-on learning.

For the riding pathway, the minimum riding requirement is being able to walk, trot and canter safely, confidently and in balance, equivalent to the BHS Stage 1 Ride standard. You will be asked to send a video of you demonstrating a walk, trot, canter, light seat position in trot, and a variety of school movements, and you will be given more information about this at your interview. Feedback will be provided to you based on the video assessment via email. Those who pass the video assessment, will be assessed at the start of the course, and those not achieving this standard will be offered the health pathway option. Please refer to the British Horse Society Stage 1 Ride Training Guide Video on YouTube for further understanding of the riding assessment requirements for the course.

To ensure the welfare of our horses, we operate a personal weight restriction of no more than 13 stone including equipment (riding hat, body protector and riding boots) and applicants must provide their own PPE to current safety standards. Students are weighed at the start of every new term.

The course will cover a selection of the following modules:

• Tutorial
• Health and Safety
• Working in the Industry
• Routine Stable Duties
• Feeding
• Horse Handling and Grooming
• Lunging
• Tack and Equipment
• Equine Health
• Biology
• Work Experience – 150 hours total
• Riding (recreational only, not assessed)
• Mandatory Yard Duties

You will also study GCSE English and Maths alongside your main study programme, if you have not achieved this at a grade 4/C or above.

You will be taught in both a practical and theoretical environment relating to the industry of caring for horses. All equine lessons are based at our Equestrian Centre at Broomfield Hall. We have a wide range of horses and facilities so that you can develop the skills and understanding required. 

You will be required to supply your own:

• Correctly fitted and up to current safety standard riding hat
• Correctly fitted and up to current safety standard riding footwear (full length riding boots or jodhpur boots with chaps – no rubber riding boots)
• Correctly fitted and up to current safety standard body protector
• Steel toe-cap footwear for yard work and practicals
• Derby College Group uniform
• Gloves
• Hairnet
• Trip/visit fees
• Writing materials

You will have the option to take part in additional qualifications and activities with Derby College Group at your own expense such as trips, training, first aid, safeguarding and online courses.

Long hair is to be tied back and no jewellery, false eyelashes or false nails should be worn.

You will be assessed by an online test, a written exam, and a mixture of written and practical assessments throughout the year.

You will be able to enter the industry by working on a yard, within a stud or racing yard, or perhaps in a business such as a store or feed merchant, tack shop or another organisation allied to the equine industry. As you will have gained industry-level skills and depth of knowledge over a wide range of units, you could progress within work to become a:

• Discipline-specific groom
• Apprentice
• Travelling groom

You may also wish to become self-employed and undertake roles such as freelance grooming or riding. 

With many transferable skills embedded throughout the course, it is possible for you to switch vocation easily.

Additionally, you can progress within further education to a Level 3 Technical Qualification.

Derby College Group offers a range of one-day, weekend and evening Equine courses – please see the Derby College Group Equestrian website at www.derby-college.co.uk/equestrian-centre

We also offer courses covering a wide range of other land-based topics – please see the Derby College Group Part-time Prospectus for a full list and details.

For more information, contact Derby College Group on 0800 0280289 or enquiries@derby-college.ac.uk