0800 028 0289
Technical Extended Diploma in Equine Management - Level 3Apply Now »
Location: Broomfield Hall
Years: 2
Interview: Y
Course Summary
This course provides in-depth 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 theory and practice in a range of topics relating to the industry. On the course, you will have the chance to progress through BHS Stages 1 and 2, including the new BHS Ride Safe Exam.
You will also participate in a range of enrichment activities, including training, clinics, workshops and trips.
We offer two pathways on this course: a riding option and a non-riding option, where the riding is replaced by other equine-related practical units.
Overall the course is 50% practical and 50% theory.
Entry requirements
You need to be highly motivated and demonstrate a keen interest in the equine industry. Offers of a place on the course are dependent on your qualifications. You will need:
- A minimum of four GCSEs at grade C/4, which should include English and Maths, with some horse experience.
OR
- An Intermediate Diploma in the chosen subject to a Merit or Distinction grade, a recommendation from your tutor and evidence of a minimum of 95% attendance, good behaviour and strong work ethic.
Other equivalent competence and attainment will be taken into account and your individual circumstances can be discussed at interview or at our information evenings.
All applicants will be interviewed, will undertake an initial assessment in English and Maths and must present an example of current work.
For the riding pathway, the minimum riding requirement is being able to walk, trot and canter confidently and in balance and to be able to jump a small course of fences. Riders will be assessed at the start of the course and those not achieving this standard will be offered the non-riding option.
To ensure the welfare of our horses, we operate a personal weight restriction of no more than 13 stone.
To progress to Year 2 of this course, you will be required to obtain a Pass grade or above during the first year.
Course Content
The course will cover:
- Principles of health and safety
- Undertake and review work-related experience in the land-based industry
- Undertake stable and yard operations
- Equine health
- Horse tack and equipment
- Biological systems of horses
- Prepare horses for presentation
- Equine feeding and nutrition
- Horse behaviour and welfare
- Working and training horses from the ground
- The principles of equitation
- Contribute to managing an equine event
- The principles of horse fitness
- Business management in the land-based sector
- Exercising horses
- Riding horses on the flat
- Riding horses over fences
- Introduction to equestrian coaching
- The principles of horse rehabilitation and therapy
How will I be assessed?
This course is continually assessed using a range of methods including assignments, written reports, case studies, exams, practicals, professional discussions, demonstrations and presentations.
You will be required to adhere to strict deadlines and show good organisational skills.
Are there any additional costs or specialist equipment required?
You will be required to supply your own:
- Correctly fitted and up to current safety standards riding hat
- Correctly fitted and up to current safety standards riding gloves
- Correctly fitted and up to current safety standards riding footwear
- Correctly fitted and up to current safety standards body protector
- Derby College uniform
- Entrance fees to various establishments
- Writing materials
- BHS fees for membership and payment towards exams if you are taking the riding option
You will have the option to take part in additional qualifications with Derby College at your own expense, such as trips, training, first aid, safeguarding and online courses.
Long hair is to be tied back and no nail varnish, jewellery, false eyelashes or false nails should be worn.
What can I do after this course?
You will be able to enter the industry by working on a yard, within a stud, perhaps in a business such as a country store, feed merchant or tack shop or in another company allied to the equine industry such as a welfare organisation or membership body. As you will have gained a breadth and depth of skills and knowledge over a very wide range of units, you could progress within work to become, among other roles, a:
- Clinical Assistant
- Welfare Officer
- Event Co-ordinator/Supervisor
- Administrator in equestrian-related businesses (junior management/trainee)
- Coach/Instructor
- Employee within British Dressage, British Showjumping or British Eventing
- International travelling groom
- Apprentice saddler
- Trainee course builder
- Stud supervisor
- Work rider
You may also wish to become self-employed, and undertake roles such as freelance grooming or breaking and training young horses.
With many transferable skills embedded throughout the course, it gives you the option to switch vocation easily.
Additionally, you can progress to equine or non-equine related higher education, such as:
- Equine Studies Foundation Degree
- BSc (Hons) Equine Science
- BSc (Hons) Sport Science
- BSc (Hons) Veterinary Physiotherapy
Derby College offers a range of horse-related weekend and evening courses – please see the Derby College Equestrian Centre website www.derby-college.co.uk/equestrian-centre.
We also offer courses in a wide range of other land-based topics - please see the Derby College Part-time Prospectus for a full list and details.
Ruth Orrell-Stokes
Horse management student Ruth returns to Broomfield as lecturer
Former horse management student Ruth Orrell-Stokes returned as a lecturer to Derby College Broomfield Hall because she knew it was a "nurturing and driven" campus. She said she never walked away from a lesson "without learning something new" and "an amazing" team had supported her.
Ruth found a three month work placement with horses in California between the first and second years of her Level 3 National Diploma in Horse Management. That meant taking some time out, but Ruth and her lecturers found a way to minimise the disruption. Having successfully completed the National Diploma, Ruth went into higher education elsewhere, gaining a range of qualifications including a Higher National Diploma, and a BSC in Equine Performance Management.
She was awarded a Federation of Animal Welfare award for her final year dissertation. While studying, staff spotted that she had a talent for teaching and she went on to gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. After a part-time teaching job and agency work, Ruth applied and returned to Derby College, Broomfield, lecturing on maternity cover.
She has now been appointed to the staff full-time in the post which one of her former lecturers – who has gone into higher education – used to hold.
I love it. The reason I came back is because I knew that when I was a student here, it was a nurturing and driven college that really pushed me.
It was an amazing team that supported me.
While I was here I was always stretched and challenged.
I'd come from a jumping background and it was Jon, my line manager now, who taught me for jumping.
There was never a lesson I walked away from that I hadn't learnt something new, from really delicate techniques to things which were out of the box. That was true across the board.
Despite having a lot of previous experience the level 3 course was really challenging but it opened up my eyes to opportunities in the industry.
