Level 3 Senior Equine Groom Apprenticeship

This apprenticeship covers topics that prove your competence to work in senior equine and stable management roles in the equine industry.

What is this Standard?

 The Senior Equine Groom apprenticeship offers a chance to gain an equine based qualification while you work. Senior Equine Groom is for those with more experience of working with horses in a busy environment and focuses on more advanced horse care skills and knowledge and the ability to lead and organise a team. It allows you to gain qualifications and workplace experience that employers really want. It also gives you an opportunity to earn while you learn.

If you are aged 16-18 and don’t have the Functional Skills equivalent qualification, you will be expected to complete L2. If you are aged 19+ your employer will decide if they require you to complete functional skills.

What Will I Learn?

The Senior Equine Groom apprenticeship will consist of the following areas for development of skills and knowledge:

  • Safe working practices
  • Yard and field routines and duties
  • Horse anatomy, physiology and welfare – health and treatment
  • Horse handling, care and welfare
  • Fitness and nutrition
  • Travelling
  • Non-ridden exercise
  • Core behaviours

There is the choice to choose between the following pathways:

  • Ridden Pathway – Jumping or Non-Jumping
  • Non-Ridden Pathway
  • Racing Pathway – Senior Racing Exercise Groom or Senior Yard Based Groom

For those apprentices who have not got recognised prior learning or qualifications in maths and English, Functional Skills will also be developed as part of the apprenticeship programme.

This can be optional if over 19 and is a joint decision with the employer.

How has the apprenticeship benefited you? It has helped me with the knowledge and skills I need for the future. I am now in a management role at Springwood Equestrian Centre which would not have been possible without this apprenticeship and I am so grateful for this.

- Senior Equine Groom Apprentice

How Long Is The Course?

Course duration:

Typical duration to gateway of 18 months.

Study and assessment takes place at the yard/stable you are working.

Senior Equine Groom Assessment

Whilst on programme you will work with your employer and training provider to gain competence, build a portfolio of evidence and complete Functional Skills if needed.

Once you have completed your portfolio you will then enter the gateway which is a revision period in preparation for your end point assessment. You will have to complete a knowledge test of 50 questions.

There are 45 multiple choice questions followed by 5 extended questions. The pass mark is 70%. Once the knowledge test has been successfully completed, you will complete the end point assessment which will consist of an observation of skills followed by a professional discussion.

More information on the standard can be found at the Institute for Apprenticeships.

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