Articles and advice on employment law and equine careers for jobseekers
My name is Olivia Alstad. I’m a Canadian rider who moved to the UK to train and learn more about the sport of eventing. With no plan or education on the apprenticeship scheme, I made all the rookie errors! I’ve written an article to help you in your pursuit of a suitable apprenticeship, avoiding all the major mistakes that I made!
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You may not realise it, but Apprentice Grooms are always winning! Whether you’re a school-leaver looking to forge a successful career in the equine industry or an established groom who would like formal recognition of your abilities with qualifications, an equine apprenticeship will be an almost surefire way of achieving your goals…
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It’s National Apprenticeship Week 10th February – 16th February 2025 – a perfect time for grooms to explore the possibilities of gaining nationally recognised qualifications without having to take time out from work, and employers to consider expanding their team by taking on an apprentice groom! Why is this so important to the equine industry? Because the equine industry NEEDS you to! Before dismissing the idea of becoming or employing an apprentice, read our 5 reasons why the equine industry needs Apprentice Grooms…
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Every horse has the potential to become a success and just like athletes, it all comes down to training. One of the many great things about working with horses is the huge variety of jobs available to us. This week we look at the world of Pre-Training and what exactly a job on a yard like this involves.Â
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Understanding payslips is easier than you might think. From the 6th April 2019, it is an employee’s statutory right to receive a payslip, so it’s important that everyone understands them! Unless you are genned up on the ins and outs of gross salary, income tax, allowances, Workplace Pensions and National Insurance it may look like a confusing bunch of numbers, especially if you’re a worker receiving payslips for the first time. In this article we give you a basic guide to payslips, from who should be given payslips and why, through to understanding the various codes and figures.
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Most young people entering the equine industry as a career pathway dream of grooming at the Olympia Horse Show or exercise riding international sport horses or something similar, but due to lack of any real structured planning and implementation of said plan, many give up on their dreams or leave on the reality sooner or later. Equine career planning is the key to achieving dreams, trust us! What gets written down, reviewed and even measured, gets done! Here’s how it couldn’t be simpler in 4 simple steps…
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When applying for a new job it’s easy to assume that reference checks are the responsibility of the prospective employer, or the recruitment agency if applicable. But you want that job, right? Then help to secure it for yourself by being savvy when it comes to employment references and associated checks! Reference checks are not incidental to an employer selecting YOU as their new recruit, they are critical! Read on to find out how neglecting employment references can kill any chance of you getting a new job.
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It is a fair assumption to say the majority of those who choose to dedicate their career to caring for horses will have also succumbed to the charm of four legged canine companions too. When it comes down to taking a dog to work with you, many employers are very open to this idea providing the dog is well trained and fit in with the resident yard dog/s. Sounds a simple request but, just like a proud mother, we can all be more than a little blind to our own child’s faults. This week we ask the question – Is your faithful friend a joyful addition or an accident waiting to happen?
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Many young equestrian enthusiasts dream of a job riding horses – no mucking out, just days in the saddle of various horses, then being paid for it! In this article, we turn our attention to the role of a Work Rider. Becky Parker gives us the lowdown of life as a Work Rider, the pay, how to train and become one and details what it REALLY takes to make a successful career as a Work Rider.
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Truly, the matter of job location can be a difficult subject to broach as a recruitment consultant. A huge part of me screams to write an extremely persuasive article urging you to broaden your horizons and keep an open mind to jobs anywhere in the UK, or even abroad. The opportunities this opens up to you are tenfold to those restricted by job location. So, how important is it that your next job is in the ‘right’ location? Is it worth being flexible for that DREAM job? We take a look at when you should be flexible and when you should hold out for your ideal.
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As specialist equine recruitment consultants, we see the good and bad outcomes of unstructured career pathways and the results of the “rooky errors” grooms make without correct guidance. We’re passionate about the part we can play in improving the role of an equine groom as a credible career pathway.
Many equestrians join the equine industry by making a blind leap into it, accepting the first job available to them. Needless to say, this isn’t a constructive foundation for a fruitful career in the equine industry. Many grooms resort to “job-hopping” in search of the training and opportunities they crave, without realising the damaging effect this has on their CV and future career prospects.
By contrast, an Equine Apprenticeship makes the you focus on what you would like to achieve within your career and how you can achieve it. You can then source meaningful employment as an Apprentice Groom, enabling you to earn while you learn, laying the foundation of a promising career – and ultimately become one of the best professional grooms in the equine industry.
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It is surprising how often we come across bewildered job seekers wondering why they are struggling to secure their ideal job. Sometimes the reason is obvious, other times less so. No matter how incredibly experienced/qualified and talented a groom you are there can be many reasons things don’t happen as quickly as you might like. Clearly, 3 horses, 4 dogs and a magpie (yes really) won’t help, but the more subtle reasons usually take the eyes or ears of a genuine and interested recruitment expert! We often can quite quickly help you to identify what the blocks are. Our team compilation ’employers wishlist’ is not designed to be an exhaustive tick list by any means, but it does pretty much cover most of what we have heard over the years.
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If you love cross-country and a fast-paced life maybe a career in eventing is for you? What do you know the role of Eventing Grooms and Eventing Groom jobs? Do you have the relevant skills and experience? Do you want to gain them? Becky Parker takes us through the typical duties of a professional Eventing Groom…
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The Grooms List by Caroline Carter Recruitment Ltd is delighted to publish this article by equine apprenticeship expert Linda Hudson, busting some common myths that often stop employers, would-be apprentices, and even parents from considering an equine apprenticeship.
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To become a professional rider, charging around Badminton, sailing over the impossibly high Puissance wall at Olympia or dancing majestically across the Dressage arena in ‘s-Hertogenbosch is the sole dream of any pony mad child. But is this dream job REALLY what you imagine it to be? Have you got what it takes?
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What is it that makes a GREAT Riding Instructor? Here we take a look through a mixture of research, questioning and personal experience at the most important qualities a horse riding instructor must possess.
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We all know horses don’t look after themselves, and it appears that this may lead to some confusion at times regarding holiday entitlement in the equine industry. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, don’t make assumptions about holiday entitlement, make sure you know the law!
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For most of us, certain horse sports are of particular interest whether we have competed ourselves or merely enjoy following the sport at shows and on TV, but for career grooms it often provides a career pathway in which the groom can become specialised. But in order to become a successful, professional groom you must genuinely appreciate, if not love the discipline you are devoting your working life to. In this article we take a look at the role of the dressage groom…
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Sole charge groom positions can be sole charge for just some of the time when other team members are away, or the job can be fully sole charge 100% of the time, but both scenarios require specific skills and qualities to perform to expectation and the satisfaction of all involved. This can be a hugely rewarding, career-enhancing experience, but it can also challenging. It’s important when applying for such a position that you are suitably equipped in all respects to fulfil the obligations that go with the territory…
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Looking to build a successful career in a particular discipline or sector of the equine industry? Find out about the course options available to learners via and equine apprenticeship.
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