Experience with Horses

Since I was very young horses have been a great passion of mine; seeing their growth and development to working them out hunting, low level eventing and hunter trails and watching their confidence grow.

Currently, I have two horses of my own, a 17hh Hispano Arab gelding age 5 who i brought to event and hunt. I spent the winter rebacking him due to lack of confidence under saddle, however have recently found out he has ligament damage in his spine so is now undergoing a rehab program to strengthen his spine. My other horse is a 16.3hh Irish thoroughbred gelding age 9, who came off the track in march which I am retraining to hunt on next season.  I visit/ groom/ exercise them twice a day before and after my current full time job as an agricultural engineer at Ben Burgess, where I’ve worked for the last 6 years.  My little sister also has her own exracer Irish thoroughbred age 7 who I’m also riding and helping my sister retrain. 

I’m a confident rider and have ridden since the age of 6 on all types of horses (young, old, fit, hunters, ex racers, competition etc.).  I can confidently exercise horses on the ground: lunging/ long-lining etc, and can confidently hack out in company or alone and school horses. Whilst growing up I used to help out at the local livery yards where we kept our own horses at the time and with the RDA helping to look after their horses.

My current job (agriculture engineer I’ve been here for the last 6 years straight from college where I studied agriculture) requires a high level of attention to detail whilst working under pressure, and I am just as thorough with my horses. I am confident in dealing with first aid on horses, dealing with any lumps/ sores and cuts. I am confident in reading a horses language when working them on the ground and in the saddle.

I am happy clipping horses to a good standard and plaiting/ turning out quickly to a good presentable standard. I can also confidently drive a trailer and 3.5 ton lorry transporting horses (willing to undertake my hgv license). I am a keen learner and am always looking to further my knowledge and develop my skills.

More recently in the last 3 seasons I have hunted with the Fitzwilliam Hunt, Cambridgeshire Drag Hounds and the Cambridgeshire Hunt with Enfield Chace.

If you would like any more detail just let me know this is a very brief summary of my experience although I’ve never had a full time job working with horses I feel very confident that I am more than capable of doing so

 

 

Key Skills

horse handling, working alone and working with others, yard and stable management, working under pressure, strong work ethic, attention to detail, loyalty to my place of work, physically fit, working with fit horses

 

 

Strengths and Weaknesses

• What do you most enjoy about working with horses?

The deep bond you can form with the horses, both the physical and mental benefits of riding and caring for the horses

• Is there anything you’d like to improve?

I feel there is always space for improvement, I’ve been around horses and ponies most of my life. Kept both multiple horses at home and latterly at livery. I really enjoy hunting however I would like to be more closely involved in competition/hunting yards

• Why should employers consider you above any other job seeker?

I’m forwarding thinking self motivated and genuinely a happy sort with an easy going nature with a can do attitude willing to give anything a go. I am also very experienced in maintaining agricultural machinery (fully qualified John Deere engineer)

Requirements

• What would you like to do or gain in your next job?

I’d like to develop my skills further and find a job that I love

• Do you need accommodation?

Yes if not local

• Do you have any special requirements for any animals you wish to bring with you?

No

• Do you have any ongoing commitments?

No only to my own horses

• Do you have any holidays booked that an employer needs to know of?

No