In your role working with horses you will be learning so many skills, and not just the art of efficient mucking out!
You might not realise just how many of the skills you have developed are transferrable to other roles within the equestrian industry – or even to jobs not connected to horses.
If you ever decide that working with horses isn’t for you, then skills such as liaising with clients, booking vet and farrier appointments, managing the diary, working under pressure to deadlines, and stock control are just a handful of the skills you will have developed.
And, if you are looking to stay in the industry to progress your career then it is important to keep developing your skills and knowledge.
What is upskilling?
Upskilling is improving your current skills and developing new ones that are relevant to your career. This is usually done to allow an employee to progress through their career, for example, a junior groom looking to become a yard manager. Even if there isn’t a set hierarchy and career pathway on your yard, by upskilling you are investing in yourself and your future.
It is well recognised that a lot of practical skills are improved through experience, practice and time on the yard, but there are lots of options to gain additional knowledge to help build on the skills you already have.
But when it comes upskilling, it’s not always easy to know where to begin, especially if you are on a budget.
Plan ahead
Before you start it’s important to think about your current skill set and be able to recognise the parts of your job that you are strong at, the areas you need to develop, and the parts that excite you and you want to learn more about.
You might like to become neater at plaiting, or you find that you are developing a real interest in veterinary work and would like to learn more. Once you have identified this, it is easier to know where to look.
Knowledge is all around us – but make sure it’s from a trusted source!
Here are just a few ways to develop your equestrian knowledge and gain more skills:
Utilise respected organisations
Organisations such as the Association of British Riding Schools, the British Horse Society offer free educational webinars throughout the year. World horse Welfare has an extensive variety of educational videos on their YouTube channel which can be found HERE.
Certificates for additional learning
Organisations such as the Association of British Riding Schools, the British Horse Society offer free educational webinars throughout the year. World horse Welfare has an extensive variety of educational videos on their YouTube channel which can be found HERE. It is always beneficial to add skills to your CV for future employers to see.
The British Grooms Association has educational courses on anti-doping, bedding and first aid which can develop your knowledge and be documented via certificates on completion – all of which are free to access for BGA members.
Local vet talks
Most vet practices offer educational talks throughout the year which are usually open to all and free of charge. Follow the vets in your area on social media to find out if they have any talks on topics that you would like to expand your knowledge in.
Learning from others online
If you’re looking to expand your plaiting, clipping, blending, mane and tail trimming, or general turnout skills, or just looking for inspiration, then freelance groom Niki Baxter is a must-follow on social media at Baxter Equine Services.
Niki has also produced some free tutorials for the FEI YouTube channel which can be found by searching ‘FEI Niki Baxter’.
Gaining qualifications
If you are looking to get a paid-for qualification The Open College of Equine Studies offers a range of distance learning courses from basic skills through to degree level, on a wide range of topics. This allows you to study whilst earning, so if you are looking to add a qualification to your CV this is an achievable way of being able to do that. You can find out more about what they offer HERE.
Think outside the box
You don’t just need to enhance your equestrian skills! The National Careers Service offers a wide variety of online learning courses (not related to horses), which allow you to widen you skill set. More information can be found HERE.
“Education is the key to unlocking your world”.
If you are looking for career progression the team at Equine Elite are here to help. Get in touch to chat about your future.
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