Overview

Are you passionate about horses and interested in starting a career in the equine industry?

The BHSQ Level 2 Diploma in Work Based Horse Care helps you develop the practical skills, knowledge and confidence needed to care for horses safely and efficiently through routine yard tasks.

You will learn through real horse care tasks and regular yard routines, building the competence needed to work under limited supervision. The qualification is designed to support progression into employment as a groom, or into further equine training at Level 3.

You will develop your skills in areas such as:

• Cleaning and maintaining stables
• Feeding and watering horses
• Monitoring horse health and wellbeing
• Handling and restraining horses safely
• Maintaining health and safety
• Grooming and caring for horses
• Fitting, removing and maintaining tack
• Turning out and catching horses
• Working effectively with others in an equine setting

The exact units studied will depend on the pathway and delivery plan available through HTP.

This course gives you the chance to build real workplace skills and take an important step towards a career with horses.

What you’ll learn

On this course you’ll cover core horse care and workplace skills, including:

• Cleaning and maintaining stables
• Providing feed and water to horses
• Carrying out routine care
• Monitoring horse health and wellbeing
• Handling and restraining horses safely
• Monitoring and maintaining health and safety
• Developing your own performance
• Building effective working relationships

At HTP, learners follow the Horse Care pathway, with units selected to build practical skills for working safely and confidently in an equine environment.
Depending on the selected units, these may include:

• Preparing a stable for a horse
• Fitting and removing horse clothing
• Plaiting and trimming manes and tails
• Cleaning and grooming horses for appearance
• Assessing grazing land
• Turning out, catching and maintaining horses at grass
• Fitting, removing and maintaining tack for exercise
• Long reining or lunging a horse under supervision
• Caring for horses after exercise
• Loading and unloading animals for transportation

You will learn through practical training, guided study and regular work in an equine environment.

The qualification is designed around full daily and weekly yard routines, so you will spend time developing the skills needed to care for horses safely, confidently and efficiently. You will practise tasks over time, with support from experienced staff, so you can build competence rather than just knowledge.

You will also develop the underpinning understanding needed for horse care, including safety, welfare, equipment, stable management and professional behaviour in an equine workplace.

How you’ll be assessed

This qualification is assessed through continuous assessment.

Your assessor will observe your practical performance over time at your place of work or at an approved assessment site. You will need to show that you can complete the required tasks safely, effectively and to the expected standard.

Assessment takes place in the stable yard so that you can demonstrate both practical skills and knowledge.

The qualification is assessed as achieved or not at the required level.

Great support

At HTP Apprenticeship College we will do everything we can to help you and to improve your prospects. In addition to providing support for your programme and qualifications, we want you to feel that you are in a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes your social, physical and moral development.

Why choose HTP?

• Practical training in real equine environments
• Support from experienced tutors and staff
• A recognised BHSQ qualification
• Development of real workplace horse care skills
• A strong focus on safety, confidence and horse welfare
• Preparation for employment or further equine training

Apply now to take the first step towards your equine career.