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Level 2 Technical Certificate in Equine Care

Level 1 Diploma

Course Location

College

Trafford College

Location

Offsite

Further Details

Age

College 16-18

Department

Horse Management & Animal Care

Course Start Date

Monday 1st September 2025

Course Duration

Full-time, 1 Year

Course Time

09:00 - 15:30

Course Fee

£ 993.00
You may be eligible for support with your tuition fees - please visit the college website - funding and finance page for further information

Course Code

XFP-CR2C-1100

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Course Overview

The Level 2 Technical Certificate in Equine Care is for you if you are looking to start a career within the equine industry.

There are many diverse businesses and opportunities within this sector, for example riding schools, livery yards, competition yards, trekking centres, breeders, trainers, welfare charities and freelance services. You may choose a job where riding is involved, or you may choose a non-riding role, for example in retail, manufacturing or event management. There are many allied businesses such as membership bodies , professional associations or those involved with education and training.

Working with horses is extremely rewarding, but it can require hard work, with long hours. Dedication and enthusiasm to the role are key to success.

You will gain an understanding of the skills and knowledge that are important when you are working with horses, or progressing to further learning and training in this area.

This qualification covers the skills you will need to progress to further learning and training, or to enter the world of work in the equine industry.

You will get lots of practice and support to enable you to develop the required skills and knowledge to prepare you for the learning and end assessment.

We work with local employers who will contribute to the knowledge and delivery of training. This will include structured work-experience or work placements within the business, your attendance at presentations or demonstrations given by industry experts, employers input into projects and exercises, employers who act as expert witnesses” to contribute to the assessment of your work.

This practical based training is ideal preparation for gaining employment in the equine industry or further specialist study.

This curriculum is based at Carrington Riding Centre, you will be given the unique opportunity to gain valuable experience in a real-life working centre. You will experience visits from the vet, dentist, farrier and other routine management practitioners. You will learn about yard management, field care and rotation, as well as managing feeds and the well-being of up to 50 horses of different breeds, ages and sizes. You will follow the growth and development of our foal, Poppy, born in summer 2023. You will widen your understanding of what it is like to care and manage horses in a real working situation.

You will be taught by highly qualified staff who have gone through the British Horse Society qualifications and are actively working in the equine industry. We collectively have over 30 years’ experience of the equine industry and all are also currently competing at British Eventing, British Dressage and National Polocrosse championships.”

Course Requirements

Age 16-18 years old
5 GCSEs at grade 3 or above, including English and maths
Ability to ride horses in walk, trot and canter
We have a weight limit of 14 stone to be able to ride our horses. All applicants will be weighed at enrolment. You are welcome to bring your own horse for the riding sessions.

What you will Learn

Students will acquire practical knowledge and hands on experience as well as classroom studies. They will develop thier horse riding skills and learn how to properly manage a stable, and will ultimately gain a solid base of knowldge surrounding horse care.

Assessment

The CG Level 2 Technical Certificate in Equine Care includes a Theory exam and a Synoptic Assignment.

The Theory exam is externally set and externally marked. The theory exam is an online multiple choice test which will take place at Trafford College under invigilated examination conditions. The exam draws from across the mandatory content of the qualification and gives you the opportunity to demonstrate higher level understanding through analysis and evaluation.

The Synoptic Assignment is an externally set, internally marked assessment which is then externally moderated. The assessment focus is on bringing together, selecting and applying learning from across the qualification rather than demonstrating achievement against units or subsets of the qualification content. You will be given an appropriately levelled, substantial, occupationally relevant problem to solve or outcome to achieve. For example this might be in the form of a briefing from a client, leaving you with the scope to select, carry out the processes required to achieve the client’s wishes, as they would in the workplace.

You will be marked against assessment objectives (AOs) such as your breadth and accuracy of knowledge, understanding of concepts, and the quality of your technical skills as well as your ability to use what they have learned in an integrated way to achieve a considered high quality outcome.

The typical assignment brief could be to carry out the typical duties of an equine job role. This will require you to carry out stable duties, preparing food rations, health checks and lungeing a horse. You will produce an information sheet on the job role and a leaflet on horse diseases.

The Health & Safety unit is assessed via an online exam, taken at Trafford College under invigilated exam conditions.

Progression

Once you have successfully completed this qualification, you could go on to study the Level 3 Advanced Technical Certificate in Equine Management for one year or the Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Equine Management for two years. This will allow you to specialise from a wide range of units available.

This qualification could also lead you to an apprenticeship in Equine Care and Management. Depending upon what you have achieved previously, you could progress to an apprenticeship as an:
– Equine groom
– Senior groom

Most students stay with us to continue their studies onto the Level 3 course, which opens up more possibilities, such as higher education. The continuation of this journey means that you can seek more specialised work afterwards. One of our own college tutors, Jennifer Hudson. Jennifer studied the Level 3 qualification at Carrington in 2016. After achieving a double Distinction Star, she then went on to complete an equine science degree at Myerscough university and decided that she had loved her time at Carrington so much she would go into teaching. Jennifer completed a PGDE whilst training at Carrington and is now a successful college teacher in her own right. She said I thoroughly enjoyed my time studying at Carrington Equine College and always felt so supported by my teachers, Jenny and Natalie. I decided I wanted to go into teaching as I wanted to give back what I had experienced myself. Carrington is such a close-knit family and I’m glad I found a job doing what I love and what I am good at.””

Career Options

Achievement of this qualification demonstrates to an employer that you have the necessary technical skills and knowledge they are looking for when recruiting for a:

– Yard groom – from private homes and livery yards to riding schools, and competition yards there is no shortage of jobs available in this outdoor, and active role.
– Junior retail assistant – working in customer service, managing stock and processing orders, taking payments and mantaining the organisations’ appearance
– Farrier
– Equine dental technician
– Saddler

You could even go into equine writing – as a magazine writer, blogger for equestrian brands
Or work as part of a welfare organisation – working with horses, horse owners, communities, organisations and government to help improve welfare standards.

Carrington Equine College alumni have successfully found full time employment. One former student, Roxy, is now Yard Manager at Carrington Riding Centre after building up the skills and knowledge to take charge of the running of the day to day business. She takes care of the organisation of the lessons, managing staff as well as taking care of the well-being of the horses. She plans the schedule for the dentist and farrier and all the routine management, including ordering of feed and stock. She said, I enjoyed my time at Carrington Equine College. By the end of the course I was more confident with my riding and practical skills. I used to struggle with talking to others and sharing my opinions, but now I can make judgments on horse care and management and I can now ring up the farrier or speak to the vet without feeling nervous.”

Another student, Liam, who completed the level 3 qualification at Carrington successfully gained work with British showjumper Geoff Billington, who represented Great Britain during the European and World Championships and also at the Olympics. Liam said, “I never expected the interview practice we did at college to make loads of difference but it really did. I had my interview with Geoff Billington and they offered me a job trial the next day! I completed my job trial which included grooming, tacking up and exercising the horses and was offered the job the following day.” Liam has experienced riding top level horses and show and competition experience as part of his role.”

Mandatory Units

– Health and safety for the land-based industries
– Working in the equine industry
– Equine health and welfare
– Horse tack and equipment
– Undertake routine stable duties
– The principles of feeding and watering horses
– Horse handling and grooming
– Introduction to lungeing horses
– Riding horses on the flat

There is also a requirement to complete 150 hours of work experience and Employer Involvement – both essential to maximise the value of your experience and prepare you for the equine industry.

Contact Details

For further information please contact T: 0161 886 7070 or E: info@trafford.ac.uk

Extra Costs Involved

Exam Validation Body

Hours Per Week

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Programme Structure

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Disclaimer

Although every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate, there may be changes to this programme and provision. We will endeavour to keep prospective and current students updated where appropriate and when the information becomes available.

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