Equine Groom Apprentice for Waterstock Riding Centre
Waterstock Riding Centre
OXFORD (OX33 1JS)
Closes in 28 days (Friday 27 February 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 9 October 2025
Contents
Summary
Arabella and her team are looking for 2 apprentices to join her team at Waterstock riding centre. They are predominately a riding school with around 30 horses and ponies. Arabella and her daughter also compete in dressage and show jumping. The ideal candidate will already have good basic equine experience and be happy to work with children.
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Equine groom (level 2)
- Hours
-
Hours are 40 per week over 5 days to include weekend work and some weekday late finishes, shifts TBC.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Sunday 8 March 2026
- Duration
-
1 year
- Positions available
-
2
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
All normal yard duties include:
- Mucking out/ keeping yard tidy
- Turning in and out
- Filling haynets/ water buckets
- Making feeds
- Grooming / picking out feet
- Tacking up / untacking
- Assisting with lessons/ entertaining children on activity days
- Riding available for right candidate(s)
Where you'll work
STABLE COTTAGE
WATERSTOCK HOUSE TC
WATERSTOCK
OXFORD
OX33 1JS
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
HADDON TRAINING LIMITED
Training course
Equine groom (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Work safely and efficiently at all times and comply with current health, safety and security policies and procedures (including PPE).
- Carry out all yard and field duties to include mucking out, skipping out, tidying and cleaning the yard, watering and feeding. Assess suitability of stabling and grassland environments for horses including checking for hazards etc. Assist with the arrival of a new horse to the yard, following current yard procedures and measures to prevent and control the spread of disease.
- Recognise, identify and describe horses including sex, height, type, colours and markings. Identify basic anatomy, to include points of the horse. Recognise signs of good and poor welfare (including ill health) and check for injuries. Report relevant information and assist with medical treatment and other industry specialists, including Senior Groom, Dentist, Farrier, Veterinary surgeon. Ensure the horses’ welfare before and after exercise or travel.
- Handle a variety of horses in the workplace to include tying up, leading, trotting up, turning out and catching in. Recognise different types of feed and hay and check their quality. Groom a horse including checking feet and shoes. Demonstrate trimming and plaiting.
- Fit a variety of common saddlery, equipment and horse clothing. Remove, clean and store common saddlery and equipment. Check the safe and effective working condition of all saddlery, equipment and clothing
- Prepare horse(s) for travel using appropriate clothing and equipment. Assist with loading and unloading before and after travel.
- Prepare for and provide a variety of appropriate non-ridden exercise including an introduction to lungeing.
- Demonstrate basic safe competence in handling equines used for breeding purposes including assisting with teasing and covering. Observe the onset of, and assist if required, foaling of an equine and following on procedures. Demonstrate an awareness of reproductive status; including the interpretation of teasing results and the specialist care of breeding equines at all stages of the reproductive cycle. Recognise the importance of; and participate in, the maintenance of disease control within an equine breeding population. Assist with the work of breeding industry specialists; using equipment, machinery and technology appropriately as directed. Assist with the preparation and show of equines of varying ages, as directed, for commercial and/or private sale.
- Harness up and put to with an assistant a single turnout in both a two and four wheeled vehicle. Act as a groom/ backstepper in exercising/show/trials (select one discipline). Exercise horses/ponies in a non driving environment, to be able to lunge or longrein in an enclosed area, in a circle for exercise purposes. Drive a quiet pleasure single turnout in an enclosed area demonstrating safe rein handling, turns to the left and right, in the walk and trot. To be able to halt. Mount and dismount in a safe manner. Demonstrate safe use of the whip. Take horse out of vehicle with assistance and unharness horse in a safe manner.
- Handle Thoroughbred racehorses in and out of full training. Fit a variety of specialist racing equipment and tack. Carry out the specific routines required in a racing yard and in taking horses racing, complying with industry regulatory requirements, policy and practice. Provide exercise regimes to racehorses as directed and effectively care for horses prior to and after strenuous work and racecourse performance. Prepare and lead up a Thoroughbred racehorse at the races in accordance with industry practice and the Rules of Racing. Provide after race care including compliance with industry regulations and post-race dope testing procedures.
- Adopt an appropriate basic riding position. Ride an experienced/schooled horse according to instruction, independently and as part of a group in an enclosed area. Ride in a balanced, secure position showing control in walk, trot and canter, working with and without stirrups whilst demonstrating movements i.e. circles, turns, etc. Ride in the open, in a forward seat according to instruction with control, security and balance. Ride with a balanced, secure, forward seat over ground poles at trot to enable progression to ride, where practical, over a short course of fences with control, security and balance. Ride on the road or in public places according to laid down procedures, Highway and Country Codes. Open & close a gate whilst mounted. Negotiate everyday obstacles/hazards with control, security and balance. Ride a quiet horse whilst leading another quiet horse or pony.
- Assist with storage of supplies and stock rotation. Contribute to the organisation and maintenance of establishment. Engage with customers and identify their needs. Assist with appropriate office duties including answering the telephone, processing information and use workplace IT systems. Contribute to yard based records including passports, vaccinations, worming, farriery, dentistry etc. Assist and support Riding Grooms and provide non-ridden exercise regimes. Prepare for and lunge a horse for exercise in an enclosed area according to instruction.
Training schedule
All training will be provided on site during your paid working hours. Your day-to-day mentoring will be with your employer, and a combination of online and in-person monthly sessions will be held with your Haddon Training Trainer Coach.
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Maths (grade 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- Passion for Horse Care
Other requirements
There is accommodation available for under 18's and possibility of livery for own horse, alternatively if applying locally, there is a bus from Oxford which takes you within walking distance of the yard.
About this employer
Waterstock Dressage & Riding School (License number 20358) provides excellent riding and horsemanship tuition to children and adults, from beginners to advanced. We are a certified centre with the Pony Club of Great Britain which allows our members to complete the full range of tests and badges available and attend all different types of pony club rallies and instruction days. We also join up with other pony clubs and share summer camps and other activities. Our qualified instructors have years of experience teaching to all levels of pupils across different equine disciplines from dressage to showjumping to eventing. Our facilities are really first class, with a super 20m x 40m indoor arena with mirrors, seated viewing gallery and audio facilities plus a lovely quiet outdoor arena.
After this apprenticeship
- Progression to the Level 3 Senior Groom and or possibility of full-time employment
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HADDON TRAINING LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000345757.
Apply now
Closes in 28 days (Friday 27 February 2026 at 11:59pm)