Equine Groom Apprenticeship
Pony Pursuits
KIDLINGTON (OX5 3DU)
Closes in 27 days (Friday 28 August 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 13 June 2025
Contents
Summary
Pony Pursuits are looking for an Equine Groom Apprentice to join their small team. The right candidate will have a passion for helping to care for horses and enjoy working with young clients who attend the riding centre, there's lots of variety at this yard from pony birthday parties to therapy sessions for learners with SEN needs .
- Wage
-
£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Equine groom (level 2)
- Hours
-
Working 5 days out of 7. Shifts to be discussed with the successful applicant. Evenings and weekend work may be required.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
1 year
- Positions available
-
1
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
Pony pursuits are a riding centre, who specialise in non formal riding experiences, such as country hacks, ride and groom sessions, pony therapy and birthday parties.
There will also be opportunities to attend public and private events.
Daily duties include all general yard duties and animal husbandry for the other small animals there:
- Mucking out/keeping yard tidy
- Filling water buckets / haynets
- Making feeds
- Grooming/ tacking up
- Assisting with lessons and leading
- Some riding available
- Assisting with adults and children with additional needs
Where you'll work
HUCKLEBERRY FARM
HEATHFIELD
BLETCHINGDON
KIDLINGTON
OX5 3DU
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). (core)
- Carry out all typical yard and field routine duties to include mucking out, skipping out, tidying and cleaning the yard, watering and feeding. (core)
- Assess suitability of stabling and grassland environments for horses including checking for hazards etc. (core)
- 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. (core)
- Recognise, identify and describe horses including sex, height, type, colours and markings. (core)
- Identify anatomy of the horse to include the bones of the lower limb, points of the horse and the position of the major internal organs. (core)
- Recognise signs of good and poor welfare (including ill health) and check for injuries. (core)
- Report relevant information and assist with medical treatment and other industry specialists, including Senior Groom, Dentist, Farrier, Veterinary Surgeon. (core)
- Ensure the horses’ welfare before and after exercise or travel. (core)
- Handle a variety of horses in the workplace to include tying up, leading, trotting up, turning out and catching in. (core)
- Recognise different types of feed and hay and check their quality. (core)
- Groom a horse including checking feet and shoes. (core)
- Demonstrate trimming and plaiting. (core)
- Fit a variety of common saddlery, equipment and horse clothing. (core)
- Remove, clean and store common saddlery and equipment. (core)
- Check the safe and effective working condition of all saddlery, equipment and clothing. (core)
- Prepare horse(s) for travel using appropriate clothing and equipment. (core)
- Assist with loading and unloading before and after travel. (core)
- Prepare for and provide a variety of appropriate non-ridden exercise including fitting and use of lungeing equipment. (core)
- Communicate effectively with colleagues, supervisors, visitors and clients whilst showing good interpersonal skills. (core)
- Ride appropriately to follow school rules and regulations in relation to flat groom duties. (flat)
- Adopt an appropriate basic riding position on the flat. (flat)
- Ride an experienced schooled horse, according to instruction, independently or as part of a group, in an enclosed area. (flat)
- Ride in a balanced secure position, showing control at walk, trot and canter, working with and without stirrups whilst demonstrating movements (for example, circles, turns etc.) (flat)
- Ride on the road or in public places according to laid down procedures, Highway and Country Codes. (flat)
- Open and close a gate whilst mounted. (flat)
- Ride a quiet horse whilst leading another quiet horse or pony. (flat)
- Walk and trot over poles positioned on the ground in a steady and consistent rhythm. (flat)
- Ride in the open, according to instruction, with control, security and balance over varied terrain, negotiating everyday obstacles/ hazards. (flat)
- Adopt an appropriate basic riding position when jumping. (jump)
- Ride in a balanced, secure forward seat over a short course of fences, with control, security and balance. (jump)
- Ride a quiet horse whilst leading another quiet horse or pony. (jump)
- Ride in the open, according to instruction, with control, security and balance over varied terrain, negotiating everyday obstacles/ hazards. (jump)
- Open and close a gate whilst mounted. (jump)
- Ride on the road or in public places according to laid down procedures, Highway and Country Codes. (jump)
- Walk and trot over poles positioned on the ground in a steady and consistent rhythm. (jump)
- Ride an experienced schooled horse, according to instruction, independently or as part of a group, in an enclosed area. (jump)
- Ride appropriately to follow school rules and regulations in relation to jump riding. (jump)
- Provide pre and post race care including compliance with industry regulations. (racing exercise)
- Handle Thoroughbred racehorses in and out of full work. (racing exercise)
- Prepare and lead up a Thoroughbred racehorse at the races in accordance with industry practice and the Rules of Racing. (racing exercise)
- Fit a variety of specialist racing equipment and tack. (racing exercise)
- Ride appropriately to follow agreed industry protocols and regulations in relation to a racing exercise groom duties. (racing exercise)
- Provide ridden exercise regimes to Thoroughbred racehorses according to instructions, safely and in control, with a good, secure and balanced position, in line with yard and industry practice. (racing exercise)
- Carry out the specific routines required in a racing yard. (racing exercise)
- Implement technique and methods to maintain industry weight and fitness requirements for riding racehorses in training. (racing exercise)
- Prepare and lead up a Thoroughbred racehorse at the races in accordance with industry practice and the Rules of Racing including pre and post race activities. (racing yard)
- Provide non-ridden exercise regimes to Thoroughbred racehorses safely and according to instruction. (racing yard)
- Assist and support Racing Grooms and provide non-ridden exercise regimes. (racing yard)
- Fit a variety of specialist racing equipment and tack. (racing yard)
- Handle Thoroughbred racehorses in and out of full training. (racing yard)
- Assist with storage of supplies and stock rotation. (non-riding)
- Contribute to the organisation and routine maintenance tasks within the workplace. (non-riding)
- Engage with customers and identify their needs. (non-riding)
- Assist with appropriate office duties including answering the telephone, processing information and use workplace IT systems. (non-riding)
- Contribute to yard-based records including passports, vaccinations, worming, farriery, dentistry etc. (non-riding)
- Prepare for and lunge a horse for exercise in an enclosed area according to instruction. (non-riding)
- Contribute to yard-based industry record keeping, operate equipment, machinery and technology appropriately to assist with the effective organisation and maintenance of the commercial business premises. (non-riding)
- Handling equines used for breeding purposes including leading a mare through the stocks. (breeding)
- Demonstrate catching a mare and foal or young stock from grass/ stable with due considerations for health and safety. (breeding)
- Restraining a foal during mare inspection or cover. (breeding)
- Assist with the preparation and show off equines of varying ages, as directed, for commercial and or private sale or grading including standing a horse up correctly for inspection as per the requirements of the breed, (breeding)
- Show a horse correctly in hand at walk and trot. (breeding)
- Act as a groom and or back-stepper in exercising, show, and (or) trials. (driving)
- Harness up and put to with an assistant a single turnout in both a two and four wheeled vehicle. (driving)
- Exercise horses/ponies in a non-driving environment, to be able to lunge or long rein in an enclosed area, in a circle for exercise purposes. (driving)
- 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. (driving)
- Demonstrate safe use of the mandatory driving aid as a communication tool. (driving)
- Take a horse out of a vehicle with assistance, and unharness horse in a safe manner. (driving)
- Dismantle, clean and put back together all the parts of a leather or composite harness. (driving)
- Clean a wooden and (or) metal vehicle (two and four-wheeled) and store safely. (driving)
- Work safely and efficiently at all times and comply with current health, safety and security policies and procedures (including PPE). (core)
- Carry out all typical yard and field routine duties to include mucking out, skipping out, tidying and cleaning the yard, watering and feeding. (core)
- Assess suitability of stabling and grassland environments for horses including checking for hazards etc. (core)
- 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. (core)
- Recognise, identify and describe horses including sex, height, type, colours and markings. (core)
- Identify anatomy of the horse to include the bones of the lower limb, points of the horse and the position of the major internal organs. (core)
- Recognise signs of good and poor welfare (including ill health) and check for injuries. (core)
- Report relevant information and assist with medical treatment and other industry specialists, including Senior Groom, Dentist, Farrier, Veterinary Surgeon. (core)
- Ensure the horses’ welfare before and after exercise or travel. (core)
- Handle a variety of horses in the workplace to include tying up, leading, trotting up, turning out and catching in. (core)
- Recognise different types of feed and hay and check their quality. (core)
- Groom a horse including checking feet and shoes. (core)
- Demonstrate trimming and plaiting. (core)
- Fit a variety of common saddlery, equipment and horse clothing. (core)
- Remove, clean and store common saddlery and equipment. (core)
- Check the safe and effective working condition of all saddlery, equipment and clothing. (core)
- Prepare horse(s) for travel using appropriate clothing and equipment. (core)
- Assist with loading and unloading before and after travel. (core)
- Prepare for and provide a variety of appropriate non-ridden exercise including fitting and use of lungeing equipment. (core)
- Communicate effectively with colleagues, supervisors, visitors and clients whilst showing good interpersonal skills. (core)
Training schedule
- You will be working towards achieving your Level 2 Equine Groom apprenticeship, and also completing your maths and English Functional skills at level 1 or 2 if required
- All training will be completed at the employer's premises by the employer and Haddon Training
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE or equivalent 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
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Team working
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- Happy to work outdoors
Other requirements
This opportunity will require working outdoors in all weathers and working with children. There is no accommodation available on site so any potential candidate must be able to make their way reliably to and from the yard each day. This location is not easily accessible by public transport.
About this employer
PONY PURSUITS is a 5 star riding establishment based just outside of Oxford. We offer affordable rides for Adults & Children regardless of age and experience. We have moved to our new location, Huckleberry Farm in March 2022 and all bookings will now take place there. However, later in 2023 we hope to resume Woodland Rides in Shotover Country Park, Oxford on the 2nd Saturday of every month.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
- Potential progression to the Level 3 Senior Equine Groom apprenticeship or employment for the right candidate
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HADDON TRAINING LIMITED
Enquiries@haddontraining.co.uk
01443749000
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000325972.
Apply now
Closes in 27 days (Friday 28 August 2026 at 11:59pm)