In celebration of Good Employment Week 2022 with the Equestrian Employers Association, we caught up with the team at Bryanston School Equestrian Centre in Dorset to find out about their good employment practices, why apprenticeships are the future of the equine industry and what apprentices, Emily and Abigail, have to say.
Sophie Starr, Director of Riding and Equestrian Centre Manager, says, “We are a livery yard attached to a large coeducational boarding school. We have 3 yards over two sites with 60+ horses including international competition horses to semi-retired ponies used for RDA. We have a total of 16 staff.
As a yard we wanted to be able to offer a centre of excellence for local young people looking to train and work with horses. We want to build a reputation as somewhere offering outstanding training, fair working conditions and career support; in return we ask our apprentices to strive for outstanding results.
We gain enormously from having young minds as part of our team; the apprentices bring new ideas and experiences with their own horses. They bring energy and enable the whole team to make a positive impact as they are involved with the training process.
All employees, whether apprentices or not, have contracts. Contracts work to protect both parties and ensure professional, fair, and clear working conditions and manage the expectations of both the employer and employee.
Apprentices are not a way to gain cheap workers; it is a seriously rewarding way to give back to the industry we love. It is absolutely the future of the equine industry (especially riding schools) and enables your business to grow your own talent ensuring consistency in standards and philosophy. Expect hard work, commitment to training your apprentices every day and determine to keep the training different and interesting; we believe it is very important that apprentices don’t end up feeling like they are simply “muck shovelers”. Value their career goals as much as you did your own…. One day, one of your apprentices will be sitting in your office.”
Emily Richardson, level 3 senior equine groom apprentice, says, “I have been employed as an apprentice at Bryanston School for 18 months. I am part of the equestrian team and some of my responsibilities include mucking out, bringing in and turning out, clipping trimming and tidying horses and other general yard duties.
I have really enjoyed my apprenticeship so far. One of my favourite parts about the apprenticeship is that we don’t have to go to college. This allows me to learn more as I spend more time in a working environment gaining valuable experience necessary for my future career. Some things just can’t be taught in a classroom. My Trainer Coach has been helpful with any questions I have, and I can see the progress I am making at every session.
My contract of employment protects me by setting out my working hours and the date I will get paid. It also states my role in the workplace and sick pay protocol.
My advice for any prospective learners would be to 100% take any opportunity that you can. An apprenticeship gives you on the job experience, going to competitions with the students, but also gives you all of the theoretical knowledge to move forward in your job role, without having to go into college.”
Abigail Holt, level 2 equine groom apprentice, says, “My favourite thing about the apprenticeship is the variation of work with the horses.
In the future I hope to become a riding instructor and compete my horses at higher levels. I hope to become an Olympic rider.
My advice for prospective learners is the more work you put in, the more you’ll get out of it.”
For more information about how you can ensure you are practicing good employment, contact us here.