Find out about an assortment of fascinating roles where you could do anything from shoe horses to write about racing for a newspaper. Just click on a role to find out more.

Farriery
Horse Transport
Trainer’s Secretary
Stud Secretary
Handicappers
Bookmakers
Racing Journalist

Farriery

The Job: This is a highly-skilled role, incorporating the traditional manual skills of trimming and shoeing horses hooves. (Many Farriers also offer Blacksmith services.) Some firms and large training yards have a full-time Farrier, but most are self-employed.

The Person: You’ll need to be hard-working, strong, fit, patient and disciplined.

Entry Requirements: To train to be a Farrier, you need to be at least 16 years old. You’ll also need to have at least 4 GCSEs at Grade C, including one in English, or you’ll need to have passed the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) entrance exam.

The Benefits: An outdoor lifestyle with lots of travel to different stables and racecourses. Salary dependent on experience and client base.

Find out more: Write to The Farriery Training Service, Sefton House, Adam Court, Newark Road, Peterborough, PE1 5PP or click here to go to their website.

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Horse Transport

The Job: Transporting incredibly valuable thoroughbreds to race meetings and studs all over the world is a vitally important part of the industry. There are many road transport companies, and a handful of firms involved in international transportation. They employ Drivers, Grooms, and Flying Grooms.

The Person: You need to be responsible, calm and totally trustworthy. For the Groom role, you also need to be brilliant with horses who may be nervous or distressed.

Entry Requirements: Drivers must have a current HGV licence and some knowledge of handling horses. Grooms generally have experience in racing yards or studs.

The Benefits: Salary dependent on role.

Find out more: Write to the Racehorse Transporters’ Association, Folly House, Lambourn, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 8QG or click here to go to their website.

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Trainer’s Secretary

The Job: Working in the Office at a racing yard, you’ll be the Trainer's right hand. From entering horses in races, to handling accounts, sorting out wages and liaising with owners, you’ll be at the heart of a busy racing yard. Some positions combine these duties with working in the yard and riding the horses.

The Person: Highly organised and efficient with high levels of accuracy.

Entry Requirements: You’ll need a good working knowledge of PAYE and book-keeping as well as an understanding of the racing industry. IT literate, you’ve also got strong administrative skills and ideally, a knowledge of shorthand. Finally, a knowledge of employment law would be useful.

The Benefits: The chance to work in a busy, exciting environment. Salary will be dependent on experience.

Find out more: Click here to find out more about training. Vacancies are often advertised in the Racing Post or Horse and Hound, or you can contact Trainers directly. You’ll find a list on the National Trainers’ Federation website.

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Stud Secretary

The Job: From liaising with racehorse owners to handling accounts, answering enquiries to maintaining records, the tasks you perform will make sure everything runs smoothly.

The Person: You’re highly organised and great at making sure everyone knows exactly what’s going on, from the stud team to owners.

Entry Requirements: As well as strong secretarial skills, you’ll also need an understanding of stud documentation and procedures. Basic accounting and book-keeping would also be an advantage, as would a knowledge of employment law.

The Benefits: Salary dependent on job role and experience.

Find out more: Vacancies are often advertised in the Racing Post or Horse and Hound, or you can write directly to Stud Farms. Contact The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association for a list of stud addresses.

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Handicappers

The Job: In this pivotal role, you’ll use your outstanding analytical skills to produce the Handicap Ratings for European Pattern and UK Handicap races. Your sound judgement will produce the kind of field that allows an open betting market and helps the racing industry thrive. From studying form to selecting horses for international races and liaising closely with trainers and the media to advance knowledge of handicapping, it’s a rich and fascinating role.

The Person: You’re capable of the advanced analytical and associative thinking needed to make complex Handicap decisions, often with little evidence. It’s a job where you’ll liaise with a huge range of people, so you’ll need to have great interpersonal skills and the ability to deal diplomatically with those who disagree with your judgements.

Entry Requirements: You should be of graduate calibre, with superb analytical skills.You should also have a real feel for horses and be able to make highly accurate assessments of their fitness, condition and form from observing them.

The Benefits: You'll get 20 days’ holiday (rising to 25 days' after time) and a competitive salary. Other perks include a pension with a 10% company contribution (after a 3 month qualifying period), life assurance, permanent health insurance and private health care.

Find out more: Handicappers work for the British Horseracing Authority. Contact them by writing to the HR Manager, British Horseracing Authority, 151 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8AL, or click here for any current vacancies with the British Horseracing Authority.

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Bookmakers

Job: Bookmaking is a huge industry. There are some 8,000 off-course bookmakers in the UK that take bets in the shop, over the phone and, increasingly, on-line. There are a range of roles from Managers and Settlers to counter staff. In addition, there are a number of on-course bookies, but these are often small family run businesses, and opportunities are rare.

The Person: Will vary with the role, but if you’re highly organised with a really customer-focused approach, this will stand you in good stead.

Entry Requirements: Requirements vary, but complete integrity and a facility with numbers are important in all positions.

Benefits: Competitive salary, dependent on job role.

Find out more: Jobs are frequently advertised in The Racing Post. You can also apply directly to firms. You can get a list from The Secretary, Bookmakers’ Committee, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W OAU.

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Racing Journalist

The Job: Writing about the complex and exciting world of racing is a fascinating job. Whether you’re reporting from race days, writing about changes in the industry or interviewing some of racing’s colourful personalities, it’s an absorbing role.

The Person: You should love writing and have taken every opportunity to do so, whether it’s in a school magazine or a national publication. You should also be able to work to very tight deadlines, perform under pressure and write to the highest standards. If you’re also someone with a real knowledge and love of racing, it would be a big advantage.

Entry Requirements: There are no hard and fast rules. Some journalists are graduates, others joined at 16 and worked their way up. Some have been involved in racing all their lives, others have moved over from another type of journalism. However, 5 GCSEs A – C grades, 2 A Levels, ideally including English, and a journalism degree or diploma will stand you in very good stead

The Benefits: The chance to get to the heart of the industry and go to the races on a regular basis. Salary will be dependent on role.

Find out more: Write to Horse and Hound, Kings Reach Tower, Stamford Street, London SE1 9LS, or The Racing Post, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AP. Or click on the links to visit their websites. 

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