Want to pursue a career with racehorses, riding them, caring for them and preparing them for the big race? If you're new to horses and the racing industry, you’ll need to achieve your NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) Level 1 or 2 in Racehorse Care at one of our approved centres.  If you are under nineteen achieving this qualification is compulsory before you can get a job with a racehorse trainer.

If you're already experienced around horses, have a job in a racing yard or have been to equine college, the NVQ day release or Equine Industry Conversion course may be more suitable for you. Both courses will give you the chance to learn and hone specialist racing skills. Finally, you can also find out about how to start your career as a Jockey. Click below to explore each course:

NVQ 1 & 2 Residential Courses
NVQ 2 Day Release Courses
Equine Industry Conversion Course
Getting started as a Jockey

NVQ 1 & 2 Racehorse Care Residential Courses

The two main training centres for this course are the British Racing School (BRS) in Newmarket and the Northern Racing College (NRC) in Doncaster. In addition the Scottish Racing Academy also provides an NVQ 1.

The good news is anyone can apply for the programmes. No formal qualifications are necessary. However, you will need to like working outdoors, have a reasonable level of fitness and be very hard-working. If you’re aged between 16 and 25 and you’re an EU citizen, the training is free. The course will include:

• A residential Foundation Course
• A work placement in a racing yard
• Key skills development including Information Technology, working with others, application of numbers and communication
•  An NVQ Level 2 in Racehorse Care and ultimately a Foundation Apprenticeship
  
  

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What will the course entail?

The Foundation element will last 9 to 12 weeks, which you’ll spend living in the college of your choice. On the Foundation Course you’ll learn a host of skills specifically related to the care of racehorses and how to ride them. If you complete your studies successfully, you’re guaranteed a placement in a yard to work out your Apprenticeship. (You’ll talk with your college teachers to choose a place that’s just right for you.) The Apprenticeship usually takes between 10-12 months to achieve. During this time, you’ll be judged on a series of assessments made at the yard you’re working in.

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NVQ 2 Racehorse Care Day Release Programmes

This programme is based around working in a yard and attending college once a week to achieve your NVQ 2. Typically, these courses last around 2 years, but this can vary dependent on your skills and how quickly you learn. Assessment is by portfolio building, as you gather evidence of achievement from both work-based and college activities.

In order to start this programme, you'll need to have enough experience to start work in a yard straight away. The two main colleges to offer this course are Warwickshire Moreton Morell College and Haddon Training.

Email: rkendal@warkscol.ac.uk

Email: enquiries@haddontraining.co.uk

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Equine Industry Conversion Course

If you’ve already got good horsecare and horsemanship skills and you want to find out more about the racing industry, this free, two week course with the NRC could be just for you. There’ll be lectures on training racehorses, talks on career options in the industry, practical lessons in the race riding style used to exercise thoroughbreds, plus a series of visits to Trainer’s yards, stud farms and racecourses. To apply, you’ll need to have riding and equine care skills to NVQ Level 2 standard, which may have been acquired through an equine college course or practical experience. You’ll also need to be under 11 stone.

Apply by calling Zoe Horne on 01302 861000 email zoe.horne@northernracingcollege.co.uk 

Alternatively go to www.northernracingcollege.co.uk to find out more.

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Getting started as a Jockey

Many people coming into the industry in a job where they are working with horses aspire to becoming a Jockey, either on the flat or across jumps. (This area of racing is known as National Hunt.) Most Jockeys have worked as a Stable Hand at some point in their life and may have completed their NVQ via one of the routes detailed above. They’ve attained their position by showing superior riding skills and enormous levels of dedication and commitment.

The first stage in becoming a Jockey is to be employed by a Trainer as an Apprentice Jockey (or Conditional Jockey as you’re called if you’re racing over jumps). You will then need to attend a mandatory Apprentice or Conditional Licence course, depending on whether you are training for the flat or for jumps.

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Apprentice and Conditional Licence Courses 

The aim of these 5 day training courses is twofold. Firstly, they will build on your skills as a Jockey. Secondly, they will assess you to ensure you'll be able to ride racehorses safely in public. Riding out daily, you'll receive coaching on stalls work and riding at speed. This will be accompanied by lessons on the rules and conditions of a licence. The final element of the course is all about how you should handle yourself as a Jockey. It includes areas such as professionalism and integrity, motivation, diet and nutrition, personal fitness assessment and training programmes.

The application for this course is made by your Trainer to the Licensing Department of the Jockey Club or you can find out more from the British Racing School .

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Serving your apprenticeship

Once you have passed your Licence course, you will return to your Trainer’s yard to serve your apprenticeship as a Jockey. Most apprenticeships are served between the ages of 16 and 25, at which point it is possible to become a professional Jockey. (The age is 27 if you’re racing over jumps). Your apprenticeship is a yearly agreement between yourself and your trainer, with the apprentice still working as a member of the stable staff.

You will then need to continue your training by completing and passing a further continuation course which will build your skills further as a Jockey.

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Apprentice and Conditional Continuation Courses

This 4 day course is designed to build on the skills you learnt at your Licence course and offers a more in-depth look at your riding skills, fitness and wellbeing. It also looks further at the rules of racing, including running you through a mock Steward’s inquiry. Finally, it prepares you for other aspects of a Jockey’s life, with lectures on topics such as working with agents, managing your finances, maintaining professionalism, and how to develop your career when you retire from riding professionally in races.  

The application for this course is made by your Trainer to the Licensing Department of the British Horseracing Authority or you can find out more from the British Racing School .

You can find out more about furthering your career as a Jockey in our Continued Professional Development section.

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