The launch of an exciting new pilot scheme offering government funded horse riding and care study courses has recently been announced by Wrea Green School of Equitation.

The scheme, Horse Power, designed and developed by Mike Kidd, Partner/Proprietor of Wrea Green School of Equitation, approached and invited 20 established commercial career training centres located throughout the county to join, creating a very impressive partnership including Lancashire Education Business Partnership, CXL Connexions, Learning Skills Council and Myerscough College.

As the scheme has been developed within the Learning Skills guidelines for the under 19's, all the training will be offered free of charge, and government funding will be available for the day release students (and their employers) to help them study for a recognised BHS qualification. Those eligible for this government funded initiative will be offered the opportunity to study on a day release scheme, towards their BHS Stage 1, Stage 2 and PTT qualifications. In order to be eligible, students must be 16 - 18 years of age, they must have been a UK resident for the past 3 years and need to be in work but not receiving any funded training or apprenticeship training.

For students, this will offer an exceptional opportunity for them to take their first step towards a career in the equine industry and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Potentially, the success of this scheme will also have a massive impact on the industry as equine businesses will also have the chance to develop their staff through the programme which must, in the long term, result in invaluable benefits for equestrian centres, riding schools, livery yards, studs etc.

The Horse Power scheme has been developed as a natural progression from a similar project that has been provided for the schools in the county. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Mike Kidd from Wrea Green School of Equitation and Lesley Doyle, Director of the Lancashire EBP (Education Business Partnership), a successful partnership was forged between the two organisations resulting in 106 secondary schools in Lancashire being targeted to provide horse riding and care as part of the school curriculum.

Through this initiative, a wide range of pupils have already taken advantage of the riding and care courses available at the 20 riding schools in the county and are working towards achieving the Groom's Award Certificate which is assessed and awarded by the awarding body, AQA. The AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) is the UK's most popular exam board and sets and marks public exams such as GCSEs and A levels. As a charity their main aim is to advance education for the public benefit. The syllabus and training manual for the Groom's Award Certificate, which is similar in design to the NVQ system, was written and developed by Christine Pollitt, the Partner/Proprietor of Wrea Green School of Equitation in Lancashire.
So, the Horse Power programme commences August 2007 and will offer government funded training for school leavers. For the pupils in the Lancashire area who achieve the Grooms Award Certificate, the scheme will encourage them to continue their studies and develop their knowledge as they leave school and join the workforce. These students will be the future of our industry and will, hopefully, continue a lifelong association with the British Horse Society.

This has clearly been a team effort, a partnership of organisations working together towards a common goal. Exciting times are ahead as there are currently plans to phase the scheme into seven sister pilot areas in the near future. Hopefully, this is the start of a very exciting and fruitful journey, not just for Lancashire, but for the industry as a whole.

For further information please contact Mike Kidd at Wrea Green School of Equitation on 01772 686690