Year 10 Work Experience 2005

Name of the Work Experience placement:

Barton End Stables

Type of work experience:

• Helping all aspects of stable work.

How did you get there each day:

•  The car by my mum.

In general, what sort of things did you have to do:

• Muck out stables, exercise ponies, groom, help instruct, lead little children, tack up etc.

What did you think of the work experience:

•  I thought it was really fun and I learnt a lot of new things, however it was quite tiring because my day was long and I was on my feet all day.

Daily diary:

• Monday: On my first day I only had to go in at 1:00 because it was a quiet morning and the staff needed me to stay later. I did a lot of grooming and tack cleaning during the afternoon then at 5:00 I had to take part of a hack (ride around the countryside) out for an hour. When I got back I had to hose down the horses, because it was hot, and turn them out. Then at 7 I went home.
• Tuesday: On my second day I had to be there at 9:00 and had to catch the horses and give them there feeds, clean feed buckets, give horses hay and water, exercise the new, young ponies, tack up, help clients onto their horses and muck out the individual stalls, the barn and the pony barn. As it was a quiet day I was allowed to ride my horse in a private lesson, which was really good. I then helped instruct some lessons and lead little children on ponies to help then learn to ride. I got about half an hour lunch break. At 5:00 I went home!
• Wednesday: On Wednesday I came in at 9:00 again and caught and fed the horses. I mucked out, tacked up, helped clients on and exercised the new ponies. As well as exercising the new ponies I had to try out a couple of horses over a new cross-country course. Which was really enjoyable and a little scary because some of the jumps were very big! I hosed down any hot horses and then turned them out. I had half an hour lunch break. I went home at 5:00.
• Thursday: On Thursday I came up at 8 because I was needed earlier. I basically did the same as the days before. I mucked out, tacked up, help instruct, exercise new ponies and hose them down if they were hot! I stayed a bit later so I could ride my horse. I had half an hour lunch break.
• Friday: On Friday I came up at 9 and did all the same as before. I stayed later again to ride my horse. Then went home at about 6:30. I wasn’t really sad that it was my last day because I work there anyway and ride my horse there all the time but I did enjoy myself.

Any special skills that were needed:

• You just need to be experienced with handling horses.

Any other requirements such as special clothing or safety equipment:

• You need to have a heard hat when you ride and preferably jodhpurs and riding boots or wellies.