Racehorse trainer
Racehorse trainers run stables, manage staff, look after horses' training and welfare, and prepare them for races.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In your day-to-day duties you could:
- work out daily training and exercise routines
- plan feeding programmes for each horse
- monitor horses’ development
- talk to staff and vets about any problems
- supervise stable staff
- manage preparations and travel for race days
- keep racehorse owners up to date with their horses’ progress
- deal with administrative work like training records, wages and payments
Working environment
You could work at a riding stable, in an office or at a race track.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers.
Career path and progression
With experience you could become a specialist racing consultant, trainer instructor, bloodstock agent or thoroughbred breeder.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work on your own
- knowledge of training and the ability to design courses
- customer service skills
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- thinking and reasoning skills
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Restrictions and Requirements
You must have a trainer licence issued by the British Horseracing Authority.
To apply for a licence, you'll need to meet several conditions, for example, you must:
- complete the Level 3 Diploma in Racehorse Care and Management
- have a minimum of 5 years' experience in a racing yard
- pass a pre-licence training course with The British Racing School at Newmarket, or the National Horseracing College at Doncaster
How to become
You can get into this job through:
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- specialist courses run by professional bodies
You can work towards this role by doing a senior equine groom advanced apprenticeship.
This will usually take at least 18 months to complete.
Entry requirements
There are no set entry requirements but it may help you to get in if you have:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More Information
You could work at a racing stables as a groom, a rider or instructor. You would then move on to become an assistant trainer before applying for the full trainer's licence.
As an assistant trainer, you could do a 3-day course at The British Racing School or National Horseracing College, which includes:
- staff management
- handicapping
- media training
- health and safety
- racing welfare
- licensing
If you have a lot of experience in a stables, you could complete the Level 3 Diploma in Work Based Racehorse Care and the trainer's pre-licence preparation course.
You could then apply for a trainer's licence from the British Horseracing Authority.
Further information
You can find out more about about working in horse racing from careersinracing.
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