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L2Apprenticeship2634 approved providers
The Level 2 Equine Groom, and the 4 providers delivering it.
Working with and caring for horses.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn the practical and theoretical skills needed to care for horses across a range of equine settings. Core training covers feeding, grooming, mucking out, handling, exercising, and maintaining yard equipment and facilities. Welfare and safety are central throughout, including recognising signs of ill health and understanding equine behaviour. Apprentices choose one of five specialist routes: racing (with two sub-pathways), sport horse, leisure, breeding, or trekking, each with additional knowledge and skills tailored to that sector.
Day-to-day responsibilities
A typical week involves early starts and physical outdoor work in all weather. Apprentices carry out yard routines including feeding, watering, mucking out stables, grooming, and tacking up horses. They handle horses on the ground or under saddle depending on their route, and maintain equipment and facilities to yard standards. They may assist with loading and transporting horses to competitions, shows, sales, or race meetings, and will work both independently and as part of a yard team under supervision.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship opens routes into more senior yard roles such as Head Groom, Stud Hand, or Racing Groom (Exercise or Yard Based). Employers include racing yards, riding schools, livery yards, stud farms, trekking centres, and equestrian sport yards. Those on the racing pathway may progress within licensed racing stables or aim for jockey licences. There are also progression routes into Level 3 equine apprenticeships and qualifications for those wanting to move into yard management or specialist equestrian disciplines.
4 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Activate Learning
Employer: 4.0
Activate Learning is a UK education group that delivers apprenticeships and vocational training thro...
Abingdon and Witney College
Employer: 4.0
Abingdon & Witney College is a further and higher education college in Oxfordshire offering a wide r...
Askham Bryan College
Employer: 3.0
Askham Bryan College is a specialist land-based college offering apprenticeship training and wider s...
Bishop Burton College
Employer: 4.0
Bishop Burton College is a specialist land-based and technical education provider offering a wide ra...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completers typically move into permanent Equine Groom or Senior Groom positions, with the specific title depending on the route taken. Racing route graduates commonly work as Stable Hands, Exercise Riders, or Yard Grooms at licensed racing yards. Those on other routes progress into roles such as Riding School Groom, Competition Groom, Stud Groom, or Livery Yard Groom. Some take on yard assistant responsibilities alongside their groom duties from day one.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, experienced grooms often move into Head Groom or Yard Supervisor roles, taking responsibility for a string of horses and line-managing junior staff. Those in racing can progress to Senior Exercise Rider or Head Lad and Head Lass positions. The longer-term specialist track includes Stud Manager, Competition Groom at international level, or Equine Yard Manager. Leadership-focused individuals may take on training, welfare, or yard management responsibilities across larger operations.
Where these roles sit
Employers span a wide range of equine businesses: licensed flat and jump racing yards, thoroughbred and sport horse studs, British Horse Society-approved riding schools, livery yards, equestrian centres, and competition yards supporting disciplines such as eventing, showjumping, and dressage. Roles exist across both private and commercial operations, from small family-run yards to large training establishments. The industry is spread across rural areas throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, with concentrations in racing hubs such as Newmarket, Lambourn, and Middleham.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
The apprentice learns on the job, developing practical skills in horse care, yard management, and the knowledge required for their chosen specialist route. Throughout the programme, the employer and training provider monitor progress against the standard's knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Before moving to final assessment, the apprentice must pass a readiness check, often called the gateway, confirming they are competent and prepared. Final assessment then determines whether the apprentice can perform the role to the required standard. Assessment models for many apprenticeships are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Building a record of workplace evidence from the start is important rather than leaving it until the end of the programme. This means keeping notes, photographs, or logs of tasks completed across all areas of the role, including the chosen specialist route. Regular conversations with the employer and training provider will help identify any gaps in knowledge or practical experience early. Arriving at gateway with a well-organised body of evidence, gathered consistently throughout the apprenticeship, puts the apprentice in the strongest position for final assessment.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with direct connections to working equine businesses, whether racing yards, stud farms, riding schools, or competition yards, so apprentices gain experience in a realistic commercial environment rather than a purely educational one. An achievement rate above 65% on the FATP profile is a reasonable baseline; above 75% suggests the provider is retaining and supporting learners through what is a physically and practically demanding year. Given the five specialist routes available, a strong provider will be clear about which routes they actually deliver and have the employer relationships to back each one up. Positive learner reviews that mention yard-based mentors and hands-on daily care routines are a reliable signal.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers with high learner volumes but falling achievement rates, which can indicate poor pastoral support for apprentices who may be living on site and working unsocial hours. Vague answers about which specialist routes they deliver in practice, as opposed to which they are approved for, should prompt further questions. Providers without direct employer partnerships in the relevant sector, particularly racing if that is the chosen pathway, are unlikely to give apprentices the authentic yard experience the standard requires. Low employer satisfaction scores are a particular concern here, where day-to-day workplace mentorship carries significant weight.
Questions to ask before you commit
- Which of the five specialist routes do you currently deliver, and how many apprentices completed each route in the last two years?
- For the Racing Route, do you have established relationships with licensed racing yards, and can apprentices access genuine thoroughbred handling experience?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the past three years?
- How do you support apprentices who are living on site, particularly around welfare, communication and off-the-job training hours?
- What does off-the-job training look like in practice, given that yard duties run early mornings and weekends?
- Can you put us in contact with employers or past apprentices who have completed this standard with you?
- How do you assess practical competence, and who carries out those assessments?
Common questions
What entry requirements does an apprentice need to meet to start this apprenticeship?
There are no formal qualification requirements set within the standard, but apprentices must be employed in a relevant equine role for the duration. Employers will typically want candidates who are comfortable around horses and physically able to carry out yard work. Basic literacy and numeracy are expected, as apprentices need to follow feeding plans and maintain records. Apprentices must also be aged 16 or over and not already hold a qualification at the same or higher level in this subject.
How long does the apprenticeship take and how does the learning fit around the job?
The typical duration is 12 months, though this can vary depending on the apprentice's prior experience and the employer's yard. Training is delivered while the apprentice works, meaning they remain employed throughout and contribute to the yard from day one. Some learning will happen on the job under supervision, and some off the job through a training provider. For current minimum duration and off-the-job requirements, check the official standard on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) website.
How is the apprentice assessed at the end?
Before completing, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, at which point the employer, training provider and apprentice confirm the apprentice is ready to be assessed. Assessment tests competence in the core skills and in the chosen specialist route. Assessment models across many standards are currently being updated as part of Skills England reforms, so for the exact end-point assessment method and components, refer to the current version of the standard on the gov.uk apprenticeships page.
How does the employer pay for the training?
The funding band for this standard is £5,000, which is the maximum government contribution toward training and assessment costs. Levy-paying employers draw on their digital apprenticeship service account. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy co-invest with the government, currently paying 5% of the training cost with the government covering the rest. Employers taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing toward training costs, regardless of size. Employers also receive a £1,000 incentive payment for hiring apprentices in this age group.
What does an Equine Groom apprentice actually do each day?
Day-to-day work includes feeding and watering horses according to their individual plans, grooming, mucking out stables, cleaning and maintaining tack and equipment, and carrying out general yard duties. Apprentices handle and exercise horses, assist with preparation for competitions, sales or race days, and may help with loading and transport. The exact duties depend on the chosen route. Those on the Racing Exercise Groom pathway will ride racehorses for exercise, while Racing Yard Based Grooms focus on non-ridden exercise and yard operations.
What can an apprentice progress to after completing this apprenticeship?
Completing this apprenticeship opens routes into more senior or specialist roles across the equine industry, including competition yards, racing stables, stud farms, equine welfare organisations and riding centres. Further qualifications at Level 3 are available for those who want to move into supervisory or specialist positions, such as Head Groom or Stud Hand roles. Those on the racing pathway may progress toward jockey licensing or yard management. The industry is large enough to support varied career directions depending on the sector chosen during the apprenticeship.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 263.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.