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- Plan and run a horse riding school's activities, manage staff and develop the business
- You'll need business and communication skills, customer care, leadership and decision-making skills
- You could progress to open your own centre, work overseas or become a qualifications examiner
As a riding centre manager, you'll run a horse-riding school offering riding and trekking holidays. You'll be responsible for the organisation, operation and marketing of the centre, and for the care of the horses.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Planning and overseeing riding activities
- Arranging a daily routine of horse care and stable management
- Managing the health care records for the horses
- Handling queries, problems and complaints
- Recruiting and managing staff
- Organising work rotas
- Arranging training
- Carrying out administrative and financial tasks
- Marketing
- Promoting the centre
- You'll also develop working relationships with other local countryside and tourism operators
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
Your salary will depend on the size of the centre, and whether extra benefits, like accommodation, stabling for your own horse and use of centre facilities are included.
You'll usually work long hours, including evenings and weekends. You'll usually work indoors, doing administrative tasks. In some centres you could also work outdoors, caring for the horses and helping out with other activities. You'll need to wear protective clothing like riding boots and a hard hat.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with business and commercial management skills, customer care skills, effective leadership and decision-making skills, and communication skills.
There is no set entry route however, you'll need knowledge and experience of working with horses, have a first aid certificate and pass enhanced background checks, as you may be working with children and vulnerable adults.
You'll also need to be an experienced rider.
You could train first as a riding instructor, groom or ride leader and progress into management.
It could be useful to do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant subjects include a Level 3 Diploma in Equine Management or Level 4 Certificate In Horse Care and Management.
It may also be useful to get a foundation degree or degree in equine business management.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could open your own centre. You could do the Senior Trail Yard Manager qualification offered by the British Horse Society. You could work overseas or you could also become a qualifications examiner.