An impressive range of visiting professionals shared valuable knowledge and experience with nearly 200 equine students as part of Reaseheath’s Equine Industry Week. This annual event aims to inform all our Further Education equine students about career choices and further educational and training opportunities, and this year offered a stellar line-up from all areas of the industry.

The packed programme, organised by FE Equine Programme leader and Accredited Professional Coach Lucy Bexon, included:

  • Hands-on demonstrations for small groups by Amy Shakeshaft, a Chartered Human Physiotherapist who also holds an MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy. Amy specialises in specialise in musculoskeletal conditions and animal rehabilitation
  • The chance to see British dressage rider and coach Emily Watts riding under instruction from Jo Titterton, an Equipilates Affiliated Instructor and British Dressage listed trainer, emphasising how the correct alignment of the rider influences the horse’s performance
  • A talk about her own career and business from Emily Watts, who owns a training yard for dressage horses and is herself a UK Coaching Certificate (CC) Level 3 British dressage coach and UKCC Level 2 British showjumping coach
  • A chair based pilates session for 40 students in our indoor arena led by Jo Titterton, who is also a UKCC qualified instructor and owns and runs a dressage and eventing yard
  • A demonstration by Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) Master Saddle Fitter Stephanie Bradley underlining the importance of a correctly fitted saddle and how this can affect horse and rider performance
  • A showjumping training session featuring Lucy Bexon riding under instruction from Kara Leatham, a UK CC Level 3 British Showjumping coach and Reaseheath staff member. Lucy rode two of her own horses, a novice five year-old and a more established 12 year-old, and the session focused on how a coach would select goals to benefit the individual partnerships
  • A description of military careers from Lucy, who was previously a Troop Sergeant Major with the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery
  • A talk on genetics and breeding from Edward Matson, Managing Partner at Twemlows Stud Farm, one of the UK’s leading Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer centres
  • An insight into remedial farriery from Josh Frost of JJ Frost Farrier Services, specialists in remedial and therapeutic shoeing
  • A talk by Nathalie Eccelstone, Proprietor of Oakhanger Riding Centre, outlining the modern riding school business and how to prepare a robust business model
  • Demonstrations by McTimoney Chiropractor and Reaseheath Equine Course Manager Kayleigh Holmes. McTimoney is a specific technique used on both humans and animals to adjust the alignment of bones within the body
  • A talk by Baileys Feed Advisor Caroline Dickens on feeding requirements for different levels of performance and about career paths in the nutrition and feed sales industry
  • Talks on career progression from inspirational former students including successful showing riders and trainers Harry and Jack Moore, and equine veterinary nurse Eadie Crouchley

Lucy Bexon said: “I’d like to thank all the industry professionals who have supported our industry week and who brought with them an incredibly diverse range of career experience and knowledge.

“We have encouraged all our students to become involved in the activities and to engage with our industry partners. The whole week has been very successful and has definitely enhanced our students’ learning experience. Feedback has been extremely positive, with the majority of students feeling inspired to find out more about careers they hadn’t previously considered.”