Equine
at
Your courses
Information coming soon.
Your facilities
Indoor school
Outdoor school
West Park Livery Stables
Top Yard Stables
Your career
Groom
£18000
Average salary76602
Jobs availableA horse groom's job is to look after the well-being of horses in their care, making sure that they are happy and healthy. The job can also involve maintaining the stables and riding equipment (known as tack). Source: https://app.startprofile.com/role/1411
Horse Care Manager
£20000
Average salary76602
Jobs availableA horse care manager works within riding stables and can have a varied role - they can teach horse riding lessons and also play a part in the care of horses and maintenance of the stable yard. Source: https://app.startprofile.com/role/1536
Horse Riding Instructor
£20000
Average salary115496
Jobs availableHorse riding instructors teach people to ride, regardless of their age, abilities or experience. Source: https://app.startprofile.com/role/1452
Yard Manager
£30000
Average salary76602
Jobs availableThe racing yard manager, or head groom, is responsible for the day to day running of the yard. They are responsible for the stable staff team, as well as the horses in the yard. Source: https://app.startprofile.com/role/2729
Meet the Staff
Alex Robinson-Barr
Curriculum Area Manager for Animal Science, Equine & Vet Nursing
After leaving College at 18 Alex took her first job in Germany caring for elite dressage horses followed by some time working for Liphook Equine Veterinary Practice.
Following that she was bitten by the travel bug and using her Equine skills and qualifications she went on to work in America, Australia and New Zealand.
In between travelling Alex trained with the British Horse Society gaining the plethora of exams in order to gain the highly recognised Instructor qualifications. This sparked a passion for training students and from that moment, she has never looked back!
Alex has been working in Education for over 20 years within the Land Based sector, starting as an Equine instructor/technician moving into lecturing and then managing teams after a few years.
Alex continues to have a keen interest in all animal related topics and loves teaching and inspiring learners to achieve their full potential.
Bernie Shonk
Study Programme Manager
Bernie studied Equine at Sparsholt College before beginning her career as an Event Groom for Mary King. Here she travelled to competitions around the world, including Kentucky 5* and the Beijing Olympics. She then spent some time working on a racing yard in Australia.
Since then, Bernie has worked in a range of yards and run her own business working with all types and ages of horses. After completing a formal teaching qualification, she went to work at a riding school, which sparked her passion for
teaching. She is now a BHS APC and still enjoys training and competing her own horses.
Danielle Jones
Study Programme Manager
Danielle has had a passion for horses since a young age, starting off at Pony Club then progressing to studying Equine.
Danielle has had various jobs at Bicton College. from working on the yard to training apprentices, then lecturing and study program managing. Danielle did most of her training whilst working and has various BHS exams and is a BHS APC. She has carried out teaching, assessing and verifying qualifications.
Danielle enjoys a busy home life caring and riding her own horse Annie with the odd competition when time permits. Danielle is also involved with the local pony club and organising rallies etc as well as teaching different levels of children.
Chloe Chart
Apprentice Programme Manager
Chole supports our students through college training days and employment to achieve an
Apprenticeship. She's been involved with
animals from a young age volunteering at a local rescue centre when she was just 9-years-old.
Chloe worked at Bicton College as the Animal Zone manager for 14 years, leaving in 2017, but re-joined the college in 2020 in her new role.
Her favourite animal is a dog and in her spare time likes running and swimming.
Charlie Paver
Equine Instructor
After leaving Bicton College with a National Diploma and finding employment in an international show jumping yard, Charlie became yard manager and travelled on the international circuit, also grooming for the Greek and Hong Kong Olympic show jumping teams.
It was an amazing experience that combined a love of horses and a passion for world travel.
After 6 years with the showjumpers, travel continued to other countries including Australia, America & New Zealand. Here work consisted of more grade A showjumpers and breaking and training flat racehorses.
In between travelling, starting a family and building a landscape gardening business, Charlie gained her British Horse Society exams and built up her own local client base for freelance teaching.
Charlie has been at Bicton for a year now and is eager to prepare and inspire students for an industry she is so passionate about.
Tasha Dolan
Assistant Yard Manager
Tasha has been riding horses since she was 4 and has got a degree in Equine Psychology.
She has been around horses from a young age and has always known she wanted to work with them in the future. Starting her equine career young, she worked at a local riding stables in Cornwall during her extra time to learn how to work with horses.
When she left school, Tasha went to Nottingham Trent University where she studied an Equine Psychology and Sports Science Bachelors degree for four years. She successfully graduated in the class of 2020 with second class honours upper division.
During her time at university, Tasha took a year out to go and work in the industry. She has worked at a stud yard in Devon, World Horse Welfare in Somerset and with Cornish showjumper Andrew Williams.
Tasha has been working at Bicton College since March 2021 and started off as an Equine Technician. She recently applied for the role of Assistant Yard Manager and was successful in her application. She is looking forward to a long and successful career working at Bicton College.
Anna Walker
Instructor
Alex is an instructor in the Equine Department and a qualified BHSAI who has been working at Bicton since August 2021.
Prior to that she started by completing an apprenticeship at Pippin Equestrian and took her BHS Stage 1-3 exams and PTT while there.
Alex has worked at a range of riding schools, freelance teaching and as a groom specialising in clipping and competition preparation.
Alex has got too many pets of every variety to count and enjoys training and competing in a variety of disciplines at local level with her own horses.
Sarah Warman
Equestrian Centre Yard Manager
Sarah has always had a passion for horses from a young age. Sarah started volunteering at a local riding school from the age of 14 which kick started her career in the Equine industry.
Sarah also studied Equine at Duchy College where she took her BHS exams along side her course.
Since then, Sarah has worked with a variety of horses on a variety of yards. Sarah has spent many years breaking and schooling a range of horses and ponies which have gone on to be successful competition horses/ ponies.
Sarah has also been a show groom at Horse of the Year Show, Royal International Horse Show and many other championship shows.
Sarah also found a passion for teaching which sparked her to gain her teaching qualifications to become an BHS AI.
Sarah has also lived and worked in Australia where she was a Foreman at a race yard which she gained valuable experience and knowledge from.
Sarah is now a BHS APC and still enjoys training and competing on her own horse.
Beverly Norman
Programme Manager
Bev was a student at Bicton more that 30 years ago and loved being involved with the College.
After leaving College Beverly enjoyed a wide range of equestrian employment opportunities to include working with show jumpers in Belgium, teaching at a riding school in jersey, being chief instructor and committee member of the saddle club in Cyprus.
Managing a joint forces saddle club in N. Devon where she training apprentices who came to Bicton weekly, this os where a passion for educating young people developed.
Bev has also trained with the British Horse Society gaining teaching and stable managing qualifications.
Bev has been working in Education for over 20 years within the Land Based sector, starting as an Equine instructor/technician moving into lecturing and programme managing.
Bev continues to have a keen interest in all animal related topics and loves teaching and inspiring learners to achieve their full potential.
