Equine racing apprenticeships designed for riders

It was great to speak with equine racing apprentice Heidi Palin to discuss the highlights of her apprenticeship so far and what she hopes to achieve this year.

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Heidi says, “I am a level 3 advanced senior racing groom apprentice at Dan Skelton Racing where I have been employed since 2019.

I have been fortunate to have grown up around horses, so they have always been a big part of my life. I started in show jumping but I’ve always had a keen interest in racing and had the desire to work with different types of horses, so I made the transition to study  a racing apprenticeship at Dan Skelton Racing.

I really enjoy having the opportunity to work closely with other apprentices here. As a team we often discuss the modules we are working on, support each other through the apprenticeship and share ideas about how to gather the required evidence in different ways. My Trainer Coach, Sam Davies-Thomas, has been great at adapting his teaching to suit my learning needs and how I learn best, which has been brilliant.

I had my first point to point ride at Knightwick Races in November 2021, which was really exciting too, but the most unforgettable experience was riding my first winner at Higham Point to Point in January 2022. This was only my third career start in the PPORA Conditions race for novice riders with Azzuri, and I feel very lucky to have been given the opportunity to ride such a great schoolmaster. We jumped brilliantly and we were 15 lengths in front at the finish.

My apprenticeship has really helped me to understand more about the hard-work and dedication required to get a horse to perform to the best of its ability.

Once I complete my apprenticeship, I am focusing on achieving my amateur licence so that I can start riding on the track.”

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Her Trainer Coach, Sam, adds, “Since starting her apprenticeship, Heidi has progressed in many areas, especially her riding. This has enabled her to ride in point-to-point races with success. Her apprenticeship training is bespoke to suit her needs, and so that she can fit in both riding her own horses and training on the yard.

Heidi is a prime example of what you can get out of the racing industry through hard work and determination.”

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For more information about our equine racing apprenticeships, please contact us here.