Growing confidence in a new industry
Spotlight: Chloe Taylor at Green Meadows Riding Centre
Chloe Taylor is 18 years old from Aberdare, a small town with limited job opportunities in south Wales. Chloe took her future into her own hands and went in a completely different direction to anything she knew; working with horses.
Chloe left 6th Form early and was interested in working with animals; this is something that no one in her family, or any of her friends had done. Chloe found a placement with horses at Green Meadow Riding School through a.c.t training. This placement gave her the basic experience and familiarised herself with horses and the world of a riding school. Complete with the foundations of Horse Care, Chloe wanted to learn more and get her career in the industry started!
Chloe started a Level 2 Horse Care apprenticeship at Green Meadow’s in January 2017 and completed the BHS Exam route (only available in Wales). Chloe’s duties include: mucking out, preparing ponies for lessons and treks, assisting with the riding school lessons, and taking bookings in the office.
Although Chloe is the first person in her family to take up the reins in the equine industry, they are very supportive and encouraged her through her BHS exams.
Claire is the Yard Manager and has helped train Chloe from the beginning, we caught up with her about Chloe’s progress on the yard:
“When Chloe first came to us with no experience with horses, I don’t think she had even sat on one! Chloe has achieved so much in such a short space of time, completing her BHS Stage 1 and 2 Care sections. Chloe is so easy to work with as she wants to learn and improve her skills all the time; she will ask lots of questions and isn’t afraid to ask for help. Chloe is a pleasure to train as she genuinely wants to learn.”
Chloe has gone from not knowing the difference between a piebald and a skewbald pony, to being a fully-fledged and knowledgeable member of Green Meadows Riding Centre. The Horse Care apprenticeship has given Chloe a solid structure to learn and embed new skills, increase her confidence with handling horses and working as part of a team.
The next step in Chloe’s career is to complete her Level 3 Horse Care and Management apprenticeship at Green Meadow’s which she has started through Haddon Training. With such a strong start to her career, the Level 3 will help Chloe take on more responsibilities with the yard and build her confidence working with and leading a team.
