The route, drawn out
DWG 8CA2 · 5 stops · 1.5 years to qualify-
Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
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Year 2 Training continues, pay rises min. £21.2k+
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1.5 years Fully qualified around £20k
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+3–5 years Experienced up to £30k
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Then Level 3 senior equine groom next step
The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.
What the job is
Grooms do the daily work that keeps horses sound and fit: mucking out, feeding, grooming, tacking up, turnout and spotting problems early. Racing yards, eventing, dressage, riding schools and studs all take apprentices.
It is hard physical work with early starts and low starting pay, often with accommodation included. For people who want to work with horses professionally it is the standard entry point, and progression to head groom, travelling head or racing work is well defined.
A typical day
- Muck out, feed, water and turn out horses daily
- Groom, tack up and prepare horses for exercise or competition
- Monitor health, condition and lameness and report concerns
- Maintain yards, tack and equipment
- Assist with travelling horses to events
How you get in
- No formal qualifications required, but riding or yard experience is expected
- Physically fit; early starts and weekend work are standard
- A driving licence is very useful, trailer licence more so
- Riding ability required for some, not all, roles
Where it leads
- Level 3 senior equine groom
- Head groom or yard manager
- Racing: travelling head, assistant trainer
- Stud work, breeding or equine therapy specialisms
Where to train for this
25 colleges and training providers on our list cover Equine Groom training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.