Study Equestrian courses and Learn English
Or Hire one of our Educated Grooms or Instructors
Groom School and Equine Instructor of Beginners Camps

This program will suit active people with a desire to be in the outdoors with lots of fresh air and exercise. We will teach individuals to be knowledgeable about Horse Care and Equestrian Coaching, helping them to be better consumers of these services and giving them the option of earning their way in the equine business. Located on a private gated property at Gloucester Downs Equestrian Park in Aldergrove BC, close to Vancouver , you have the best of both worlds: clean fresh air and close proximity to one of the major cosmopolitan cities in North America.  ESL (English as a Second Language) classes will be scheduled 6 days a week with testing at both the beginning and the end of the stay. All courses will be taught in english, so there will be extensive exposure to the english language in context. Students not needing the english (ESL) training will have the option of additional Equine exposure and learning.

Participants will come away with a new skill set, able to handle many different aspects of equine and animal care as they learn the routine of an active equestrian lifestyle.  Basic record keeping and time management will also be covered. Certification is possible from both programs. 


The EC (Equine Canada) coaching program is the only Canadian equestrian coaching and instructor certifying program also recognized internationally (FEI, IGEQ), and by Coaches of Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee. The EC coaching program is the nationally recognized certification program for equestrian coaches and instructors. 

All participants will join the Horse Council of BC as part of their registration process.  This will provide them with basic liability insurance a strong connection to the horse industry and extra educational resources in British Columbia.
For more information -  http://www.hcbc.ca/About-Horse-Council-BC.html?

Register for multiple weeks and we will take your schooling to even higher levels. 

If you want to attend the Groom School or the Instructor of Beginners courses, Full Time or through Camps, please contact us and state your needs:

email about education Programs or Camps

If you wish to be on the list to hire one of our educated students, please contact us and give a description of your needs:

Hire a groom or Instructor

Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament Hosted Tour

We are also offering a Spruce Meadows Guided Tour to the Masters Tournament -  Early September .  We will meet you in Calgary at the Hotel and guide you through a week of immersion in some of the most fabulous Horse Show Competition in the world.  Side trips will be arranged to Banff or the Royal Tyrrell Dinosaur Museum, both world famous features of this part of Alberta.  See the bottom of our Camps page for further information about this event.

Register for Tour

Groom School

The Equine Groom program will teach students to be knowledgeable of  safe and correct practices for equine care.  It will cover all basic aspects of horse care: safety practices,  basic nutrition and feeding, clean stabling, yard set up and maintenance, horse health, equipment care and use, turnout, tacking up, bandaging, handling classes and exercise routines. Based on the British Grooms Association learning program, students will be tested as they progress through the levels and will be confirmed for their proficiency as it is achieved. Students must join the British Grooms Association if they wish to become certified. The school certifies the proficiency levels achieved and this becomes your job experience and reference for employment in the industry. 

At the Foundation level endorsed grooms can find positions in work to ride programs at many barns. At the Advanced or Elite level good grooms are in high demand as full time employees with top barns or International riders on a year round travel and show schedule.  

To achieve the Foundation Groom Level you must complete all of these skills:

F.1     Feed and water horses under direction
F.2     Clean stables under direction
F.3     Clean the yard under direction
F.4     Groom and wash horses under direction
F.5     Put on and remove horse rugs under direction
F.6     Put on and remove tack under direction
F.7     Clean tack and horse clothing according to instructions
F.8     Lead and trot up a horse under supervision
F.9     Catch and move horses under direction
F.10   Awareness of Prohibited Substances
F.11   Maintain good working relationships
F.12   Maintain health and safety in the workplace
F.13   Timekeeping
F.14   Mount and dismount quiet horses
F.15   Ride a quiet horse
F.16   Ride horses on a hack and on the road

We also have Intermediate Groom and Advanced Groom training for those who wish to go beyond the Foundation Level.

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Instructor of Beginners and Competition Coach -
Rider Levels

This is an Equine Canada based study program conducted on site in the barn and on horseback.  You are welcome to bring your own horse, you simply have to choose this option and pay full equine board for the length of your stay.  Students will progress at their own pace and be tested at the various levels as they progress.  To apply for certification as an Instructor of Beginners the students will have to be tested and proficient through Rider Level 6.  This may take a series of camps to achieve depending upon their overall equestrian skills when they come to  the school. Prior riding experience required above Level 1.  Program books should be pre-ordered for review.  Full Instructor Certification is likely to take multiple camps to complete even for skilled riders and requires co-ordination with Equine Canada evaluations for final testing. Students can also be mentored for the Competition Coach designation. The school will help to arrange testing for recommended students, but they may have to return at a later date to be tested and certified.

For More Details:
http://www.hcbc.ca/_customelements/uploadedResources/HowtobecomeanEquineCanadaIOB2011.pdf

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