Any advice please on my dilemma pls? ?Equine further education at college or riding stables

[Gymbob]

My DD is16 and is enrolled at a local college on an equine course to start in September. She will attend about 16 hours per week, and get the usual school / college holidays. There's a free bus from the end of our street, the option of renting a room and experiencing college life. There's a lot of classroom based work, and if she doesn't achieve high enough grades will start on the lower level, which starts with 'how to put on a headcollar' etc. She's not at all academic, but a good experienced horse woman..

She is a PC member and spends all her free time at the associated stables, which she totally loves. Its a great, well run and professional place. I have just discovered that its also a registered college. It would be 40 hours a week, its out in the sticks with few buses, no classroom work, but I'm told that the hands on experience in a riding school will be invaluable when it comes to getting a job.

wwyd please?

I think apprenticeships at stables are a fantastic way to learn - for the right person. The stables I go to has apprentices, they do their BHS exams & learn to teach as well. However, the person who runs the stables expects an enormous amount. The apprentices have to be able to get on with things alone & work quickly & be able to take criticism.

So usually I'd say 'apprenticeship' but it depends on how the disability affects her. If she needs a few more years to mature (& for some disabilities the teen years are very tricky) then the college course will let her develop skills in a gentler environment.

I had a scooter too honey, and used it to travel the 8 miles to work at 16 - then I got into motorbikes for a good few years at 17. She says a moped would make her feel too vulnerable, and I can understand that.

Saintly, our stables don't do apprenticeships for some reason, (do apprentices earn a small wage too?) but they do the BHS exams and teach them to teach. The owner is quite laid back, and only throws her weight about if they stand around talking. It's a really nice yard actually, and the owner is a real people person.

She has an interview at the college next week, and is there for an open day next month. I'm hoping that she'll make her mind up for herself in the end, as at the moment, she's swaying one way then the other with me.

The owner is the same in that she doesn't really yell etc - she's nice! But she expects her apprentices to work hard & not need hand holding. For people who match what she wants it's a brilliant opportunity, but I think I might have struggled at 16 just because I used to be shy & a bit under confident. By 18 I would probably have been ready for that sort of work (not remotely in a horse field but just thinking of my personality).

just wanted to update on this, as everyone had been so helpful.

she has enrolled at college which has a free bus from the end of the road. she plans to go for a year, then go to the stables for the second year when she will have hopefully passed her driving test. Its 7 miles away and not on a bus route that would get her there for 8 am.

she came to that decision herself, which really impressed me. she is disabled and usually isn't capable of sensible thinking!

incidentally, does anyone know what the going rate is these days for a groom? and does it depend on the type of stables? it was horribly underpaid in my day.