Horse Racing Ireland
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equine courses &education

Ignite your equine career with third-level courses and training

Ireland provides extensive training and education in the horse racing, breeding, and equine industry, with something for every student, regardless of level and availability. You can choose from third-level equine degree programmes, residential courses, one-day training courses, equine apprenticeships, and on-the-job training. The complete list of equine educational providers in Ireland is below, with an introduction to each course and links with further details. 

THIRD LEVEL EQUINE COURSES

Equine courses offered at Enniskillen Campus incorporate a strong practical dimension and the philosophy of ‘learning by doing’ is applied throughout all programmes. Students ride out on a rota system making use of the gallops. While working in the purpose-built breeding unit students handle and manage the Thoroughbred, Sport Horse Broodmares and their young stock. They participate in the foaling rota and have the opportunity to prepare and take the weanlings to the sales.

Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa is an educational institution in Cork City, County Cork, Ireland. The college offers Further Education courses, including Post Leaving Certificates. Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa has been involved in Adult and Further Education since 1986, offering an exciting and innovative range of specialist courses.

Croom College of Further Education is situated in the Mill Campus, Croom Co.Limerick. They offer a wide range of courses for Post Leaving Certificate students. While the College operates from its own campus it also uses facilities in the University of Limerick and at Clonshire Education Centre to augment its own resources.

Festina Lente is a not-for-profit organisation which provides a range of equestrian and horticultural activities, training, recreational events and employment services options with a strong emphasis on social inclusion, choice and personal development. They have an education centre which offers a range of QQI accredited courses:

Galway and Roscommon ETB (GRETB) is a local education authority, established in 2013, they provide a comprehensive range of quality education programmes and supports designed to meet the needs of young people and adults throughout the counties of Galway and Roscommon. 

Godolphin is the global thoroughbred breeding operation and horseracing team founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Flying Start programme is a two year, full time Management and Leadership training programme that specialises in the international Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.

Gurteen College is an agricultural college in County Tipperary. These courses will equip the learner with the knowledge and skills for employment opportunities in the equine industry.
 

Horse Sport Ireland is the governing body for the sport horse industry and is responsible for devising and implementing strategies for the development and promotion of an internationally competitive Irish sport horse industry, covering breeding, sport and leisure activities. The Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) Coaching Programme is designed to provide candidates with a pathway to a career as a successful competition coach. Coaching courses are currently delivered across four levels and are accredited by Sport Ireland Coaching.

The Irish National Stud (INS) is a Thoroughbred horse breeding facility in Tully, Kildare Town, County Kildare. It was formally established in 1946 under the National Stud Act, 1945 and is owned by the Irish Government. The Thoroughbred Breeding Course is designed to provide students with a hands-on approach to every aspect of horse breeding. The course is full-time residential and starts mid-January each year. 

The Irish School of Farriery is located on the RACE Campus on the outskirts of Kildare town, it was established in 2003 to provide structured training for Irish farriery apprentices and continuing education for practising farriers.

Kildalton College is situated in the village of Piltown, Co Kilkenny in the picturesque Suir valley. Kildalton is the largest Teagasc college. It is a leading provider of training in Agriculture, Horticulture and Equine Studies. Close links have been developed with the local Institute of Technology in Waterford (WIT) making the college a progressive learning facility in the South East. 

The National Learning Network in Sligo provides a range of free courses to people who have had an accident, illness, injury or have a disability and extra support needs. Their courses are tailored to each student's needs, to help them to build their confidence while getting practical job-seeking skills to help them get a job or go on to further training.

The Racing Academy & Centre of Education (RACE) was established in 1973 as a social project to offer support to young racing apprentices and has gradually evolved to become the national training academy for the Irish horseracing industry offering courses for jockeys, stable staff, racehorse trainers, breeders, and others involved in the thoroughbred sector. RACE is a not-for-profit educational initiative and registered charity supported by various State agencies and the racing industry

St Conleths Community College is located in the heart of the equine industry, in Newbridge, Co. Kildare.  In addition to the Junior and Leaving Certificate, there are a number of PLC and adult education courses available.

This year has seen an expansion to the school with the building of a new gymnasium and a new extension is planned for the future. The Kildare Wicklow ETB takes an active part in the management and overall running of St Conleth’s Community College.

University College Dublin (UCD) is a research university in Dublin, Ireland. It has over 1,482 faculty and 32,000 students, and it is Ireland's largest university. 

The University of Limerick (UL), is located on the west coast of Ireland along the picturesque River Shannon, UL offers more than 70 undergraduate programmes across Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Education and Health Sciences, Science and Engineering and the Kemmy Business School. UL also delivers a strong postgraduate offering with more than 100 taught postgraduate programmes to Doctoral and Post-doctoral level.

jumpstart your equine career

There are many careers within the horse and equine industry and numerous avenues to take you there. From professional jockeying to sport admin and security, and from business accounting to racehorse training and welfare, there are so many ways to get started in the horse racing industry. Some begin with an apprenticeship, while others may work in a different sector and want to apply their professional skills where they are most passionate - with horses and horse racing. Take a look at our career map below to see how there is truly something for everyone!