THIS is a very busy time of year for those who are considering further education on a specialised course. There are open days and similar events happening across the country to allow prospective students better understand the courses in which they are interested, as well as experience the atmosphere different colleges have to offer.

For those who like working with horses, the date for your diary is the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Enniskillen Campus Equine Open Day, which will be held on Saturday, April 23rd, at 12 noon in Enniskillen Campus.

During the open day you will have the opportunity to meet and talk to staff, tour the campus facilities and gain an insight into life and study at CAFRE. I remember the first time I went to visit CAFRE, I couldn’t believe a place like it existed. Pristine paddocks with horses grazing surround the college building, and as you explore further you begin to comprehend the magnitude of what this college has to offer.

RACING AND EQUITATION

For those with a passion for racing and bloodstock, an active racing yard with 12 point-to-pointers and a breeding unit with three well-bred thoroughbred mares await you.

You will have the opportunity to ride out before your classes and accompany the horses to races, foal down mares and assist in handling and training the newborn foals, just as you would out in the industry.

For those enthusiastic about the sport horse industry the equitation yard contains 20 sport horses that actively compete at local shows, many of which go on to compete at Balmoral Show in May. At CAFRE you can choose to study equitation as one of your modules, this allows students to improve their riding and training skills. The breeding unit has five sport horse broodmares, some of which are produced by the students to compete in mare and foal classes at the end of the year.

CAFRE Enniskillen Campus also has a well-equipped forge for those who wish to pursue a career in farriery. The pre-farrier programme provides an opportunity for students to progress onto an apprenticeship in farriery, ultimately sitting the diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers and becoming a registered member.

The farrier upskilling programme is designed for those already working in the industry and seeking to achieve the Worshipful Company of Farriers Diploma Award (DipWCF). The course covers the principles of equine anatomy, physiology, conformation, dynamics and movement, injuries and ailments/diseases affecting the foot and limb and the fundamentals of farriery.

When it comes to horses, knowledge and practical ability must go hand in hand and that is what CAFRE can offer.

For more information on any of the equine courses offered at CAFRE, freephone 0800 0284291 or visit the website at cafre.ac.uk.