A stable manager’s course proved popular in two Chinese cities…China’s equestrian community is set to benefit from elevated horse welfare standards thanks to a program delivered to dozens of enthusiastic attendees.

The Stable Manager’s Education Program was recently delivered to equestrians in both Beijing and Ningbo, with hopes that it can be held in further locations in the future.

With the backing of the Chinese Equestrian Association and FEI Solidarity, the course was delivered by renowned Dutch tutor Peter Strijbosch, a former international equestrian athlete himself. FEI Solidarity promotes and develops equestrian culture and sport worldwide.

Many Attendees

Some 40 attendees were present at the two programs held so far in China, making their way to the two sites from different regions. Among the attendees were stable managers, grooms, coaches and club owners.

The Stable Manager’s Education Program has been successfully delivered in several nations around the world. It is designed to help stable managers develop business and communication competencies together with knowledge of horse welfare standards and horsemanship.

The Chinese federation’s David Hou explained why the organization was keen to offer the course to its community.

He said: “As we all know, horse welfare is the most important thing in our community. With this course, we can find out much more detail about horses, club management and much more. All of these topics are strong related to horse’s welfare.”

Raising Standards

The stable management course syllabus begins with horse health, feeding and shoeing. Further sessions then look at communication and riding school infrastructure. Planning in relation to work and health are covered along with several case studies. The final part of the course looks at the financial aspects of stable management.

Strijbosch has many years of experience in delivering courses to help raise standards in developing equestrian nations. He was delighted by the responses of the attendees in Beijing and Ningbo.

“I was very happy to work with the participants in China,” he said. “They seemed very motivated and responded well to the lessons. There was a good atmosphere and we were able to proceed with seriousness, but also humor.

“The participants were very curious and open-minded, and in that way I reached my goal of making them richer in knowledge.”

Widened Vision

One of those enthusiastic participants was Liqiu Wang, a stable manager at IPonyClub in Beijing. Liqiu grew up in an equestrian family and later read veterinary studies at university.

“I signed up to the course because I wanted to improve my abilities,” Liqiu said. “In particular, I was interested by the international angle. Peter came all this way to give us his lifetime of experience.

“I have followed the education program from my federation for some time.”

Liqiu particularly enjoyed the sessions on health and stable condition maintenance. All the participants were also given an FEI Campus account, through which they can also do further e-learning in their daily life.

Overall, the variety of learning styles, such as group discussions, helped to enhance the experience.

“This program really widened my vision,” Liqiu said. “It gives me an idea of how to have a better communication with my clients and my colleagues.”

Cultivating Talent

Strijbosch believes the stable management course can be advantageous for federations around the world and the communities they serve.

“It’s useful for all the national federations, but especially in the developing countries who already have an education programme. Much of the focus can often be on the riders and coaches, but programs that focus on the people in the stable is even more important. I would recommend federations to ask help from FEI Solidarity to do this kind of course.”

The Chinese federation’s Hou is hopeful of offering further programs having seen its value.

He said: “Following the feedback from attendees, it would be great pleasure to have more programs like this. They enhance the foundation of our sports.

“I hope more federations adopt the program and learn. They can cultivate more talents in their community.”

FEI Solidarity promotes and develops equestrian culture and sport worldwide. Find out more about its mission and work here.

Photos provided by the FEI