I started Castle View in 2009, and it is a riding school and pony club centre specialising in grass root riders and non-riders with installing the correct foundations of horsemanship and the importance of horse welfare.
As well as having completed my BHS II - BHS Senior Eventing Coach and UKCC level 2, I’ve also gained a Post Graduate certificate in Equine Leadership and Management through North Highland College UHI.
I do everything here. Mucking out, exercising, organising lesson times, arranging pony club groups, keeping all paperwork up to date, communicating with regular and new clients, sometimes past clients get in touch for advice, maintenance of the yard and grazing areas.
We run a successful pony club centre and riding school. I also lecture for North Highland College UHI in the Equine department and run flexible learning courses part-time. In my spare time I’m the BHS Highland North Education Officer.
Communication, and patience is a close second and of course perseverance. The ability to reflect on today and look forward to the future.
No day is the same however regimented we try to be. I like the organised chaos, learning on the job and being open to accept situations as they are, then reflect and grow from them.
The best part of my job is meeting like-minded people and having the facilities and the knowledge to give others the best start on their equestrian journey or helping them pick up where they left off.
We share the same passion but not necessarily the same journey. The main challenges are to accept where they are and how they got there, then figure out a pathway forward, accepting that there may be many roundabouts where people get off, and rejoin.
You’ll never look back, you’ll meet all the best people and experience magically things along the way!
Yard Supervisor Jen talks about her job in Busby Equitation Centre along with centre owner Laura Garden.
I studied NC and HNC Horse Care at SRUC Oatridge, straight after I left school. This was a fantastic introduction to a working yard for me and certainly prepared me well for the job I am currently doing.
I wanted to work with horses because as the saying goes ‘Do what you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life’ and it is exactly that. I have always loved the outdoors and animals from a young age so I knew working in an office wouldn’t be the job for me. I am very lucky to be able to do what I do.
The Equestrian Centre offers a ranger of indoor and outdoor lessons for all ages and abilities including, hacking, showjumping, dressage and cross-country.
I have achieved up-to my BHS Stage 2 Teach and also hold an NC in Horse Care.
My day at work starts at 7 am where we work as a team to get the horses fed, mucked out and ready for the day. Then some days I stay on the yard, getting horses prepared for lessons and doing day to day yard work tasks. Other days I have a full day of teaching clients of all ages and abilities. We then finish the day as a team anywhere between 4.30pm and 6pm.
Over the year is very similar to day to day but being a part of the hotel means that we are especially busy during the holidays so during the quieter times we are able to get staff training, which is a massive bonus. The only day we close is Christmas Day... the horses need their Christmas dinner too!
Lots of skills are used day to day such as teamwork, adaptability, planning and time management. However, the most important one in my eyes is good communication skills, this helps the team and the day run as smooth as possible.
My job is very hard work however, it is all worth it because we have such a fantastic team of horses and staff! Being able to give someone their first riding lesson and watch them fall in love with the animal and sport is so rewarding. Also, nobody can complain when they have the beautiful hills of Perthshire as their office!
One of the best parts of my job is that every day is different. Being able to do what you love whilst training and earning money is what everyone dreams of and I am very fortunate to be in that position.
Of course working with animals and customers presents challenges but I feel that is all part of the fun! I love being able to problem solve and see a happy horse and client at the end of the day.
I feel a massive benefit is there is always room for progression. It is one of the most rewarding jobs. It teaches you true, passion, dedication and responsibility not only in the workplace but in your own day to day life. I have had the pleasure of working along side the most inspirational and hard working role models, who have come up through the industry and have shown me the skills to progress and hopefully one day I will follow in their footsteps.
30-year-old Iain Macmaster has a lot on his hands looking after six miles of riverbank at Finavon Castle Water on the South Esk. He describes himself as a ghillie, fishery, estate and wildlife manager, which as the job title suggests, involves a wide range of responsibilities and skill sets.
Iain explains: “On any given day I could be acting as ghillie, forester, maintenance man, stalker or gamekeeper. I suppose that makes me a jack of all trades but I love it. I also run a rural education programme for the Esk District Fishery Board which involves going into local schools to talk to the kids, and then inviting them to the estate to see how the land is managed and learn about the riverine environment. The kids love it, and I find it a really interesting and rewarding thing to do.”
One of Iain’s main roles throughout the growing seasons is grass cutting, track maintenance and tree felling. This important work ensures easy access to the fishing beats, maintains the look of the estate and helps control invasive species such as Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed, as well as animals such as Roe Deer, American Mink and Sawbilled Ducks throughout the license period.
Iain said:” I spend a lot of time felling trees and processing firewood for the estate, cleaning up after any winter spates, feeding pheasants, and repairing and maintaining infrastructure. I am enjoying seeing my work and influence on the estate starting to become more obvious, which is a really satisfying aspect of the job.”
Iain also relishes the interaction he has with the general public. As a ghillie, he supports tenants who come to fish the river for salmon and sea trout. This can involve tutoring novice anglers or providing helpful advice to someone who already knows a section of river intimately.
He said: “I meet all sorts on the river and that’s one of the things I love about my job. I’ve been fortunate to have some wonderful times and conversations with people ranging from Vietnam veterans to taxi drivers and tradesmen. There’s not much I can do about the river conditions or the number of salmon in the beat, which is why it’s important to provide people with a warm welcome, tidy huts and a kettle on the boil.”
Iain has been working at Finavon for six years now, and through that time has built up an impressive portfolio of vocational qualifications. These include chainsaw tickets, a two-year fisheries management qualification through the Institute of Fisheries Management, deer management qualifications, and he has also just passed the Scottish bailiff’s exam through the Institute of Fisheries Management.
He said: “I’m now a warranted bailiff for the Esk district. A big part of my role is simply being a presence on the river and developing links with local people who know that the area is being looked after, which is important from a security point of view.
Controlling poaching is a natural part of my job and ensures our beat isn’t overfished. We work closely with the local authorities and people who use the river regularly. Being able to communicate well and gain people’s trust is a key part of the role, which I enjoy immensely.”
