Meet the trainees - Ellen Hennessy

My name is Ellen Hennessy.  I will be 17 in June.  I’m from Naas Co. Kildare.  I have been riding since I was 5 years old. Before I came to RACE I had ponies at home and I did everything from show jumping to hunting and mounted games.  I rode out for trainer Michael Cleary for a summer 2 years ago. While I was in school I worked weekends in Corduff Stud just down the road from me. I worked there for nearly 2 years before I came to RACE. I learned lots in the stud, preparing the yearlings for sales and mares and foals.  I have ridden in the RDS in 2014 and 2012 playing mounted games on my pony.
I applied for the course in the summer of 2014 and was accepted for the trial in July. The trial was really tough but I tried my best and was accepted into the course. The course started on the first of September and for the first 3 months we were in the RACE yard riding their horses, most of the horses in the RACE yard are retired.  We would ride one or 2 lots a day and we would also use the simulators or do some stable management.  I loved riding out in the RACE barn it was good craic and the instructors are very good. You learn a lot in RACE, everyday is a school day here!

In November I was sent out to Kevin Prendergast yard on work placement.  I love it out there and although I’m the only girl in the yard it is good craic. The horses are all very good and it is a great experience working out there.  Every morning when we get up I have to get the bus at 6:20am and get to the yard at about 6:30 even though we don’t start until 7:00am.  When I get to the yard I empty all the water buckets and make sure all the horses are okay. When I’m finished I get my barrow of hay and muck out two or three boxes, give the horses hay and water and sweep in the stable.
Then I go and get my tack and see what horse I’m riding, I go and tack up my horse and make sure that there is no dirt or straw in their mane or tail.  When we are all ready we get a leg up and go out to the gallop. We do about two laps of the gallop and then walk the horses off.  Then we untack our horses and bring them for a roll in the sand arena. And wash their legs afterwards.  We then bring them back and give them a groom over.  We usually have about 5 or 6 horses to ride each day.

I am really enjoying the course so far and would recommend it for anyone to do as it is a great learning experience and so much fun.

Ellen on RACE gallops Parents Day 2014