Thoroughbred Trainer

The fundamental function of a thoroughbred Trainer is to condition racehorses to the level of fitness required for racing. It's about knowing a horse’s abilities and strengths and training them for particular races. Becoming a trainer takes a lot of experience working with horses and working in racing stables as well as having a natural ability and feel for conditioning horses and placing them in the right races.

A racehorse trainer is a person who is licensed by the Principal Racing Authority (PRA) they operate their business from a racecourse or a private facility within a highly regulated industry, where they met key criteria.

Some trainers start out working as Stablehands or Track Work Riders, working their way up the ladder in order to gain experience. Many trainers have their own stables, some are employed by larger stables or owners. It is a highly competitive area and not everyone can make it.

There are TAFE courses to assist those who are already experienced to make the step to becoming a licensed Trainer. Each Principal Racing Authority (PRA) has different licencing requirements for Trainers - these will include criminal checks, capital requirements and references. Welfare measures also make sure those given a license are fit enough to be trusted with the well-being of horses. There are also different categories of Trainers in each state which determines where you train from and the number of horses you train.

Apart from having experience with horses, trainers must also have good communication skills, as they need to manage staff, communicate with owners, jockeys and professional service providers like veterinarians and farriers. Trainers need to have a good eye for horse conformation and knowledge of thoroughbred breeding to enable them to buy the best possible stock for the stable.