Horseracing Industry

The horseracing industry is one of the most distinctive sectors in British sport and rural economy, combining rigorous animal science, specialist horsemanship, elite competitive sport, betting and wagering markets, breeding and bloodstock, stable management, and the commercial infrastructure that supports what is the second most attended spectator sport in the United Kingdom. A degree focused on this industry brings together the practical and scientific knowledge specific to thoroughbred racing with the business and management understanding needed to build a professional career within it.

At Hartpury University this part-time programme is run primarily by The British Racing School in partnership with the university, combining home study with guided learning at the British Racing School and Hartpury campus. This structure reflects the industry-embedded nature of the qualification: you learn in the professional environment that the sector itself has established for training, and the programme maintains a direct connection to the standards and practices of racing at the highest level. You will develop your understanding of horse health and welfare, racehorse training and exercise physiology, the regulations and governance structures of British racing, and the commercial and business dimensions of an industry with significant economic activity.

Graduates pursue careers across the full breadth of the racing industry, including roles as racing managers, racecourse executives, bloodstock agents, stable staff at different levels of seniority, industry administrators, commercial and marketing managers, and members of the regulatory and licensing bodies that govern the sport. Many of those who pursue this degree are already working within racing and seeking to formalise and deepen their expertise. The connection to the British Racing School gives the programme a professional credibility that is directly recognised by employers within the industry.