Ad: How to gain the skills to take on greater professional responsibility in equestrian sports.
Today at the CHIO in Aachen, from there on a plane towards Florida and on to Dubai. Meanwhile, horses and their grooms travel more than some managers. However, the transport of horses and the management of the corresponding formalities are only a small part of an area that is of enormous importance in the constantly growing and rapidly developing equine industry. But what does it take to manage the big picture?
Since 2024, the “Equestrian Stable Management” certificate program has been providing answers to the most important questions regarding the management of a successful equestrian operation. The CHIO Aachen CAMPUS and the RWTH International Academy are thus training the stable managers of tomorrow – and you can be a part of it*.
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Equestrian Stable Management – Your Next Career Step!
Learn what real stable management is all about – from the best in the industry. Start your certificate program* now with the CHIO Aachen CAMPUS & RWTH International Academy.
*Start on 01 October 2026, prices starting at €4,900
Constant Change in the Equine Industry
With a turnover of around 6.7 billion euros in Germany, the equine industry not only carries significant weight, but is currently undergoing radical change: Social and economic trends as well as the important topics of digitalization and sustainability are increasingly influencing and revolutionizing the entire sector. This has consequences for equestrian operations and their personnel: To remain competitive, they must meet the increased, new demands and think in a future-oriented manner. This often goes hand in hand with the need for more highly qualified personnel who can master the challenges in the modern and globalized equestrian world.
The CHIO Aachen CAMPUS as a Knowledge Provider
As the largest equestrian event in the world, the CHIO Aachen stands for innovation and quality at the highest level. This is reflected in the training and further education opportunities offered by the CHIO Aachen CAMPUS – including the Equestrian Stable Management certificate program, which first launched in April 2024 with 15 participants from twelve different nations.
The schedule at a glance:
Tip: Click here to view the graphic in full size.
Stable management, personnel planning, financing and the perfect coordination for farriers and veterinarians. Nothing works anymore without a well-trained stable manager. However, there is a constant lack of well-founded further training opportunities that bring together leading experts from various relevant areas. The CHIO Aachen CAMPUS and the RWTH International Academy close this gap. “The ‘Equestrian Stable Management’ certificate program imparts the necessary knowledge for future-proof and modern stable management,” says Birgit Rosenberg, Head of the CHIO Aachen CAMPUS.
The program is aimed at professionals in the equestrian industry who are interested in education, such as riding stable operators, stable managers, grooms, and riders. Offered as an online course, participants enjoy the advantage of being flexible in terms of location and time. “In addition, the unique, international network of the CHIO Aachen enables participants to learn from renowned figures in equestrian sports during isolated attendance dates and gain insights into professional operations,” explains Birgit Rosenberg.
Learn from the Best – Interview with Andrew and Stefanie Hoy
After successfully completing the individual modules, participants have the opportunity to complete an internship at one of the program’s renowned partner stables. Various prerequisites must be met for this, and an interview is held.
Names like Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Benjamin Werndl, Beezie and John Madden, as well as Andrew and Stefanie Hoy are only a small excerpt from this network. Stefanie and Andrew Hoy explain in an interview what significance the program has for the partner operations and why it is important to further develop personnel accordingly.
Andrew and Stefanie Hoy run their own riding stable, Somerby Stables, in Great Britain. They are not only highly decorated eventing riders but also know the various challenges associated with managing a successful riding stable. In this interview, they share their long-standing knowledge.
Many competitions take place during the tournament season, and of course, your schedule as a professional riding stable is full. What does good stable management look like today?
Andrew Hoy: There isn’t just one single thing that constitutes good stable management. It’s a combination of many factors, but above all, you need healthy horses. Healthy horses mean that their grooms ensure adequate and individual daily care. They can only groom the horses with the advice they receive from nutritionists, physiotherapists, and veterinarians. In addition, there is the care of the equipment and the competition schedule, which is set individually for each horse.
Most of the things you mentioned require horse expertise, but also management knowledge.
Andrew Hoy: Yes, definitely. It’s not just about the time you spend with the horse, but also the time you spend putting together the right program with the goals and the best care for each individual horse.
What factors play a role for your team at home?
Stefanie Hoy: There are many different people who work together and contribute their expertise. For us, everyone is important. They all have an eye for detail and support each other. I also think that the world of equestrian sport has changed in recent years, just as the entire working world has changed. Even if our team naturally cannot work from a home office, it is still very important to be flexible in order to bring people on board, whether full-time or part-time. Nobody can do all of this alone; it can only work if we all collaborate.
How do you organize your employees and what do you pay particular attention to?
Stefanie Hoy: Communication is paramount. Accordingly, the most important characteristic we look for in every employee is the ability to work in a team. Then everyone has different areas of responsibility. For example, we have employees who are responsible for the competitions, and employees who are responsible for what happens at home, and then there are the housekeepers who look after the facility.
Can you give us a brief overview of your structure? How many employees are employed in which areas of your stable?
Stefanie Hoy: There are nine employees in the stable, plus one who is responsible for the maintenance and care of the facility. In addition, there are six other employees and the management in the office. This is taken care of by myself and another employee who looks after invoicing, administration, and all those things.
Was there a moment when it became clear to you that you couldn’t manage it alone anymore and needed someone to support you in administration and the office?
Andrew Hoy: When I moved to Great Britain in 1993 and decided to pursue the sport professionally, it became clear to me that I needed someone in the office. At that point, I hired employees who exclusively took care of administration. Because when you are on the horse, you have to concentrate. You have to dedicate your time directly to the horse and shouldn’t try to answer the phone and do multiple things at the same time.
Then you are not truly working with the horse. Is there a specific area where you see the greatest need in the equestrian world or perhaps even in your stable?
Stefanie Hoy: I think this is where the Equestrian Stable Management program comes into play. It addresses precisely an area that has been neglected for a long time. Of course, there are equestrian schools here in Great Britain, but the graduates do not have enough professional experience. The perspective of knowing how a top-level equestrian stable is run is extremely valuable. I think the program closes exactly the gap that truly exists in the industry here. It is a mix of management aspects and practical knowledge about what it really takes to run such a riding stable.
What is your opinion the most important aspect of this program?
Stefanie Hoy: I think the time the participants spend at the partner stable. Because all the stables that take part in the program truly belong to the world elite in their respective discipline. If you were to create a list of the best riding stables in the world, these would be exactly those partner stables. They are the industry leaders who have been setting the standards for decades. It doesn’t matter which of these stables the participants end up in or which discipline it is – during these months, they learn what it takes to be successful in stable management.
What else helps the participants in their career?
Stefanie Hoy: For example, there are workshops on the topics of finance and human resources. After completing these workshops, you are naturally not yet a fully-fledged HR specialist, but it is good to acquire a general understanding of these topics.
Insights into the daily lives of various ESM participants
In the video, you’ll get further insights into the program:
Discover exclusive ESM statements from lecturers in the video:
Process and Time Commitment of Equestrian Stable Management
Within six months, six modules from the subject areas “Equestrian Management” and “Horse Performance” are completed. In addition, there are expert rounds and live talks; modules on Human Resources and Finance round off the profile. All lessons take place in English. Afterwards, participants can apply for a further six months of in-depth theoretical training or a six-month internship in one of the world-renowned partner stables. “Graduates then have the unique opportunity to stand out from the crowd with an academic qualification and to be able to take on greater responsibility in the business and professionalize processes in the future,” says Birgit Rosenberg.
In this video, you’ll also get an insight into Veronika’s daily life at Jessica von Bredow-Werndl’s yard in Aubenhausen.
Detailed information and registration can be found here:
What the CHIO Aachen CAMPUS Still Has to Offer
Since its founding in 2020, the CHIO Aachen CAMPUS has stood for exclusive training opportunities and well-founded further education in equestrian sports. On the world’s most traditional show grounds in the Aachen Soers, equestrian sport is promoted, knowledge is imparted, and competence is created. And this happens 365 days a year.
As part of courses and live training sessions, coaches like Marcus Ehning, Isabell Werth, and Ingrid Klimke pass on their knowledge; even the youngest are already introduced to the horse. A further focus is the promotion of young talent at a top level, including the Excellence Program, which paves the way into top-level sport for young talents in dressage and show jumping.
Throughout the year, events are held on around 100 days that promote riders, horses, and equestrian sport in general. On the traditional show grounds in the Soers, there is a globally unique infrastructure with the most diverse training and competition venues – indoor as well as outdoor. The CHIO Aachen CAMPUS uses these opportunities to give equestrian sport a year-round home – always linked to the annual highlight, the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen.
*Program starts on 01 October 2026, price from €4,900
