Mansukhpreet
Kaur Atwal

Why did you choose to study your course at NTU?

For a long time, I dreamt of studying law at university and going on to become a barrister! I had taken A level subjects and even wrote my personal statement in my UCAS application in line with this. A week before results day, I found this degree on Clearing out of sheer curiosity, and instinctively knew this degree was for me. I had always planned to have horses in my life, but with studying this degree, I could finally do it as a career rather than a hobby. As a Sikh, horses have been an integral but a somewhat lost part of my culture, and by studying Equine Sports Science, I could serve my community better with the knowledge and experience I’d receive.

What do you enjoy most about your course?

I love how the degree is so hands-on and always relevant to industry. I don’t just learn about the theory or the science, but also how to apply the knowledge in a practical manner. For example, we went to the yard to fit tack on NTU horses after a lecture on the anatomical effects of ill-fit tack in the classroom. Another example included learning about specific injuries correlating with certain sports and how to identify them, then going onto the yard and analysing horses’ gait and movement in this context using state-of-the-art software! The course provides me with not only the knowledge, but the skill to go further into the equine industry and build a successful career.

How do you find your modules and what have you most enjoyed studying?

The modules are quite varied, providing a holistic approach to the course content. They are crafted and intertwined in such a way that all the knowledge builds upon each across the modules and through the years. Personally, as the degree progressed, previous modules and their content became more contextualised, and I began to connect them to each other, which led to increased understand and relevance. As an artist, I like to view the course as piece of artwork: each layer and stroke is deliberate and may invoke little meaning individually, but as the layers increase and the strokes are created, the painting finalises, and it all comes together to create a design that collectively invokes meaning and makes sense!

In terms of assessment, different methods of assessment ensure that my work is graded fairly and that I don’t have to stress about lots of exams at the end of the semester. Personally, I’ve enjoyed learning about equine nutrition, and the way the course is designed, I can go into as much depth as I find interesting, which only makes me love the course more!

What do you think about the facilities available on your course and what do you use the most?

I really appreciate the myriads of facilities available to undergraduate students. Not only do we have specialist facilities like the mechanical horse and the research arena, but we are also easily able to book them and ask for guidance from staff. Personally, I like to use the mechanical horse, which helps me highlight my weaknesses as a rider, and build on them out of the saddle! Brackenhurst library has also become my favourite place on campus: the wide variety of books and resources always answer any question or confusion I may have and provide integral scaffolding to the quality of my education. With all the library resources also being available online, it’s perfect for me as a commuter to be able to do work at home.

What do you think about Brackenhurst Campus? What do you get up to in your spare time?

There is so much to do and explore at Brack, it’s never a boring day here! As a commuter, I stay on campus between my lectures, and quite often end up on long 2 hour walks around campus and Southwell. I especially love to visit the Southwell Minster and get lost in its history and beauty, as well as lunch breaks in the Orangery which gives me time to catch up on work.

What is your top tip for someone considering studying/living at Brackenhurst Campus?

Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way, even if you think that you might not be good enough. You are a lot more capable than you think, so it’s very important to not underestimate your abilities and take as many chances as you can to get out of your comfort zone. Do the things that might not even be relevant to your degree, especially if they are on campus! There’s a lot of transferable skills you can learn that will help you in your course as well as down the line in your career.

Have you been involved in any placements, work experience or volunteering as part of your course? If so, what did you do and what did you achieve?

Weekly yard duties during first year at Brackenhurst helped me increase my efficiency when doing yard work and taught me different ways to manage different horses. This work-like experience helped me when I started volunteering at an equine rescue centre, where I mainly started off during basic yard work. Building up on that, I began learning how to vary and use rehabilitation/training methods to suit different horses, giving me the ability to apply theory from my degree to real industry work.

Why would you recommend your course to someone considering studying it?

I would recommend this course because it offers a very consolidated, well-rounded degree in the Equine Sciences which prioritises high quality in all aspects of the course and resources. There is so much offered here in terms of facilities, the Brackenhurst horses themselves, day trips and even international trips, all of which not only provide an amazing STEM degree experience but also gives the opportunities to create industry connections and gain industry experience, which strongly equips you for your career after you graduate. NTU’s Employability service also provides great support in finding placements, work experience, jobs and general career preparation that is relevant to the equine industry. Combining this with the actual course content and its structure, as well as the small class sizes, the loveliest lecturers and yard staff, choosing to do an Equine degree at NTU will be the best decision you can ever make for yourself!