Tessa Counsell- Programme Manager for the HE equine programmes at Duchy College, also HE Coordinator at Duchy and part-time lecturer on the Animal Science (Equine) programme at the University of Plymouth.

I grew up in a non-horsy family in Devon, but we lived in the country and I became a typically horsy child, hanging around friends with ponies and at the local riding school. I joined the Pony Club with a borrowed pony and took part in all activities including team competitions and the dreaded camp, and gained my B Test.

I did science A levels at school, with the aim of going to University to study veterinary science, but spent much too much time riding and not nearly enough time working, passing the exams but not with the necessary grades.

There weren't the opportunities to study equine degrees then that there are now and nothing else appealed, so I took up horses full time, working for my British Horse Society exams and becoming an instructor.

I had a thoroughly good time, also taking on freelance teaching, breaking and schooling many horses for a wide variety of disciplines from dressage to Flat and National Hunt racing. I had a number of competition horses too, mainly eventers at first, but I gradually became more interested in dressage and concentrated on that with the recent horses.

The reason I changed tack somewhat and became involved in the more academic aspect of horses was that Bicton College of Agriculture near my home started doing horse courses, one of the first in the country, and I became a staff member there, teaching and looking after further education students.

The opportunity then arose for me to do a Masters degree at the University of Wales at Aberystwyth and I jumped at the chance, spending an excellent year there and learning a tremendous amount.

I then moved to Cornwall, to Duchy College, and worked with the University of Plymouth to develop the HE equine programmes, which have now been running for 8 years. I also undertook the University's postgraduate teaching qualification whilst lecturing at Duchy, and started delivering the equine modules on the second and third years of the equine route on the Animal Science degree at the University's Seale-Hayne campus.

So my job role now is a composite one, and doesn't necessarily reflect that experienced by all equine lecturers, who will often come into a College environment these days with more academic, but less practical experience. The job is very demanding and much more than nine to five, but the best bits are being able to continue to do some research (currently looking at whether early behaviour can be linked to performance), when students enjoy the subjects I teach, succeed at whatever their aspirations are, and go on to do good things afterwards, and keep in touch!

I also judge dressage all over the country, when time permits, and this proves to be an excellent way to see what is going on out in the real world, and sometimes to meet old students or market the courses to new ones!