Ann Heywood is a single mother who works part-time at Lostford Manor Stud in Shropshire, a privately owned and run thoroughbred stud specialising in producing flat bred foals and yearlings for the commercial market.

When Ann heard about a Foundation Degree in Equine Studies that could be studied at home, she was immediately keen to find out more. More traditional types of training involving classroom learning and frequent attendance at college had not been feasible for Ann due to her work and family commitments.

The distance learning Foundation Degree provided the perfect solution. It has given Ann the chance to learn more and get a qualification in a subject that she is passionate about and, due to its practical nature, the course suits the way that Ann learns best: learning through hands-on experience.

Ann is now in her second year of the course and is enjoying the course immensely. She is particularly impressed that all of the modules are tailored to the equine industry, which makes it easy to understand and keeps her interested in the course content.

"I think it`s great that the modules are made relevant to me", says Ann. "I would lose interest if the courses were more general, but as they are all related to horses, it really keeps me motivated to learn."

One of the key advantages of the Foundation Degree for Ann is the flexibility. Ann is able to study at times that suit her and at her own pace, and as a result of her self-motivation and determination, Ann completes 3 modules per year.

Val Hughes, Ann`s employer and owner of the Lostford Manor Stud is flexible to work around Ann`s study and exams, which sometimes involve Ann going away to be assessed over a weekend. Val is very happy with the way the Foundation Degree is run and with Ann`s progress so far.

"As far as I`m concerned, there is no negative side to the Foundation Degree", reflects Val. "Ann is committed to her work and her study does not interfere with that", she continues. "I am keen to support Ann with her foundation degree as it enables Ann to understand the theory behind what she does at work, and it also helps to freshen my own knowledge and keep me up-to-date."

Ann is now looking forward to continuing developing her knowledge and hopes to top up her Foundation Degree upon completion to a BA degree. For anyone else wishing to develop his or her skills and qualifications, Ann would definitely recommend the Foundation Degree as a great way to learn.