The project rationale refers mainly (but not exclusively) to disadvantaged groups andimmigrants and to the necessity to respond to their personal aspirations to get a jobwhich will enhance their full citizenship. The system of skills and practices related tohorse care could be one vehicle to help achieve this. It is a very old profession, andwidespread in most European countries. It is common in rural areas in association withagriculture, as well as in urban areas in association with equestrian sports andcompetitions. The general aim is to improve the social, cultural, professional andeconomic conditions of grooms at a European level by improving the grooms’professional skills and social reputation as well as the role of grooming as a lifelongprofessional occupation. This will be done by generating a strong collaboration amongcountries with various levels of development in the field.More specific issues addressed by the project and based on pedagogical strategies are:- to integrate the technical aspects of adult training with lectures on veterinarian aspects,on civic culture and labour legislation;- to implement the programme with language training - specifically in EN - which is thecommon language of equestrian sports and will support the grooms’ activities ininternational competitions.The expected impact will be assessed at different levels:- on the culture of equestrian sports as vehicles of multicultural dialogue, bystrengthening the mutual respect between the target groups (instructors and grooms)and the horses that are the “vital actors” of the programme- by developing equestrian sports from leisure for a minority into an activity foreverybody, with an implementation of job opportunities for disadvantaged, migrants andothers- at the level of specialized institutions - like horse-racing organisations. TheConsortium will create a dedicated website, which will disseminate reports, guidelines,interviews and create links related to horse-racing that share the philosophy of theprogramme in terms of horse care.- at the level of dissemination of the guidelines to other continents, by enhancing the roleand visibility of a European model of grooming culture and practices.