The trainee dental nurse who hoped to be a popstar
Trainee dental nurse How I make it work: Getting up early, hard graft and forgoing any holidays
West Wales-based Karen Valls, a former flight supervisor with BMI, is training to be a dental nurse. She juggles caring for her five horses with working three days a week and studying.
My job…
I work part-time as a trainee dental nurse at a surgery in Rhydowen, West Wales, that’s just a four-minute walk from my home. My primary role involves assisting the dentist and helping with all procedures, such as fillings and extractions. I’m also responsible for the safety and cleanliness of the equipment and ensuring that the patients are looked after. I study online, and have a tutor come out periodically to assess my work. Every so often I travel to Swansea to sit exams (seven to date). I’m almost at the end of my two-year course and hope to qualify by Christmas.
How I got here…
I had toyed with the idea of training as a dental nurse while at school, but it was only fleeting as my real passion was to work as cabin crew. However, my interview with British Airways was something of a disaster and so, aged 20, I went to Spain where I lived for the next 20 years, working as a holiday rep, resort manager and travel agent.
In 2004 I returned to London, met my husband, Paul, and (now in my 40s), was taken on as cabin crew for BMI (British Midland) — my dream job. Within a year I was a flight supervisor, but two years afterwards I resigned to set up a private health and fitness club with Paul. We both retired in 2017 and moved to West Wales.
Even though I hadn’t really thought any further about dental nursing, Ann Jones, a near neighbour and a dentist, knocked at our door one evening and asked if I would consider training as she needed an extra staff member. I was flabbergasted and humbled — and said yes. What an extraordinary twist of fate!
My horse of a lifetime…
I have five horses. Finn (aka Chasing Rainbows) is a 15-year-old, 15.2hh, skewbald Irish Draught gelding. He’s my horse of a lifetime and I could have sold him a million times over. I first saw him lying down in a stable at the livery yard where I kept my others and it was love at first sight — I had to have him. It was three weeks before I plucked up the courage to tell Paul I’d bought another horse.
Finn had hunted in Ireland and all he knew was fast and stop. Amanda Hughes, a Hertfordshire instructor, helped me to re-educate him, turning him into a forward-going but safe ride, and we have had so much fun hunting, jumping and doing sponsored rides.
My golden oldies…
Polo, a 20-year-old, 15hh, grey Irish Draught cross, passed a five-star vetting, but not long afterwards was diagnosed with navicular. I had to retire him, although my eight-year-old granddaughter, Nathalie, rides him around the manège when she visits from
“My father bought me my first pony. Aged 12, I walked into our house and there was a saddle on a chair. I burst into tears”
Spain. He is now a much-loved — if expensive — pet, and he will live out his days with me.
The same applies to Bo, a 23-year-old, steel grey (now white), 15.1hh Irish Draught. She taught me everything — from sponsored rides to jumping — but I retired her after she started having nosebleeds.
Paul’s brilliant presents…
My 50th birthday present from Paul was BJ (aka The Lady Innis), a 16.3hh Irish Draught chestnut mare. The first time I hunted her at four, she put in a dead stop after cantering down a hill and I flew out the side door. Since moving to Wales I have become a member of the Vale of Clettwr Hunt. As soon as I start plaiting BJ in the morning, she knows it’s ‘game on’.
Flame (aka Mistrals Prairie Flame) is a two-year-old palomino Pure Spanish Horse (PRE) x American Saddlebred, who Paul bought for me as a future dressage prospect. I’m currently spending time handling him.
My horsey roots…
I started having lessons at the local riding school as a child, and even though I grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne and came from a humble background, one day my father bought me a pony. Aged 12,
I walked into our house and there was a saddle on a chair. I burst into tears.
My 13.2hh pony, a bay with a white blaze, was called Shane and I loved him with all my heart. I didn’t sell him until I was 19. Years later I found out that he had been quickly sold on again, this time to the meat man. It affected me so much that I’m now determined that all of my horses will have a home for life.
No time for holidays…
Having five horses at home is hard work. Paul and I can’t go on holiday together anymore, but I do get three days’ break every time I’m at the surgery, and that’s when Paul does all the jobs. This little breather helps to keep me motivated.
Gin and tonic time…
A typical workday will be as follows:
6am: I get up and have a coffee before heading out to the horses, feeding them and turning them out. Paul will start to muck out too.
7.30am: I let the chickens out of the coop, feed and clean them out.
8.20am: I leave for the short walk to work. 8.30am: Work starts with preparing for the day ahead and ensuring that all of the equipment is ready for the dentist’s first patient at 9am. We see around 20 to 25 patients a day, with a break for lunch at 1pm between the morning and afternoon sessions. I finish around 5.30pm, or sometimes later if a procedure takes longer than planned.
5.45pm: I arrive home and check all the horses, although by this time Paul will have fed, groomed and mucked them out. 6pm: It’s gin and tonic time!
7pm: We have supper and prepare for the next day.
The great juggle…
Paul plays a major part in making it all work. His background was rugby — he played for Saracens in his youth — and then he was director of sport at University College School in Hampstead, London, for 30 years, so to take on the responsibility for five horses is amazing.
Hobbies and pets…
We have six chickens — all with names — as well as a rescue Border Collie called Max and Meg the Cocker Spaniel.