Lesson Structure:  Horse (Equine) Care I BAG102

There are 7 lessons:

Horse psychology and handling

• The early horse
• Survival mechanisms of the early horse
• The modern horse – behaviour and memory
• Using psychology to handle horses
• Catching and leading horses
• Fitting the bridle and saddle
• Tying up a horse
• Safety rules

Buying a horse

• Temperament
• Size
• Weight carrying ability
• Age
• Equine dentitionand ageing
• Glossary of terms
• Dentition diagrams and detailed explanation
• Colour and markings
• Breeds

Conformation

• The shape of the skeleton
• Body proportions and parts
• Conformation problems
• How to describe confirmation

The digestive system and principles of feeding and watering

• The digestive System
• The alimentary canal
• The Stomach
• The small intestine
• The large intestine
• Absorption of food
• Groups of food nutrients
• The composition of some common horse feeds
• The principles of watering
• The principles of feeding
• Feeding concentrates and roughages
• Feeding groups of horses at one time

The grass kept horse and pasture management

• Advantages and disadvantages of working off grass
• Paddock size and miniumum area needed
• Types of fencing
• The water supply
• Shelter
• Fodder trees
• General mangement of the grass-kept horse
• Management in summer
• Management in winter
• Excercise
• Grooming the grass-kept horse
• Conservation of the land
• Keeping horses at grass on small areas
• Roughing off and turning a horse out

Grooming

• The skin – epidermis, dermis, the coat
• How the skin regulates body temperature
• Reasons for grooming
• Grooming tools
• Grooming techniques – strapping, sponging, brushing
• Using a stable rubber, dealing with stable stains on grey coats
• Oiling the feet
• Quartering
• Setting Fair/Brushing off
• Washing the mane and tail
• Washing the sheath
• Shampooing the horse

Industry Applications

• Resources
• Writing resumes – employment readiness
• Competition horses (overview) – event horse, dressage horse, show jumper, endurance
• Educating Horses
• Breeding
• Farm planning
• Short term operations
• Farm business structures
• Quality management systems
• Whole farm planning
• Preparing a farm business
• Managing risk
• Sensitivity analysis
• Financial management
• Record keeping
• Finance sources
• Setting up a small business

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school’s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Learning Goals:  Horse (Equine) Care I BAG102

To differentiate between the different procedures used for the handling of horses
To describe the procedures for the buying and selling of horses
To develop a program for the evaluation of the conformation of horses on a property/facility
To analyse the digestive system, including structure and function, of horses
To develop appropriate procedures to manage a horse at grass
To explain the methods used to prepare horses for specific uses, including their grooming for different tasks
To explain the commercial opportunities available in the horse industry

Practicals:

• Here are just some of the things you will be doing:
• Describe different psychological traits of a horse including:
  • herd
  • instinct
  • memory
  • fright.
• Explain how an understanding of horse psychology can assist with handling a horse.
• Compare three different methods of breaking in a horse.
• Demonstrate how to put on different pieces of tack including:
  • a head stall
  • a bridle
  • a saddle.
• Demonstrate how to lead a horse.
• Demonstrate how to ride a horse.
• Develop a list of safety rules for handling horses in a specified situation.
• Compare the differences in the way two different horse owners handle their horses, at the same horse show or competition.
• Describe the different ways of trading (i.e. buying or selling) horses in your locality.
• Develop a checklist of factors to consider when buying a horse for a specified type of use.
• Compare five different advertisements for the sale of horses of a similar type, to determine which of the five appears to be the best value, and listing the reasons why it appears good value.
• Evaluate the features of a horse being offered for sale in your locality, to determine the value of that horse.
• Label an unlabelled diagram of the parts of a horse’s body.
• Define the different conformation terminology, including:
  • girth
  • body proportions
  • leg settings
  • conformation
  • bone.
• Describe the preferred features of the parts of a horses body referred to in earlier points.
• Compare the conformation of two different breeds of horses, based upon a physical inspection of a horse from each breed.
• Compare procedures used to evaluate the conformation of horses at two different properties/facilities.
• Label the parts on an unlabelled diagram of the digestive system of horses.
• Explain the function of different components in a horse’s diet.
• Explain how the watering of a horse, as observed by you, on a specific property is likely to affect that horses digestive processes.
• Evaluate the digestive processes involved in the digestion of three different horse feeds analysed by you.
•  Differentiate between the digestive processes in three different types of horses, including:
  • very active horses
  • horses being rested.
• Compare the advantages with the disadvantages of keeping a horse at grass.
• Recommend paddock facilities, in your locality, which are appropriate for horses kept at grass.
• Prepare a description, and use illustrations where appropriate, of the facilities you recommended.
• Differentiate between the requirements of a specified horse kept at grass, at different times of the year, in your locality.
• Develop guidelines for managing a specific horse at grass, on a property visited and investigated by you.
• Explain three different husbandry tasks which are essential to the management of the horse investigated by you.
• List the different reasons for grooming horses.
• Describe how to use different items of grooming equipment.
• Write a procedure for washing a horse, in a specified situation.
• Compare how to groom horses for different situations, including:
  • dressage
  • pony club competition
  • exhibitions
  • stock work.
• List the different applications for horses in modern society.
• List the resources available for different sectors of the horse industry in your locality, including:
  • racing
  • breeding
  • competitions
  • recreational riding.
• Determine the minimum facilities required to establish three different specified businesses in the horse industry, including;
  • a riding school
  • a stock agent
  • another horse business.
• Evaluate the financial viability of four different sectors of the horse industry.
• Evaluate the potential of two different specified horse enterprises in your locality.

Learn to manage the daily requirements of a horse at grass

• The ability to handle horses using a range of different procedures
• Skills to evaluate a horses conformation
• An understanding of diet
• Knowledge of grooming procedures
• An ability to develop appropriate management procedures for a specific situation.
• Knowledge of commercial opportunities in the equine industry, including how to buy and sell horses.

Your learning experience with ADL will not only depend on the quality of the course but also the quality of the person teaching it. This course is taught by Juliette Harris. Your course fee includes unlimited tutorial support throughout this outstanding professional. Here are her credentials:

Juliette Harris
      BSc Hons Biology (University of Sussex)

Juliette has over 10 years of experience in teaching and private tutoring. As an undergraduate, she contributed to published research on the behaviour of an endangered bat species, though her main areas of interest and specialisation are genetics and cellular biology. After 7 months in the rainforests & reefs of Central America, Juliette began her teaching career at a prestigious private school, Brighton College.  She soon returned to Central America,  heading up a field-trip for A-level students. She has been a private tutor & exam coach to a range of students with very diverse backgrounds, aptitudes, and expectations. More recently, Juliette has enjoyed working with adults with learning difficulties and enormous barriers to education.  Juliette currently splits her time between England and Bulgaria, where she works as a teacher and missionary.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. What qualification will I receive?
A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.