EQUINE STUDIES ONLINE STUDY
- Become an Equine Industry Professional
- Start a business, get a job, advance a career
- Self paced, 1500 hour course -more comprehensive than most diplomas offered elsewhere.
Before Enrolling -Get some advice from one of our faculty -Click to use our free advisory service
COURSE CONTENT
This comprehensive course is made up of the following 15 modules, totaling around 1500 hours of study.
Horse Management I
Learn to manage the daily requirements of a horse at grass.
The course aims to develop:
- 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 horse industry, including how to buy and sell horses.
The course includes most of the subject material in the course "Keeping a Horse" plus more. It covers:
- Terminology; Horse Psychology; Using tack; Parts of the body
- The digestive system; Evaluating the value of a paddock
- Grooming for different purposes (e.g. dressage, shows, stock work)
- Business applications (e.g. racing, riding schools, breeding, stock agent)
- Students need to provide proof that they have ridden and handled a horse prior to completing this course
Horse Management II
Learn about feeds, stabling, foot care, bedding, tack, conditioning, and other areas relevant to caring for horses in a stable,
There are seven lessons:
1. Feeds - Roughage, Concentrates, Green feed, etc
2. Stabling - Stalls, Stables, Barns, etc
3. Bedding and Mucking Out
4. The Foot and Shoeing
5. Exercise and Conditioning
6. Tack and Tack Fitting
7. Horse Facility Design
Horse Management III
All about managing health and condition of horses in different situations. Learn to identify signs of poor condition, and address those problems appropriately. There are six lessons:
1. Blankets, Bandages and Boots
2. Maintaining the Health of Horses
3. Clipping, Trimming & Plaiting
4. Travelling & Horse Care Away from Home
5. Organising & Managing a Horse Event
6. Managing a Horse Enterprise
Equine Behaviour
Develop your understanding of equine behaviour, and your ability to apply that to the welfare and training of the horse. This course is comprised of seven lessons, outlined below:
1. Introduction: Influences and motivation
2. Genetics and Behaviour
3. Equine Perception and Behaviour
4. Communication and Social Behaviour
5. Sexual and Reproductive Behaviour
6. Learning and Training
7. Behavioural Problems
Breeding Animals
Learn to plan implementation of an animal breeding program using genetic theory, practical applications to daily husbandry practice, and management of animal breeding programs. There are 7 lessons as follows:
- Introduction To Genetics
- Genetics
- Selection
- Pure Breeding
- Introduction To Cross Breeding
- Cross Breeding
- Livestock Improvement
Pasture Management
Learn to evaluate, design and make decisions about the management of pasture for different purposes and animals, including horses.
Event Management
Learn to plan, create, manage, and evaluate a successful equine-related event in sport, recreation, tourism, agriculture, or other area.
Animal Anatomy and Physiology I
Develop a sound foundation knowledge of animal biology - anatomy and physiology.
Animal Health
Learn to describe common diseases in animals, and to recognise and treat these diseases and wounds.
Animal Feed and Nutrition
Learn about the composition of a range of feeds, including pasture, fodder crops, grasses, cereals, seed, and other edible plants. This course also explains the role of proteins, vitamins and minerals in animal diets.
Farm Management
Improve your capacity to more effectively manage a farm or agricultural enterprise which services farms.
Sustainable Agriculture
This course presents many different techniques and general measures which may be adopted in part or full to move a farm toward greater sustainability.
Soil Management
Learn about soil properties and requirements in agriculture, and how to apply that knowledge at a management level in an equine business.
Research Project I
Learn to plan and conduct research into the current status of an aspect of the equine industry relating to their area of study, and to complete a descriptive report based on that research
Workshops I
Develop your capacity to identify, select and apply knowledge and skills to appropriate perform workplace tasks in the equine industry through a problem-based learning project.
What's Different About this Diploma?
- Options to choose electives that you don't find in similar diplomas elsewhere. (compare modules we offer)
- A longer, more in depth diploma than what is offered at many other colleges (Compare the duration -1500 hours -here with elsewhere). Study more, learn more, go further in your career or business.
- A stronger focus on learning (some colleges focus more on assessment than we do -but we believe that what you learn is what makes the difference)
- Exceptional tutors...compare the qualifications and experience of our staff (see staff profiles at ... http://www.acsedu.com/about-us/our-staff.aspx) ....after all, it doesn't make sense to choose where to study if you don't first know who will be teaching you.
AGRICULTURE TUTORS
Our Agriculture faculty members include:
Dr. Gareth Pearce BSc(Hons), BVSc, MA, MVetS, PhD, GradCertEd(HE), PGCertAqVetS, PGCertWLBio&Cons, DiplECPHM, MRCVS. Gareth has over 25 years of experience in teaching and research in agriculture, veterinary medicine, wildlife ecology and conservation in a variety of colleges and universities in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. He qualified as a veterinary surgeon at the Universities of Melbourne and Bristol, having previously graduated in Agricultural Science and gained a PhD in Livestock Behaviour and Production. He also has post-graduate qualifications in Education, Wildlife Conservation Medicine, Aquatic Veterinary Studies and Wildlife Biology & Conservation.
Anna Sylvester B.Sc.Hons.(Human Biology), M.Sc.Equine
Anna graduated with a degree in Human Biology from Loughborough University and then went on to complete an MSc in Equine Science at The University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and has a high level of expertise in equine science. She has since spent time in managerial, research and lecturing positions. She also has practical equine experience, and still competes nationally whenever the opportunity arises.
Marius Erasmus B.Sc.Agric., B.Sc.(Wildlife), M.Sc.Agric.
Subsequent to completing a BSc (agric) degree in animal science, he completed an honours degree in wildlife management, and a masters degree in production animal physiology. Following the Masters degree, he has worked for 9 years in the UK, and South Africa; in wildlife management, dairy, beef and poultry farming.
Michele Cullen B.Teaching/B.General Studies (Linguistics/Science), Golden Key International Honours Society (UNE), Dip. Landcare and Natural Resources, Cert. III Landcare, Assoc. Dip. Stock & Meat Inspection (UQ Gatton). Michele has over 20 years experience in the rural sector, working as a Stock Inspector (first female) with the Qld. Department of Primary Industries, Stock Inspector (QRSPCA), Management Trainee (Australian Meat Holdings/Conagra) and as co-owner of a Quarter Horse Breeding enterprise (Harman Quarter Horses
Peter Douglas Dip Animal Husbandry
Peter has over 45 years of experience in Agriculture and resources management. He is a former lecturer with the University of Queensland (Gatton), and manager of Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. He also established and managed the wildlife park for Dreamworld, one of Australia's largest theme parks. Peter has both wide ranging experience in farming and wildlife management, and continues to apply that knowledge both through his work with ACS, and helping his adult children who have pursued careers of their own in similar areas
Bob James M.Env., Sc., Dip.Animal Husb, B.App.Sc., Grad.Dip.Mgt, PDC
40 years experience in industry, having held a wide variety of senior positions in both government and private enterprise. Bob's experience and knowledge is diverse, encompassing fields of Horticulture, Agriculture, Environmental Management, Business and professional writing
Learning Facilities
ACS follows the old fashioned idea that “the student comes first”. Our staff are told to treat every student as an individual and respond promptly to their enquiries; and the facilities we have developed and continue to develop, are all focused on that goal. Facilities include:
- Offices in two time zones (UK and Australia) –which means an international team of academics are responding to students 5 days a week and 16 hours a day.
- An online student room with unique resources that are only available to students studying our courses, including online library.
- Bookshop offering quality downloadable e books
- A data base of 20 million words of unique information written by our staff over 3 decades that can be drawn upon if needed by academics for use in supporting our students.
- Systems that ensure assignments are tracked, marked and returned to students, fast -commonly within a round 1 week & rarely more than 2 weeks (note: many other colleges take longer).
- The school is active in social networking and encourages students to connect with us and each other.
- No automated handling of student phone enquiries. When you call you get a real person; or leave a message and a real person will call you back within a day, but more commonly within an hour or two.
- No additional charges for extra tutor support over the phone or email.
- Free careers advice for graduates –It is our policy to provide support and advice to our students even after they graduate. If a graduate needs help with getting a CV together, or advice on setting up a business or looking for work; they only need ask.
- The quality of academic staff is higher than many other colleges.
Career Opportunities
Study alone can never guarantee career success; but a good education is an important starting point.
Success in a career depends upon many things. A course like this is an excellent starting point because it provides a foundation for continued learning, and the means of understanding and dealing with issues you encounter in the workplace.
When you have completed an ACS course, you will have not only learnt about the subject, but you will have been prompted to start networking with experts in the discipline and shown how to approach problems that confront you in this field.
This and every other industry in today’s world is developing in unforeseen ways; and while that is unsettling for anyone who wants to be guaranteed a particular job at the end of a particular course; for others, this rapidly changing career environment is offering new and exciting opportunities almost every month.
If you want to do the best that you can in this industry, you need to recognise that the opportunities that confront you at the end of a course, are probably different to anything that has even been thought of when you commence a course.
BOOKS
Visit our School bookshop at www.acsebook.com
- Downloadable ebooks that can be read on ipads, PC’s, Laptops, or readers like a Kindle.
- Titles are written by our principal and staff.
- Anyone can purchase books –ACS students are offered a student discount
