I remember the courses that were offered at the University of Guelph, long before the internet existed. They were a great opportunity to learn from the some of the best horses experts in the industry at the time. Horse courses were available, but they weren’t as accessible as they are now, you might not know about them if you didn’t subscribe to just the right magazine or talk to the right people, and you often had to drive quite a distance. The internet has made all sorts of learning much easier, including learning about horses. Lots can be learned from just reading websites, but courses with a set curriculum and testing may be a more effective learn and retain the knowledge you gain. You probably won’t learn to ride significantly better just by taking an online course although you likely pick up some useful tips. But, there are other things to be learned about horses.
Some horse courses are free. But, you get what you pay for, for the most part. With any online purchase, even courses, you’ll want to check the credentials of the institution offering it and spend some time researching reviews by people who have taken the courses. After all, in some cases, courses can cost in the thousands of dollars, and you’ll want to make sure when you’re paying that amount of money that you’ll be getting a good education and respected credentials. On the other end of the scale, there are courses that cost less than $100. Some will be very basic, with information you could easily find for free on many equine websites.
Universities and colleges, state horse councils and provincial horse associations, breed associations and places dedicated to horse research and education are credible sources of sound information. You’ll also find a few others websites like My Horse University, Horse Courses Online or International Career Institute that offer equine studies. Some will offer courses with credits transferable to colleges and universities while others will be courses offered for personal information.
Here is a sampling of courses available. Some are intended as standalone, informational courses, and some may earn you credits or a diploma.
The University of Guelph, located physically in Ontario, Canada is a leader in equine research and offers full time agricultural studies as well as online courses for continuing education. Equine nutrition, stable management, business studies and equine welfare are just a few of the online courses on offer. On completion of ten course, students will earn a Diploma in Equine Studies.
Horse SA offers a free course for owners and first responders in dealing with equine emergencies. The course takes only thirty minutes to complete, and you are awarded a social media graphic and printable certificate.
International Career Institute offers an equine care course, but ICI isn’t always respected in a lot of industries, so if you want something impressive on your resume, this might not work for you. The cost of the course is substantial as well.
Learning to ride online sounds impossible, but The Virtual Equestrian offers you coaching via video. Created By a certified Equestrian Canada Coach, The Virtual Equestrian allows you to get critiquing from a coach and theory to base your experiences on.
Horse Council British Columbia has several courses, although they are not free to non-members of HCBC, but you can sign up for courses in road safety, vaccines, parasite control, your first horse and much more.
Michigan State University offers an online course on equine nutrition. UC Davis offers an online course through Coursera on Equine Management and Welfare. The topics covered include nutrition and care as well as understanding the needs of working horses.
And of course there are many more. Just make sure you do some research before sending in your money.
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