AN 343 - Equine Husbandry

3 Credits

The intent of AN 343 is to provide students in the Animal Science Technology - Equine major with knowledge and skills that enable them to make informed decisions pertaining to the physical well-being of horses in their care. In the Lab portion students apply the knowledge they have gained in AN 132 and AN 341 to train college owned horses for the purpose of resale as a part of AN 366 Student Managed Farm-Livestock II.

Rationale:

This course is required for the Equine Science major of the Animal Science Technology program and is a prerequisite to AN 345. It is important to develop basic equine husbandry skills in order to ensure adequate care for horses in any equine business. Good nutrition, hoof care, conditioning, comprehension of soundness, and use of protective equipment are benchmarks for any equine professional in any discipline or equine business.

Prerequisites: AN 341  
Corequisites: AN 365  

Course Learning Outcomes:
 

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to

1. provide adequate nutrition.
2. provide basic hoof care.
3. assess vital signs for animals in their care.
4. demonstrate a basic comprehension of common injuries for performance horses.
5. gain knowledge of how to reduce the risk of injury for horses during performance events, training, transporting and boarding.
6. work in a team environment to train horses or work cattle from horseback.

Reference Textbook(s):

National Farm Animal Care Council. (2013). Code of practice for the care and handling of

equines. Equine Canada.

Novak, S., & Shoveller, A. K. (2008). Nutrition and feeding management for horse owners.

Edmonton, Alberta: Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.

Conduct of Course:

This course consists of 42 hours of lecture and 56 hours lab. Lecture is delivered in the classroom with the use of PowerPoints, videos and assignments. The lab component is conducted in the Equine Centre and used to further develop practical riding competencies which coincide with the skills required to start colts, handle cattle, competently fit, show or sell horses. Planned seminars, field trips or other activities may occur outside of scheduled class times.

The lecture time involves note taking, videos, guest lectures and discussions. The lab portion involves individual or group work with assigned livestock to complete required tasks. Basic training of a green horse has a large time component to it. Labs are 4 hours per week with lecture as needed. Additional riding times and instruction are available through AN 365-Student Managed Farm-Livestock I. Students are required to keep a notebook and pen in their locker at the arena for note taking. If students have started a colt for SMF they must obtain their instructors permission prior to any unsupervised riding. All working of project horses outside of class time must be done with a buddy system for safety reasons, never advancing past what the instructor has directed. The Stable Management portion consists of a regular Monday organizational meeting and daily chore times as directed in the handout, “Horse Unit Policies”. Any deviation from the chore schedule needs to be approved by the instructor. Alteration of the chore schedule for the group should be done as a group at the Monday meetings.

Classroom and laboratory attendance is considered vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports, therefore absenteeism is recorded.

1. Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours can be required to withdraw and would then automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade).
2. An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor following an in-person meeting. Be sure to contact your instructor and ask what they will require from you as verification for each absence. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential for evening courses, exams or extended field trips. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course: