Equine Sciences Certification Program

Earn industry-recognized credentials in equine studies, management, and business.

This program provides hands-on training and practical knowledge across core areas of equine care, management, and business. Whether you’re just starting or advancing your career, each course builds essential skills for working confidently in equine industries.

Equine Sciences Course Details

Select your course(s) of interest below to view course dates, objectives, overviews, shadowing requirements, pricing, professional development credentials, and registration links! Registration is open for the full-year program and for individual fall courses through the beginning of the fall term. Stay tuned for future individual course registration links!

Fall 2026 - Intro to Equine Studies
Fall course dates: 9/23/26 - 12/11/26.

Objectives:
1. Identify current market trends for the equine industry.
2. Interview with at least three equine professionals from different disciplines.
3. Compare and contrast a variety of equine professions.
4. Differentiate breeds and competitions for each.
5. Analyze comprehensive management techniques for a variety of equine professions.
This course covers a broad overview of the program as well as the entire equine world of opportunity. Intro to Equine Studies analyzes the evolution of not only the horse and a variety of breeds, but also the evolution of diverse disciplines, horsemanship, and the diverse careers within the equine field.

Course Price: $400

Credentials: Successful completion of this course can result in three (3) Professional Development Credits, available for purchase at $55 per credit.

Course can be taken alongside Fall 2026 - Basic Horsemanship for Equine Studies Certificate and Digital Badge.
Intro to Equine Studies
Fall 2026 - Basic Horsemanship
Fall course dates: 9/23/26 - 12/11/26.

Objectives:
1. Practice basic horsemanship with their assigned horse.
2. Identify confirmation of strengths and weaknesses.
3. Assess a variety of horsemanship programs and beliefs.
4. Develop a training plan for a variety of horses.
5. Demonstrate a variety of horsemanship techniques.
Students are introduced to their animals for the first time and begin learning horsemanship and training principles and are assigned the animal they will be working with throughout the program.

Course Price: $650

Credentials: Successful completion of this course can result in five (5) Professional Development Credits, available for purchase at $55 per credit.

Course can be taken alongside Fall 2026 - Intro to Equine Studies for Equine Studies Certificate and Digital Badge.

Basic Horsemanship
Winter 2027 - Basic Horse Care and Nutrition
Winter course dates: 1/5/27 - 3/19/27.

Objectives:
1. Gain a basic understanding of equine anatomy and physiology.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of equine digestion and metabolism.
3. Identify equine nutritional strategies for a variety of needs.  
4. Explain how equine nutrition can prevent injury and disease.
Students will gain a basic understanding of equine anatomy and physiology, nutrient digestion and metabolism, nutrition requirements, and feed management. Clinical nutritional strategies as well as veterinary care or physiological training principles will be applied to improve equine performance and prevent disease.

Shadow component: Students log 10+ hours in a veterinary setting with horses (no other animals can be logged for this requirement). Students will independently coordinate their shadowing hours and placement locations.

Course Price: $400

Credentials: successful completion of this course can result in three (3) Professional Development Credits, available for purchase at $55 per credit.

Course can be taken alongside Winter 2027 - Equine Facilities Management for the Equine Management Certificate and Digital Badge.
Winter 2027 - Equine Facilities Management
Winter course dates: 1/5/27 - 3/19/27.

Objectives:
1. Discover different needs and challenges related to a variety of equine facilities.
2. Identify income and expenses related to a variety of equine facilities.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of bookkeeping practices for various equine facilities.
4. Collaborate with at least two different equine professionals.
5. Develop a safety plan for a potential equine facility.
This is an internship style course where students will be placed with an equine facility and instructor to learn about safety, organization, accounting, liability, and best practices in a specific field.

Shadow component: Students spend a duration of 12 hours minimum in an equine closed housing setting of their choice. Students will independently coordinate their shadowing hours and placement locations.

Course Price: $400

Credentials: Successful completion of this course can result in three (3) Professional Development Credits, available for purchase at $55 per credit.

Course can be taken alongside Winter 2027 - Basic Horse Care Management for the Equine Management Certificate and Digital Badge.
Spring 2027 - Equine Sciences
Spring course dates: 3/30/27 - 6/11/27.

Objectives:
1. Demonstrate techniques to test equine soundness.
2. Practice basic farrier services.
3. Collaborate with an equine reproductive facility.
4. Identify best practices for equine dentistry.
5. Construct cost analysis and challenges related to equine reproduction and veterinary care.
Students will develop methods for analyzing equine conformation, footcare, and dental practices, and will gain an understanding of how these impact training and performance. Students will familiarize themselves with equine reproduction as well as the management of a breeding facility.

Shadow component: Students spend a duration of 10 hours minimum in a veterinary facility AND spend a duration of 5 hours minimum in a breeding facility AND spend a duration of 5 hours minimum with a farrier during work hours. Students will independently coordinate their shadowing hours and placement locations.

Course Price: $400

Credentials: Successful completion of this course can result in three (3) Professional Development Credits, available for purchase at $55 per credit.

Course can be taken alongside Spring 2027 - Equine Business, Sales, and Marketing for the Equine Business Certificate and Digital Badge.
Spring 2027 - Equine Business, Sales, and Marketing
Spring course dates: 3/30/27 - 6/11/27.

Objectives:
1. Create an equine sale catalogue.
2. Build a sale website for equine professionals.
3. Prepare for an equine competition at a professional facility.
4. Practice professional photography for selling horses.
5. Demonstrate how to host an equine sale preview.
This hands-on course will allow students to prepare for the marketing of horses in a business and personal sense. Students will prepare a sale facility, host a sale preview, create a sale catalogue with professional pictures of each equine suited for the web and print, and facilitate a horse show for sale equines as well as outside participants. Horses from the program will be sold in this course.

Shadow component: Students spend a duration of 12 hours minimum in an equine setting of their choice. Students will independently coordinate their shadowing hours and placement locations.

Course Price: $400

Credentials: Successful completion of this course can result in three (3) Professional Development Credits, available for purchase at $55 per credit.

Course can be taken alongside Spring 2027 - Equine Sciences for the Equine Business Certificate and Digital Badge.
FULL Equine Studies Program Registration

Pre-register for the full 2026-2027 Equine Sciences Program to reserve your spot in future courses today!

Course dates are 9/23/26 - 06/11/27.

Full Equine Sciences Program price is $2650.
Yearlong Equine Course Registration

Equine Sciences Credentials

All students have the option to purchase professional development credits (PDCs) for each course. PDCs are not included in standard course prices. PDC pricing for each course is $55 per credit.

Masthead photo taken by Dane Gokey