OLDS — Starting in the fall, Olds College of Agriculture & Technology will be launching a new equine care & management certificate program.
Offered through the college’s School of Life Science & Business, the new one-year program prepares students for a career in the equine sector through hands-on labs, classroom lectures and work-integrated learning.
The certificate focuses on foundational knowledge and skills of equine behaviour and handling, management of horses and horse herds.
Students will also learn how to respond when first aid is required and how to communicate effectively within the equine industry.
Students will take three mandatory courses and two electives each term.
Those interested in riding will have an opportunity to select riding courses for their electives.
"The new program aims to create an inclusive environment for all learners interested in learning about the whole horse,” Dr. Jaryn Scheck, an instructor in the School of Life Science & Business says in a news release.
Scheck says students will learn about equine behaviour and horsemanship, equine health, and the business of the equine industry.
They will also participate in a six-to-eight-week work-integrated learning placements in the equine industry.
Twenty students will be accepted into the new program. Applications for the new course are now available.
