Students will gain a strong understanding of safe handling of performance horses. At the completion of this course, students will recognize identified behaviours and understand body language of horses. Applied learning opportunities will be a part of this course, including round pen work, lunging, safe horse handling and ground driving.

This course covers the basic duties and responsibilities required to care for performance horses and work in a horse facility. As part of this course, students will be responsible for the maintenance and care of the horses in the facility. Students will learn occupational health and safety, bio-security, handling crisis situations and the economics of maintaining a barn and horses.

This course will provide an understanding of basic diseases, nutrition, record keeping and various aspects pertaining to performance horse health and wellness. Topics covered in this course will include: horse health check, parasite control, hoof care, skin care, grooming and other key factors to maintaining the welfare of performance horses.

Students will learn about the major systems of a horse (digestive, respiratory, reproductive, musculoskeletal and nervous). Students will learn how to deal with various problems related to performance horses as well as how to identify them, including: lameness, heat stress, and abnormal health issues that may arise. The course will provide knowledge on preventing disease and following health protocols.

This course will help students learn how to maintain facilities. Through applied learning opportunities, students will be taught how to operate such equipment as tractors, track conditioners, and trailers safely. Students will also learn about establishing and managing pastures.

This course will provide students with the skills required to explore employment in the performance horse industry. The opportunity to work on networking and interview skills as well as resume writing will give students an edge when looking for careers after graduation.

Students will participate in a two-week, 70-hour off-campus training and evaluation period at the conclusion of their first semester. The location must be one in which students have not worked or volunteered previously. Students will put into practice the skills that have been taught during the first semester of academic training and are assessed by a facility manger/owner. Students are required to keep a journal, as well as a checklist of skills they are performing. The placement must be satisfactorily completed to be eligible to continue in the program.

Students will build on the knowledge gained in their first semester and have an opportunity to work with young, green or problem horses. This course will teach students about loading and unloading performance horses on trailers. Students will learn about turnout and preparing horses for sales. Students will practice lunging, round pen work and ground driving.

Students will build on many of the skills learned in the first semester but also add to the tasks they can perform in this class. Students will be actively involved in the chores and maintenance of the facility in this course. This course will teach grooming and clipping, using restraints, using blankets and boots correctly, and understanding how to assist vets, farriers and other members of the herd health team.

This course will provide learning opportunities in managing healthy environments and understanding shelter requirements. Students will gain a strong knowledge of bio-security in the barn including isolation, cleanliness, horse management, early detection, reportable disease and import-export requirements. Students will learn how to perform dental care and become familiar with diagnostic tools and techniques.

This course will build on the student's knowledge from first semester. The focus of this semester will be the more internal systems of the horse. Students will study the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and their importance for performance. The digestive system will be a major focus as students trace the pathway of food from the oral cavity throughout the length of the digestive system. Students will study the teeth of the horse as well as judging age in horses through examination of their teeth. The nervous and reproductive systems will be studied along with the integument, renal, and lymphatic systems. Students will gain an understanding of the anatomy of wound healing and the effects of scar tissue on performance.

Students will learn basic business skills, including the finances of running a business. An understanding of regulations, record keeping, ethics, professionalism, employment contracts and tax implications will be covered in this course.

Students will have applied learning opportunities with standardbred horses at Clinton Racetrack. The course will explore conditioning methods in the classroom that will be applied during the hands-on learning with the horses.

Students will participate in a Four-week, 140 hour off-campus training and evaluation period at the conclusion of their second semester. The location must be one in which they have not worked or volunteered previously. This placement must be in a different area of the equine industry than was experienced during Industry Placement I. Students will put into practice the skills that have been taught throughout the year, and are assessed by a facility manger/owner. Students are required to keep a checklist of skills they are performing. At the completion of their work placement, they will complete a report on their practice location. The placement must be satisfactorily completed to be eligible to graduate from the program.