Horse Care II

This course follows on from Horse Care I. It focuses on the care of stabled performance horses and covers topics such as stabling, foot care, bedding, tack and conditioning.

Course Code: BAG204
Fee Code: S2
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification Statement of Attainment
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STABLE MANAGEMENT COURSE

 
While the course is relevant to horses at grass, it focuses more heavily upon care of the stabled performance horse. The course covers feed and nutrition  stabling, foot care, bedding, tack and conditioning of the horse. This is a stand-alone course and may be taken without Horse Care I as a prerequisite.
 
TRAINING OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ANYONE KEEPING HORSES IN A STABLE 
 
This course complements studies in Horse Care I and Horse Care III, but is a stand alone course you can study without these other courses

Lesson Structure

There are 7 lessons in this course:

  1. Feeds
    • Roughage
    • concentrates
    • roots
    • green feeds and succulents
    • tempters and tonics
    • salts
    • feeding for special purposes
  2. Stabling
    • Three ways to keep horses
    • combined systems
    • stalls
    • stables/looseboxes
    • barns
    • stable layout
    • feed rooms
    • tack rooms
    • the medicine chest
    • stable routine
    • stable tricks and vices
  3. Bedding and Mucking Out
    • reasons for bedding
    • bedding qualities
    • bedding types
    • choosing a system
    • tools needed for mucking out
    • mucking out
    • bedding down
    • managing the bed
    • conserving bedding
    • comparing bedding
    • the muckheap
  4. The Foot and Shoeing
    • foot structure
    • trimming
    • advantages and disadvantages of shoeing
    • signs that shoeing is required
    • the farrier's tools
    • how the horse is shod
    • what to look for in a newly shod hoof
    • basic shoes
    • surgical shoeing
    • studs.
  5. Exercise and Conditioning
    • the difference between exercise and conditioning
    • soft and hard condition
    • exercising a horse
    • the fittening schedule
    • principles of fittening
    • maintaining fitness
  6. Tack and Tack Fitting
    • principles of bitting
    • the mouth
    • types of bits
    • where the bit acts
    • fitting the saddle
    • causes of sore backs
    • care of the back when unsaddling
    • saddle types
    • girths
    • saddle cloths and numnahs
    • tack cleaning
  7. Horse Facility Design
    • Farm layout

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

  • Analyse the feeding requirements and feeding techniques available for horse husbandry.
  • Develop a stable management program for horses.
  • Explain the management procedures necessary to fulfil the bedding requirements of horses.
  • Explain the management and care of horses feet.
  • Implement management procedures for the conditioning of horses.
  • Describe the procedures used for managing the tack requirements of horses.
  • Explain the management, including design and applications, of facilities used in the horse industry.

How do you Feed and Water a Stabled Horse?


When horses are kept in a predominantly stabled situation, feeding can become one of the main highlights of the day. A horse that is stabled does not have access to its natural forage feed of grass and we compensate for this by supplying hay or other fibre substitutes. Any hay fed should always be high quality and free from mould and dust. 

If a stabled horse is being ridden regularly and carrying out hard work then additional concentrate feed may also be required to increase energy and to maintain condition. It should be remembered that the horse is naturally designed to eat small amounts often so concentrate feeds should be split accordingly and fed several times throughout the day.

The following rules of feeding should be remembered:

  • Fresh, clean water should be freely available to the stabled horse at all times. This can be provided by buckets, containers or automatic drinkers. However it is provided, all buckets, drinkers etc. should be scrupulously clean and scrubbed out on a regular basis.
  • Feed by weight not volume of feed. To ensure you are feeding the correct quantities you need to weigh one scoop of each different type of feed you use.
  • Concentrates must be fed ‘little and often’
  • Always use high quality feeds.
  • Feed according to body weight and temperament
  • Make any changes to the diet gradually to reduce the risk of digestive upsets
  • Don't exercise directly after feeding
  • Feed at the same time each day
  • Increase feed quantity and energy content according to the level of work your horse is doing
  • Feed plenty of good quality roughage.
 
 
 

 

 
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.

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Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Jade Sciascia

Biologist, Business Coordinator, Government Environmental Dept, Secondary School teacher (Biology); Recruitment Consultant, Senior Supervisor in Youth Welfare, Horse Riding Instructor (part-completed) and Boarding Kennel Manager.
Jade has a B.Sc.Biol, Dip.Professional Education, Cert IV TESOL, Cert Food Hygiene.

Cheryl Wilson

Cheryl has spent two decades working in agriculture, equine and education industries, across England, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand. She graduated with a B.Sc.(Hons), HND Horse Mgt, C&G Teaching Cert.
For several years, Cheryl managed the distance education courses for Warwickshire College (a large UK government institution), out of their Moreton Morrell campus. In more recent years, she has co authored several books including titles on Horse Care, Dog Care and Poultry. Along with this solid background in edication, she brings a wealth of practical experience, having held positions including: Sports Horse Stud Groom, Stable Manager, Yard Manager, Equine industrial Training Manager, FE Distance Learning Manager

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