Horse Care III

Learn about equine health from experienced veterinary scientists. Our in-depth 100-hour, self paced home study will help you manage horse health and conditioning.

Course Code: BAG302
Payment Options
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 0 hours
Qualification Statement of Attainment
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Learn to Manage the health and condition of horses in different situations.

  • Learn signs that suggest poor condition or ill health, and address the problems appropriately.
  • Understand the things that can stress a horse and increase susceptibility to problems.
  • Learn how to manage situations to reduce risk factors.

Comment from one our horse Care III students:

" I think ACS provides a wonderful service"  B. Clarke


Lesson Structure

There are 6 lessons in this course:

  1. Blankets, Bandages & Boots
    • Different blankets and rugs
    • fitting a rug
    • putting on a rug
    • taking off a rug
    • surcingles and rollers
    • caring for rugs and blankets
    • types of bandages and their uses
    • rules for bandaging
    • boots and their uses
  2. Maintaining The Health Of Horses
    • Signs of good and poor health
    • sick nursing rules
    • isolation procedure
    • common ailments to recognize
    • taking the temperature
    • the medicine chest
    • first aid treatments
    • restraining a horse
    • emergencies
    • preventing a disease
  3. Clipping, Trimming & Plaiting
    • Reasons for clipping
    • types of clippers
    • types of clips
    • preparation for clipping
    • how to clip
    • finishing off
    • hogging the mane
    • trimming
    • pulling the mane and tail
    • plaiting the mane or tail
  4. Travelling & Care of The Horse Away From Home
    • Preparing a horse for travel
    • preparing a trailer
    • loading the horse
    • the problem loader
    • safety while loading
    • before a show
    • at the show
    • returning home
  5. Organising & Managing A Horse Event
    • Organising an event
    • contingencies to cater for
    • the public, exhibitors and organisers
    • costs
    • guidelines for planning a show or exhibition
    • the facility
    • exclusive bookings
    • facilities without prior bookings
    • booking records
    • publicity
    • community participation
  6. Managing A Horse Enterprise
    • management plans
    • rural finance sources
    • banks
    • money market
    • financial planning
    • contract law
    • assessing profit
    • risk analysis
    • standards
    • financial records
    • cash flow
    • E.O.P accounting

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

  • Identify the use and purpose of protective equipment for horses, including blankets, bandages and boots.
  • Determine the procedures required to maintain a horses health.
  • Develop a program to prepare a horse for showing.
  • Prepare a management plan for a horse while away from it's home.
  • Develop a plan for the management of a horse industry event.
  • Analyse the management of a horse enterprise, including its marketing and financial viability.

What You Will Do

  • Explain the uses of a horse blanket in a specified locality.
  • Evaluate three different types of horse blankets, in terms of various factors, including: *price *application *quality *longevity.
  • List five situations when bandages are used on a horse
  • Describe the methods of bandaging horses, as listed above.
  • Demonstrate the use of bandages on horses in two specified situations.
  • Explain the different reasons why boots are used on horses.
  • Describe the use of boots on a horse in two specified situations.
  • Define terms used in the health care of horses.
  • Describe the symptoms of five common ailments in horses.
  • Develop a checklist for evaluating the health of a horse.
  • Evaluate the health, using the checklist developed above, of a chosen horse.
  • Describe, in an illustrated report, how to take a horses temperature.
  • List the minimum components and their uses, of an equine first aid kit for two different specified situations.
  • Explain different horse restraining techniques, including the use of: *stalls *twitch *sidelines *crushes *hobbles.
  • Determine the criteria which must be satisfied before, and during, the isolation of a horse.
  • Explain why the isolation procedure is used in a specific situation.
  • Describe the use and maintenance of tools and equipment required for preparation of a horse for showing.
  • Demonstrate plaiting using a fibre comparable to horses hair.
  • Compare the differences in showing under saddle, with showing on the halter.
  • Write a plan for the preparation of a horse for showing, in a specific competition.
  • List the situations where a horse might need to be transported.
  • Explain the different methods of transporting a horse with respect to: *impact on the animal *equipment required *costs.
  • Prepare a set of guidelines for the care of a horse during travel.
  • Prepare guidelines for the care of a horse at a specified show.
  • Plan appropriate procedures for the transportation of a horse, for two different situations, in terms of: *a timetable of events *husbandry tasks to be carried out *a list of equipment and materials required.
  • List the factors influencing the success of different types of events in the horse industry, including: *Shows *Races *Competitions.
  • Determine the minimum first aid facilities which should be provided for horses, riders and spectators at a specified type of event.
  • Prepare a plan for managing a specified type of horse event.
  • Write a report analysing the management of a nominated event in your locality.
  • Evaluate the management of a horse event, such as a show, competition or race; with reference to: *organisation *promotion *success (or failure) of the event.
  • Determine the factors affecting the profitability of two different specified horse enterprises visited by you.
  • Calculate the different costs involved in maintaining a specified breed/type of horse over one year, including: *manpower *agistment *feed *veterinary needs *transport *tack.
  • Evaluate three different systems for marketing horses in your locality.
  • Determine innovative marketing methods for different horse industry situations, including: *Stud services *Yearling sales *Riding instruction.

How Can You Know When a Horse is Sick?

Familiarity with the signs of good health is essential to enable any signs of illness to be detected early in the disease process. The following are visual signs of health (good and poor) in horses.

Behaviour

(i) Attitude/Temperament
Normal: bright, alert with pricked ears and interest in surroundings.
Abnormal: aggressive, restless, depressed (+/- signs of pain such as unwillingness to move, head pressing, repeated yawning).

(ii) Stance & Stretching
Abnormalities may indicate regional pain (e.g. laminitis or abdominal pain)

(iii) Appetite
Eagerness and ability to eat and drink

(iv) Defecation and urination
Normal/abnormal posture, frequency (defecation 8-12 times per day on corn, 16 times plus at pasture), consistency (should break on hitting the ground), colour (green-brown to golden brown).

(v)  Presence of vices
Weaving, crib-biting, wind sucking indicate management problem and may have systemic consequences (e.g. weight loss etc.)

(vi)  State of bedding
Disarray from pawing may be an indication of pain as may, straw on back if the horse has been rolling.

Superficial Signs

(i) Coat condition
Normal: shiny and even distribution
Abnormal: include bald patches/changes in pigmentation which may be an indication of parasites, excess skin scurf (dandruff), and excessive growth (hormonal).

(ii) Skin lesions
Hairless patches, raised wheals, hemorrhages, tumors, moist mottled hair etc.

(iii)  Body condition
The animal becomes obese, normal, emaciated: abnormalities may be related to nutrition, management and/or disease.

(iv) Sweating
Excessive associated with pain and/or stress.

(v) Discharges
... from the eyes or nose: amount and consistency, unilateral and bilateral.


Respiration

(i) Rate
Normal breathing rate is 8 to 16 breaths per minute

(ii) Nature
Normally respiratory effort should be barely noticeable, abnormal rhythm and involving abdominal effort indicates dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing).

(iii)  Coughing
Consider the frequency and nature (e.g. moist or dry +/- discharge)


Physical examination

(i) Pulse rate
Normal 30 - 40 beats per minute
    
(ii) Rectal temperature
Normal 37-38 degrees C (99-101.5 degrees F)
(ensure bulb is touching rectal wall and not inserted into a ball of faeces if possible)

(iii)  Body and legs
Palpation for any abnormal swellings or areas of heat or pain (see lameness lectures)

(iv) Head
Mouth: teeth: condition and age colour of membranes and capillary refill time (normal 1-2 seconds)




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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.

Dr. Gareth Pearce

Veterinary scientist and surgeon with expertise in agriculture and environmental science, with over 25 years of experience in teaching and research in agriculture, veterinary medicine, wildlife ecology and conservation in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Post-graduate qualifications in Education, Wildlife Conservation Medicine, Aquatic Veterinary Studies and Wildlife Biology & Conservation.
Gareth has a B.Sc.(Hons), B.V.Sc., M.A., M.Vet.S,. PhD, Grad. Cert. Ed.(HE), Post-Grad.Cert. Aq.Vet.Sc., Post-Grad. Cert. WLBio&Cons., Dipl. ECPHM, MRCVS.





Tutors

Meet some of the tutors that guide the students through this course.

Graham Anderson

Graham Anderson B. Mech Eng (hons) Dip. Health

Graham has spent his life in the farming and agriculture industry, particularly carving a niche in the avocado sector with experience ranging from tissue culture, to nursery management to fruit marketing. He has an engineering qualification and an extensive range of mechanical skills which are now diversifying to an understanding of our internal mechanics in health and psychology with qualifications underway.

Alison Pearce

Alison brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to ACS Agriculture, Wildlife and Ecotourism students.

She has worked as a University Lecturer, a Quality Assurance Manager, a Research Technician, and has also run a veterinary operating theatre; responsible for animal anaesthesia, instrument preparation, and assistance with surgical techniques and procedures. She has worked in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

She has extensive experience of handling, husbandry, and management of a wide range of both small and large animals and has a particular love for nature and wildlife.

Tamar Michaelian

Tamar has worked extensively across the environmental sector gaining valuable practical and theoretical knowledge in native animal husbandry, including capture, management and ongoing care; identification of both native and invasive flora and fauna species; and, venomous snake and reptile handling. She has found particular passion for Biosecurity and Human-wildlife Conflict based issues.

Having worked in Environmental Consulting, for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and for the University of Queensland, highlights of Tamar’s career include her work supporting peri-urban wild dog management and conducting research on zoonotic and cat-specific diseases, important to human and companion animal health, in unowned cats. Tamar has attained multiple academic awards for her work and continues to thrive across the Environmental and Wildlife Science sectors.

What Our Students Say

It has been a truly invaluable learning experience for me. I want you to know that I have learnt so much from all of your constructive input and guidance throughout each lesson of the course. You have helped me to understand where my strengths and weaker aspects lie, and what areas of my answering questions I need to pay attention to.
Thank you for getting my assignments back to me as promptly as you have, and thank you for making this course so enjoyable.

- Jenelle

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