Equine Science & Welfare

What makes UCS special?
As a UCS equine student you will benefit from both our expert teaching team and professional environment, further enhancing your career progression. Our Rider Performance Studio houses our state of‑the‑art Racewood Eventing Simulator, which will enable you to further expand your level of knowledge surrounding rider performance and biomechanics, with the potential to support our industry relevant research currently being undertaken within UCS equine. The equine team has extensive industry experience and links, which supports you when developing your graduate skills and future employment opportunities. We have a number of collaborative agreements and placement opportunities with studs, welfare organisations, nutrition companies and equine clothing brands.

What Makes This Course Unique?

• Taught by leading industry experts who are passionate about research and inspiring you to drive forward your career.

• Outstanding onsite facilities and opportunities to use industry relevant research equipment, enabling you to develop specialist skills and knowledge to prepare you for a successful transition into employment

• Tailor your learning to your interests and career goals with optional modules and dissertation in year 3.

What will I learn?
The course has been carefully designed to help you build strong scientific knowledge and robust industry awareness to maximise your employability. Lectures revolve around discussions on current industry topics, developments and research, further supporting graduate skills.
Practical learning to ensure you graduate with career confidence:

• Equitation theory and practice in both years

• Industrial placements to increase industry exposure.

• Opportunities to use research equipment embedded within modules.

• Rider biomechanics practicals and analysis.

• Range of behavioural observations.

How will I be assessed?
Support from your tutors throughout your programme of study will help to develop your skills and knowledge, and you will be assessed using a wide range of formats including written reports, presentations, written exams, oral assessments, case study reviews, business proposals and laboratory reports.

Focused on Your Future:
This course will enable you to progress to further study on the MSc in Equine Behaviour, Performance and Training or another MSc, MA or MRES programme elsewhere. University Centre Sparsholt graduates enjoy a range of careers in veterinary nursing, nutrition, welfare roles, lecturing, breeding and grooming for a range of competitive disciplines.

How our graduates are shaping the future:

• Undertaking MSc programmes in McTimoney and Veterinary Physiotherapy as well as Equine MSc and MRES degrees

• Working in equine veterinary hospitals, academic institutions lecturing, and managerial roles.

Course Modules

YEAR ONE – SOLID FOUNDATIONS

Equine industrial skills

Equine biology and functional anatomy

Scientific and practical equitation

Equine health and welfare

YEAR TWO – GET JOB‑READY

Equine nutrition

Sustainability of an ethical equine industry

Equine research methods

Plus choice of two optional modules from:

– Equitation science and coaching

– Equine exercise physiology

– Equine reproductive physiology and genetics

YEAR THREE – EMBRACE CHALLENGE

Contemporary developments in the equestrian sector

Dissertation and data analysis

Management and rehabilitation of the equine athlete

Plus choice of two optional modules from:

– Equine veterinary science

– Equine reproductive technologies

– Performance horse nutrition

*subject to change