Date(s) - May 6, 2019 - July 28, 2019
This is an online course
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Enhance the welfare of horses in your care by learning the language of horses. Equine Behaviour encourages you to understand a horse’s behaviour through the eyes of the horse, adapting the horse’s environment and handling through investigating horse perception and learning. Examining equine behaviour research and practice are part of this course designed to improve the health and welfare of horses in your care.
Course topics include horse perception, learning, social hierarchies and play, communication and body care, ingestive and elimination behaviours, interaction of stallions, mares and foals, locomotion, training and handling, transporting horses and unwelcome behaviours (stereotypies).
The goal of this course is to enable you to understand the important concepts of equine behaviour and how they relate to the care and welfare of horses.
By the end of the course you should be able to:
- Explain key aspects of horse behaviour and the impact of various equine management practices on their health and welfare.
- Recognize the perception capabilities of the horse.
- Outline and monitor a prevention program for horses, based on the perception capabilities of horses and the management factors that impact horse perception.
- Identify common behaviours of horses and the methods available to prevent and/or manage these problems.
- Examine and discuss elements of horse communication between horses and between humans and horses.
- Discuss social and play behaviours of the horse as they relate to housing, handling and training.
- Critically assess new information based on scientific research.
- Discuss ingestive and eliminative behaviours and how they may impact the horse’s health.
- Critically assess your own management program for mares, foals and stallions in your care as it relates to behaviour of each.
- Differentiate between unwelcome behaviours and their causes.
- Quizzes 20% – There will be five online quizzes. Each quiz consists of a number of true or false statements and multiple-choice questions which cover the weekly unit material.
- Final Quiz 10% – A final quiz will consist of a number of true or false statements and multiple-choice questions which cover the weekly unit material.
- Minor Assignment 30% – You will be presented with a choice of two topics either to research an unwanted behaviour or to teach a horse a new behaviour. You will research your topic and complete a two-page paper based on your findings, analysis and reflection.
- Major Assignment 40% – You will choose between four different topics, research and write a three to five-page paper based on your findings, analysis and reflection.
In conducting your research you will learn how to use the University of Guelph electronic journal library, review scientific research papers and understand the difference between research and hearsay.
Lindsay graduated from the University of Alberta in 2013 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Health. Lindsay pursued a Master’s of Science degree at the University of Guelph in 2014, with a major in Animal Welfare and Behaviour. With her Principal Investigator, Dr. Katrina Merkies, Lindsay conducted a nationwide survey of the prevalence and perceptions of horse welfare issues in Canada for her research project. Her study received funding through the International Society for Equitation Science Student Research Grant and she presented her findings at the 2015 International Society for Equitation Science Conference. Lindsay was also a student delegate for the 2015 Dorothy Russell Havemeyer Foundation Equine Welfare Workshop, spearheaded by Dr. Paul McGreevy, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the University of Sydney.
Lindsay enjoys volunteering for the Alberta SPCA’s Education Department and engaging local communities with animal welfare. Lindsay brings her knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for equine behavioural research to this course and is looking forward to facilitating your learning in this fast-developing area of science.
This course is open for registration
Early Bird Fee: $495 (Cdn)
Regular Fee: $549 (Cdn)
Detailed course information, textbook requirements and Online Registration form can be found on our registration page
There are no international student fees and we welcome students from around the world.
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Detailed course information, textbook requirements and the course registration link can be found on our registration page
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