In order to obtain the Certificate in Equine Business Management, the following five core courses and one of the electives must be successfully completed. Students can start the program with either Equine Business Management or Management of the Equine Environment, but Equine Business Management must be taken before Marketing & Communications in the Equine Industry and Equine Business Finance & Risk Management. The elective courses can be taken at any time during your course of study. Management of the Equine Environment should be completed before Stewardship of the Equine Environment.
For a brief description of each course, click on the name.
Core Courses
*Equine Business Management is a prerequisite and must be completed prior to this course.
Electives
Select one of:
Schedule of Upcoming Courses
*Thinking about continuing your studies? Take a look at the 2010 Schedule for the Diploma in Equine Studies
Course Descriptions
Equine Business Management
Deciding to turn your passion into a profitable business requires planning. Starting and running an equine enterprise is unique in many ways, as the horse industry has many considerations that may not be common to other small businesses. From understanding the scope of the equine industry to writing a complete business plan, this online course helps you identify items that must be considered before you launch equine enterprise, as well as guidelines for those already running an equine enterprise.
Detailed Course Description
In this course students will be introduced to many of the important aspects of running a horse-housing establishment, including barn hygiene, air quality, fencing and pasture maintenance and improvement, a safety audit and many more. This course will provide them with the practical and updated information they need to ensure a safe and healthy environment for their horse, through effective and responsible management techniques.
Detailed Course Description
Equine Business Finance & Risk Management
This course examines the basic principles of financial management of a small equine business. Balance sheets, income statements and cash flow are key tools in effectively managing a successful business. In addition we will further study common risk and liability issues for business owners as well as exploring those issues unique to your equine enterprise.
Detailed Course Description
The Equine Industry
This course identifies the extent and organization of the horse industry both in North America and globally. Topics will include the scope of the industry and the financial ramifications to the economy, sectors and governing bodies, and rules/regulations for the different sports, associations and breeds.
Detailed Course Description
Marketing & Communications in the Equine Industry
Marketing and communications are an essential part of a strong business plan. Marketing success involves targeting your business communications at a diverse group of audiences. Your customers, potential customers, community members, different levels of government, associations, regulatory bodies are examples of audiences you will market not only the sale of your goods and services to, but also the promotion of yourself and your business image. This course focuses on the dynamic equine industry using a variety of examples to reflect the industries diversity. Key points discussed will help you to develop effective marketing and communication strategies for your equine business.
Detailed Course Description
Stewardship of the Equine Environment
This course will provide students with an understanding of the importance of properly managing the natural environment and built facilities to optimize the health of their horses. This course will introduce students to concepts related to the natural ecosystem, ecosystem services, and beneficial management practices. The relationship between the ‘health’ and ‘wellbeing’ of the environment and the health and wellbeing of the horse will be explored as well as the role of the equine industry in meeting broader societal goals of environmental citizenship. A wide range of current topics such as wildlife habitat and management, manure management, source water protection policies, and ‘green’ building concepts will also be examined through an equine industry perspective.
Detailed Course Description
Equine Journalism
With over 130 horse magazines published throughout North America, many freelance writers and photographers are discovering what appears to be an untapped market. This course covers writing styles, how to write, research, editing and the steps necessary to be published, the art and science of photography, and ethics in the publishing industry.
Detailed Course Description
Event management is a growing industry and an opportunity for business owners to expand into this area as both a promotional and a business opportunity are growing. Event management considers the complexities of organizing a wide variety of equine events and will be help students develop strong planning and management skills needed to setup and oversee a horse show/sale/clinic or other event. In this course you will learn the principles of event management and the skills to develop, initiate, run and evaluate an event.
Detailed Course Description