There are over 100 million horses, donkeys and mules in the world today and owners of these animals can be found on almost every continent and in almost every society. The Horse Course will cover many unique aspects of equine ownership and touch upon the science behind many of today’s management practices.
The Horse Course: Introduction to Basic Care and Management
University of FloridaAbout this Course
Learner Career Outcomes
67%
34%
Skills you will gain
Learner Career Outcomes
67%
34%
Offered by

University of Florida
The University of Florida (UF) is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in academic excellence, both on campus and online. Ranked in the top 10 of Public Universities, the University of Florida is the state’s oldest university and has a long established tradition of academic excellence.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Introduction to The Horse Course
Welcome to Week 1 of The Horse Course! To start off the course, we will begin discussing what exactly an “equid” is. We will cover the many equine species inhabiting our globe. Next, we’ll jump into the history of horses and donkeys, touching upon how they have made such an impact on our own societal development. The second half of week 1 will cover the many breeds of horses and donkeys. We will finish up with a lecture on the equine hybrids.
Basic Equine Physiology
This week will start out with covering some basic physiology. We will then advance into hoof anatomy and care. This will lead to spending a lecture discussing laminitis, a serious hoof condition in horses and other equids. The final two lectures will jump into the various coat colors and markings in horses.
Equine Behavior and Training
The topics this week will focus on equid behavior and movement. Understanding how equids relate to their environment and communicate is critical to training and management. We will start this week by examining the basic equine senses and communication. Then we will discuss normal and abnormal behaviors and the basic psychology used in training. We will finish the week discussing the basic gaits and how these animals move.
Feeding Management
The topics this week will focus on equid nutrition. Understanding how and what to feed these animals is one of the most important aspects of basic care. We will start with digestive anatomy, how to evaluate your animal’s nutrient requirements, and then jump into feeding management. We will round out the week discussing colic and other nutritional disorders.
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM THE HORSE COURSE: INTRODUCTION TO BASIC CARE AND MANAGEMENT
Great course. A must have for all horse lovers. The instructor explained everything in a way that I could understand and grow from. I have learned so much thanks to this course and greatly enjoyed it!
I have learnt so much by taking this course, so thorough and engaging, ill be sad to not be studying this on my evenings anymore for sure. 100% recommend. Thankyou for holding such a great course.
Excellent course! Covered a lot of important horse topics which helped me further educate myself in the horse world allowing me to better take care of my own horse. Highly recommend this course.
A very good overview of basic care and management of horses. Considering the forum through which it is presented, and the limitations of time and content, the course was very well presented.
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