University Campus Barnsley (UCB), in South Yorkshire, England, is now offering opportunities for students wishing to work with horses to gain relevant experience.

UCB has introduced a horse husbandry module into the first year of its Higher National Diploma (HND, a higher education qualification of the United Kingdom) in animal management, giving students immediate theoretical and practical experience in this area upon starting the course.

The module covers aspects such as control and restraint, feeding, stable management, first aid, health care, and exercise methods. It is delivered at a private livery where students will work with horses ranging from show ponies to Irish Draughts.

Program Manager Elizabeth Squires said, “The introduction of this module widens the range of experience that our HND students will gain and the reaction from students has been very positive. The module prepares learners for a number of careers such as horse racing, horse grooming, yard management, farriery, equestrian physiotherapy, and equestrian dentistry