Colleges and Universities around the country have been offering degrees in Equine Studies for years. Only recently have these colleges become more specialized in the degrees that they offer. Two colleges have made recent strides forward in their curriculum, by adding concentration in areas of high demand in today’s horse industry.

Midway College, located in Midway, Kentucky has added the only bachelor’s degree program in equine therapy in the United States to its curriculum. This degree program offers female students the chance to acquire the skills and certification in sports therapy, rehabilitation, and injury prevention. Equine Therapy includes the practice of non-invasive techniques such as the use of therapeutic lasers, massage, and therapeutic ultrasound. These methods are considered secondary care for the horse, and applied only after a vet has thoroughly examined a horse and given a diagnosis. Students must complete 65 hours of pre-equine therapy courses before making formal application into the professional phase of the program, which will stress practical, supervised clinical treatment.

“The addition of our four-year equine therapy program is a natural extension of the nationally recognized Midway College equine studies programs,” said Director of Equine Therapy, Mimi Porter, “Employment opportunities are numerous. From both a student and horse industry standpoint, this is a `win-win’ situation.”

In Cazenovia, New York, a Certificate Program in Equine Reproductive Management has been added to the programs offered by the Equine Education Center at Cazenovia College. Designed to complement an Associate or Baccalaureate degree, the certificate program will provide equine students with an opportunity to receive specialized training in the area of equine reproductive management. The certificate will position students for employment opportunities in the rapidly growing horse-breeding industry