Equine Studies, AAS

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the AAS: Equine Studies is to provide students with a realistic venue for pursuing their passion for horses. The program is designed to increase students’ knowledge of the science, behavior, care, and management of horses, and to expand their awareness of the equine industry well above that of the average horse-person. Montana Western’s experiential approach and broad-based curriculum allow the successful graduate to pursue a wide range of equine-related professions.

Program Information

Students in the AAS: Equine Studies will have an emphasis in Management, which prepares students for running an equine-related business. Students interested in continuing into the BS: Natural Horsemanship degree program in the Science or Psychology Options are encouraged to take electives in those subject areas.

Graduate Outcomes

Program graduates will:

• Be well-versed in general knowledge about the equine industry including the common breeds, equine activities and events, and equine-related career options.
• Understand the principles of equine nutrition and basic horse care to maximize horse health and performance.
• Understand the basic anatomy and physiology of the horse, and be conversant with the common disease and lameness problems seen in horses.
• Be knowledgeable about selecting, evaluating, and purchasing horses.
• Understand and implement basic preventative herd health programs for horses.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, on equine-related subjects with a wide variety of equine professionals and others in the industry.
• Work collegially with others.
• Possess the knowledge and skills required to assess a horse’s basic health status.
• Be able to assess a horse’s conformation and gait and relate it to that horse’s suitability, function, and health.
• Be able to recognize and evaluate a variety of horse feeds and pasture situations.
• Be conversant about and able to recognize common disease problems in horses.
• Understand and evaluate the effectiveness of equine preventative health programs

Assessment

The graduate outcomes for the AAS: Equine Studies are assessed through the graduate/exit survey, employer survey, alumni survey, feedback from internship supervisors, and review of collected student-generated exhibitsover time. The assessment plan for the AAS: Equine Studies is available through the department.