I recently had the opportunity to catch up with a friend whom I studied with at the Irish National Stud.  It’s hard to believe, but that was more than 10 years ago.  She now runs her own business Ethonova.  This French based business is involved in a lot of equine research projects related to equine welfare.

Claire talked with me of some of her current projects and there seemed to be a theme that caught my interest.  There are so many things we still don’t know about horses.  And there are many things we can do better or more efficiently.  Claire’s focus is on improving horse welfare.  She has clients who have product ideas to increase the ease with which horses are handled.  The focal point is often on improving welfare of the horse by decreasing stress in situations – such as with loading onto a dark, enclosed float/trailer.

Equine Research Projects

A lot of these projects need funding and support from universities so that the studies can be carried out.  Once a particular management aspect or product can be proven to improve results or a horse’s welfare, then funding can be sought to promote a particular product for sale and use within the industry.

Equine research projects can be a great way to gain backing and funding for a product idea that you may have.  Being able to work within an educational institution can help to ensure that the studies are carried out professionally.  Plus they are done in as short a timeframe as possible and you can gain funding to support the project.  If you have a research idea, it may be worth reaching out to your local equine institution.  See if you may be able to partner with them on an equine research project.

I live in a wonderful country.  In Australia it is possible to receive funding from the government to undertake further education outside of high school.  This is known as HECS – the higher education contribution scheme.  It is also possible to receive VET Fee-Help, finances for Vocational Education and Training.  Recently I was thinking about a worldwide setup for HECS for Horse Educational Courses (or HECS for HECs).

You have to be deemed eligible for HECS – it isn’t just open to anyone.  Firstly you have to be an Australian citizen.  Secondly there are parameters around how much you earn or your parents – depending on whether you live at home or are independent to your family.

I started my Bachelor of Equine Science as a stud hand and gained HECS.  I worked full time and studied part time.  That said, each of my subjects cost over $1,000 to undertake and I needed to complete 24 of them.  Do the maths!  Getting the education without it costing me helped a lot.  Better yet, I don’t have to pay back the money loaned to me until I earn over a certain amount annually.  The general idea is that you undertake education you couldn’t afford.  And from this, you gain a job because of your higher education that can help you to earn more.  Then you’re able to pay back what was loaned to you on an educational scheme.

When I undertook my Diploma of Horse Breeding straight out of high school, the course cost $1400 for the two years.  These days after government changes, undertaking a diploma costs close to ten times this much.  You may as well do a degree when considering cost!

There are some horse careers that you need to be qualified to undertake – a veterinarian, horse dentist, racehorse trainer and strapper are some examples.  Others aren’t compulsory, but it is better to the horses and the person involved if they are qualified!  Consider other horse trainers, farriers, instructors, massage therapists and eventers.

HECS for Horse Educational Courses

If you had someone to cover the cost of your further horse education, would you be inclined to undertake a course?  Whether it’s at certificate level or degree level, what if you could be given a loan to study horses?  Would this help you to break into the equine field and then go on to gain employment and be able to pay back the loan you received?

I can picture HECS for Horse Educational Courses being funded by some big people in the horse industry.  Perhaps those who have had the opportunity to be educated or those who offer horse courses themselves.  Or maybe large earners in the industry that are celebrities in the equine industry.  Racehorse trainers, big breeders, top riders or a myriad of others that are successful in a career with horses!

I am sure this is an initiative that could encourage further education in our wonderful equine industry.  On top of this, it’ll help workers to be better informed with regards to horses in their particular field of interest.  This in turn will positively impact how horses are managed.

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