Updated: Monday, November 4, 2024
Every year in May, the most famous jockeys and racehorses saddle up for one of the biggest racing events in the U.S., the Kentucky Derby. While the races are an exciting time of year and allow horse lovers of all ages the chance to cheer for their favorites, there’s more to equestrianism than fancy hats and race day fun. There are many facets of the horse business that require extensive education and experience.
If you’re looking to build a balanced college list that includes your equine interests, our counselors can help you choose schools that may be a great fit for your hobby, or help with the athletic recruitment process if you want to compete as a student athlete. From pre-vet programs to horse business studies, here are Dr. Kat’s best colleges for equestrians.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to not only learn about horses, but the ideas and practices behind competitions, the equestrian studies program at Alfred University has the perfect balance of science and theory courses. AU offers a unique program that allows students to pair a minor in equestrian studies with any major. Classes include both English and western riding, equine science, and even in-depth courses on judging horse shows.
The school also has more than 40 university-owned horses available to students for lessons and competition. The school’s Bromley-Daggett Equestrian Center is a 400-acre state-of-the-art facility located five minutes from campus, making it easily accessible to students who want to work with university horses, or for those who decide to board their own horses at the facility. The center also boasts five miles of horseback trails through the woods and around Foster Lake.
Students can also participate in the school’s equestrian teams and can stay involved with other equestrian opportunities including volunteering for the school’s horse shows and helping run public riding events.
Alfred University is a small, private college with about 1,600 undergraduate students. AU’s 232-acre campus includes 50 academic and residential buildings, and students can choose from 47 majors and more than 80 student clubs and organizations.
Horses require a lot of room to roam, and few campuses have as much space for these majestic creatures as Berry College. Students studying animal science or on the pre-veterinary track have a number of course options when it comes to studying horses. Courses in equine studies at Berry include Stable Management, Equine Health, and Horse Systems and Management.
Learning doesn’t stop in the classroom, however. Experiential learning for equine studies includes work opportunities at the school’s facilities, where students assist in daily feeding and care of college-owned horses and routine veterinary care and management, among other tasks. Students can even bring their own horses and house them in the boarding stalls at Gunby Equine Center, a 185-acre facility that includes pastures, four barns, two arenas, and is home to over 60 university-owned horses.
Berry, founded in 1902, is a small, private college northwest of Atlanta. Berry has an undergraduate enrollment of just over 2,200. The world’s largest college campus, Berry College sits on 27,000 acres. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources oversees 16,000 acres of Berry’s campus, and the school boasts 88 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails.
Lavender Mountain and Berry’s own Victory Lake campground give students a variety of outdoor adventure possibilities. Berry’s student enterprises and LifeWorks programs provide students with hands-on work and business management experiences while enrolled in classes.
Of course, a list of schools for horse lovers wouldn’t be complete without the University of Louisville, located in the heart of Kentucky Derby country. While many schools offer equestrian studies through their science departments, Louisville’s equine business program is offered through the College of Business, with students taking business administration core courses along with additional specialized courses focused on the business of the horse industry.
Students can choose from an equine business major, minor, or certificate. The curriculum includes such courses as Horse Industry Overview, Equine Commercial Law, and Equine Marketing. Equine business majors must complete a capstone seminar to graduate.
UofL’s strong ties to the horse industry don’t end with academics. The university marching band is frequently featured at the Kentucky Derby, performing their rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home,” prior to the race. Additionally, students can participate in five equestrian teams including the Riding and Racing Club, polo team, and eventing team.
The University of Louisville is a public research university with an enrollment of over 23,000. The school has three campuses in the Louisville area and offers over 170 degree programs in its 12 schools and colleges. Students have over 450 student clubs and organizations to choose from, as well as Division I athletics.
One of the most popular programs at the University of Findlay, the equestrian studies major combines classroom studies and intensive experiential learning. Students enrolled in Findlay’s equestrian studies program can choose concentrations in English, western, or equine business management. The English riding program operates out of the 52-acre James L. Child Equestrian complex, while students in the western riding program use the 153-acre Western Farm and Animal Sciences Center.
Students in the English and western programs are paired with a university-owned horse and spend a minimum of five days per week riding and training their assigned horse in addition to feeding and cleaning stalls. The University of Findlay has five show teams that are integrated into the English and western programs — four compete at the national level. Equestrian studies students also train horses for the university’s annual spring horse sale.
Equine business management students complete a science- and business-based curriculum while gaining hands-on farm experience. Students in this program manage the annual spring horse sale, learn how to drive and maintain farm equipment, and work in other aspects of the equine industry.
Located in northwest Ohio, the University of Findlay is a private institution with an undergraduate enrollment of over 2,200. Students can choose from among 80 undergraduate majors and get involved in any of the more than 100 campus organizations and NCAA Division II athletics.
With one of the country’s premier veterinary programs, it’s no wonder that the Animal Sciences Department at Auburn University offers a stellar equine science program, with a course of study encompassing horse health and nutrition, as well as equine industry management.
Students participating in the equine science program take a variety of health and science classes, as well as numerous electives including Equine Marketing, Physiology of the Equine Athlete, and Equine Behavior and Training.
Equine science students frequently research and study at the Auburn University Equestrian Center, an 80-acre facility with four arenas and a main barn with a veterinary treatment area, stalls, and two tack rooms. For those looking for a school with a competitive riding edge, Auburn’s equestrian team has won six national titles.
Auburn University is a large public university with an undergraduate enrollment of almost 25,000. The school offers more than 150 majors in its 12 colleges. Students also have more than 550 clubs and organizations to choose from.
So, whether you’re looking to explore your equestrian interests, join a team, or learn how to manage a horse show, these schools and their programs offer unique opportunities to learn everything there is to know about the horse industry. Other schools for equestrians include Colorado State University, Skidmore College, St. Andrew’s University, and Cornell University.
For help researching schools that offer programs for equestrian studies or any of your other interests, contact us today for more information on our counseling services. We wish you the best of luck in your college search!
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