Three credit-bearing short course options from within the MSc Equine Science portfolio exploring a science-based approach to equine behaviour, welfare and ethics.
Students can undertake one, two or all three courses to make up a Postgraduate Certificate.
These courses sit within the MSc Equine Science online distance learning programme from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh. The degree programme has been running for over 15 years and has an established international reputation for excellence.
Equitation Science and Equine Behavioural Medicine have been designed by Dr Gemma Pearson BVMS cert AVP (EM) MSc CCAB PhD MRCVS.
Gemma is the only species-specific RCVS recognised specialist in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine (Equine). Gemma runs a busy referral service for equine behaviour cases from across the UK alongside conducting her award-winning research and attending global events as a speaker. In 2023 Gemma won Best Equine Speaker at the Western States Veterinary Conference, Las Vegas and delivered the John Hickman plenary lecture at British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) congress.
Gemma has selected the world-leading scientific/behavioural experts in each topic to deliver the content alongside her, so you can be confident you are learning from the best.
Equitation Science is designed to understand horse-human interactions more scientifically and promote better training through evidence-based techniques. It covers topics that will optimise the training of a healthy horse and how to solve simple problematic behaviours that commonly occur both on the ground and in the saddle. Content is suitable for trainers, instructors or anyone interested in the welfare of the ridden horse.
Equine Behavioural Medicine provides you with the tools to investigate and treat more complex, problematic behaviours and untangle the many factors that contribute to them including pain, stress or the impact of adverse early life experiences. Content is suitable for anyone who wants to go on to practice as an equine behaviourist or those who simply want a deeper understanding of this topic. Equitation Science is a pre-requisite as it builds on knowledge and skilled developed build on that course.
Equine Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics is a course which complements knowledge gained by students studying clinical equine behaviour and can be added towards gaining a postgraduate certificate.
Globally, a large proportion of equids spend their lives working in resource-poor areas and supporting the livelihoods of millions of people so the Equine Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics course is delivered from a global and One Welfare perspective. The equine industry is under scrutiny from both a social and environmental sustainability perspective and this course provides a holistic and up-to-date approach with contributions from people working at the forefront of applied animal behaviour, animal welfare research and those working in the field for international equid welfare NGOs.
This course approaches these topics from a global and One Welfare perspective. The content is suitable for anyone who works in the equine industry and believes that welfare should be at the heart of everything we do with equids, whether that is for performance, leisure or working horses.
This course takes an objective, evidence-based approach to understanding horse welfare to decide on the most ethical training methods to horses in your care.
Equitation Science uses an objective, evidence-based approach to understand and improve the welfare of horses in their interactions with humans; this can be during training, competition or even just in the stable. It uses a multidisciplinary approach with an emphasis on learning theory alongside a wide range of techniques including investigating the use of technology to provide objective measures of welfare or performance and sports psychology to understand how riders/handlers may influence their horse's behaviour.
Students learn how to apply scientific methods to identify ineffective training techniques and those that may result in problems with horse welfare. You will then apply these skills to build training plans that will enhance both performance and horse health and wellness.
Knowledge gained on this course can be applied to all horses owned by amateur and leisure horse owners to elite riders and professional trainers.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
This course investigates why problematic and abnormal behaviours occur and how to resolve them.
Students will learn how to investigate when a horse presents with a problematic behaviour to formulate a differential diagnosis and effective treatment plan. The course investigates the emotions that drive behaviour in horses with an emphasis on how to recognise, and address, when pain and/or stress are contributing factors.
The course offers an insight into why horses behave the way they do through an exploration of the neurophysiology that explains behaviour, and how this is modified by early life experiences. Students will gain the tools create behaviour modification plans to improve equine behaviour and welfare.
There is a focus on human behaviour change and how this knowledge can be used to improve success rates and overall satisfaction on an individual client basis or to change hearts and minds to improve both human and equine welfare.
Each week presents a new topic and includes relevant case studies so students can experience the real-world application of this knowledge.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
This course offers a focus on the effect physical environment and management has on the behaviour and welfare of both the developing and adult horse.
The course will introduce students to the evolution of equids (horses and donkeys) and how this relates to their normal behaviour and physiology. The course then focuses on physiology and behaviour associated with poor welfare.
It will explore the relationship between management and welfare throughout an entire animal's life and how we can measure and assess welfare in a variety of situations.
The use of equids, their welfare and associated policy and legislation will be examined at a global level. Students will also explore the application of ethics to our use of equids and the trade-offs between human, environmental and equid wellbeing.
There is also a focus on human behaviour and its relationship with equid welfare to understand how we can begin to change behaviour in order to improve the lives of equids worldwide.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
If you are interested in working as an equine behaviourist, University of Edinburgh is the only UK university to offer an Equine Behavioural Medicine course.
There are several ways to become an accredited equine behaviourist.
1. Clinical Animal Behaviour MSc
This programme is a validated pathway through both the Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) and Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) pathways. Whilst predominantly small animal based, students can choose to take two optional equine courses and Equitation Science, Equine Behavioural Medicine and/or Equine Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics are available as electives.
2. Certificate in Advanced Behavioural Medicine (Equine Behaviour Medicine) - in progress
Equitation Science and Equine Behavioural Medicine courses have been put forward for accreditation by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). The results of this consideration will be published on this page.
3. Clinical Equine Behaviour - in progress
Equitation Science and Equine Behavioural Medicine courses have been put forward for Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) certification. The results of this consideration will be published on this page.
International students
All three courses will count towards accreditation with the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants (IAABC).
Working as a behaviourist in the UK
The term behaviourist is not currently a protected title which means anyone can call themselves a "behaviourist". There is no single register for behaviourists working in the UK and there is growing concern that many behaviour courses do not provide students with the required knowledge and understanding to work in this field to an appropriate standard. This concern has led to the RCVS leading a working group to evaluate and review the matter. It is expected that the outcome of this review will result in a protected title with RCVS regulating provision.
A good UK university Honours Degree (first or 2:1), or its international equivalent (e.g. 3.25 GPA score in the USA), with a biological background, for example a degree in:
We may also consider your application if you have a science degree that is below a 2.1 qualification, or you are an experienced veterinary nurse or farrier, or a degree in a non-science subject, and you hold Level 2 or above British Horse Society qualifications and/or have a minimum of 3 years’ demonstrable experience working with or caring for horses. You may be admitted to Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma level only in the first instance. Please contact the Equine Science Programme team before applying.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, we will also need to see evidence of your English language proficiency before we can offer you a place.
Applications must be made through the University's online postgraduate prospectus by following the link to apply to PG Professional Development in Equine Science (Online Learning)(ICL) - 1-2 years (Part-time Intermittent Study).
Once you have started your application to the degree within which the course sits, you will be asked to specify the course you are applying to.
If you have any questions or concerns throughout the application process, please contact equine.science@ed.ac.uk.
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