Enrolment year: 2023 Enrolment year: 2024

Bay horse on high-speed treadmill in Hhartpury Equine Therapy Centre

Postgraduate Certificate

Equine Performance and Rehabilitation

Typical offer: 2:1 honours degree (2:2 applicants considered individually)

Duration: 1 year, part-time

Awarding body: Hartpury University

Apply for this course here: https://www.hartpury.ac.uk/university/courses/postgraduate/postgraduate-certificate-equine-performance-and-rehabilitation/postgraduate-certificate-equine-performance-and-rehabilitation-2023/

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Overview

Course overview

This course is ideal for those who want to integrate advanced science with high-level equine performance. Applying theory to practice in the real world, you’ll learn how to maximise equestrian athletic performance, aiding the selection of performance horses and extending successful careers of both the horse and the rider.

You’ll benefit from world-class technologies including well-renowned equine therapy and rider performance centres that are leading the way in related research.

Alongside this, you’ll be encouraged to attend academic and industry conferences and engage with communities of practice to enhance your learning and professional network, including those hosted at Hartpury.
Our outstanding competition facilities host over 100 events each year, many at international level, attracting leading equestrian athletes from across the world. We’re home to over 230 horses and riders in our livery centre, many training to be equestrian athletes as part of our Equine Academy.

This master’s-level qualification is a recognised qualification in its own right, but on successful completion, you’ll also have the option to progress onto one of our equine Postgraduate Diploma’s or Masters programmes, where you’ll be able to select from a diverse range of equestrian performance modules to suit your interests and career goals.

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What you'll study

The focus of this programme is on optimising, maintaining, enhancing and restoring the performance of equestrian athletes.

Through specialist modules, you’ll develop your ability to understand and evaluate the interaction between the physiology of exercise and the principles behind rehabilitating the sports horse.

In addition, you’ll be given the opportunity to either further investigate the riders impact on the exercising horse, or to critically review a subject of your choosing that aligns with the aims of the programme and your own aspirations.

You’ll have opportunities to gain first-hand experience of advanced technologies at Hartpury, including gait analysis and electromyography equipment, as well as riding simulators used to assess rider influence on horse performance – some of our simulators are among the most advanced in the world at an educational institution.

Developing this bespoke expertise will be valuable for your career performance and progression. Upon successful completion of the course, you may be eligible to specialise your learning and development further, by progressing onto one of our equine Postgraduate Diploma’s or Masters programmes, selecting from a diverse range of equestrian performance modules, as well as others to suit your interests.

Modules

Below you’ll find the compulsory modules for this course and the range of optional modules, from which you would choose two, to suit your interests and career goals.

Compulsory modules

This module allows students to explore the fundamentals of equine exercise physiology in the context of
different equestrian disciplines and their application to training.

Evaluate the practical techniques used within therapeutic care of the sports horse.

Optional modules

The application and assessment of biomechanical principles to equestrian athletic performance.

This module aims to provide students with the knowledge and evaluative skills to debate the ethics and practicalities surrounding management of the horse within a range of societal pressures and the wider social responsibilities of the industry.

You will undertake an extended literature review in an area of your choice, supported by an academic supervisor.

Explore the physiological and biomechanical demands of the rider across difference disciplines and how the rider adapts and modifies to harmonise with the horse.

Please visit our document library for more module information.

Further module information

How you'll study

We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one. This will range from your lecturers, supervisors and personal tutor to our specialist academic (Achievement and Success Centre), employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) and wellbeing teams.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Further details

One year, full-time

The Postgraduate Certificate Equine Performance and Rehabilitation is validated as a one-year, part-time qualification and can therefore be complete within one year.

Two-three years, part-time

Alternatively, we offer flexible options to help students to manage their studies alongside other commitments by spreading this course over more than one year. These options can be tailored to suit your own needs, enabling you to complete your qualification in two or three years. Please enquire for further details

Depending on the optional modules chosen, the Postgraduate Certificate course is delivered over three trimesters.

Upon successful completion of your modules, you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain may contribute towards your final postgraduate certificate differential award (pass, merit or distinction).

The course is taught in English.

Depending on the optional modules chosen, the Postgraduate Certificate course is delivered over three trimesters.

The modules contain a mixture of scheduled learning – lectures, workshops and practical sessions – alongside independent learning. Students are expected to dedicate at least two to three hours of independent study per contact hour. The following breakdowns may vary, depending on module choices.

	Contact learning	Placement learning	Independent learning
Postgraduate Certificate	17%	0%	83%

Teaching contact time and method will vary depending on the optional module that you choose to study.

You’ll be assessed through a mixture of written exams, oral presentations and written assessments. Many of the modules will be marked based on a mixture of assessment types, whilst others will be based solely on one type of assessment.

Feedback will be provided to you throughout the course both formatively, with staff feeding back on draft work or in subject discussions, or summatively, provided by the staff commentary accompanying marked assessments. The following breakdowns may vary, depending on module choices.

	Written exam	Practical exam	Coursework
Postgraduate Certificate	50%	25%	25%

Assessment will vary depending on the optional modules you choose.

This course has been designed to fit around those working or volunteering within the sector. The course normally consists of four or five scheduled teaching blocks and assessment weeks spread over three 12-week trimesters. An overview is provided below.

Scheduled teaching generally takes place across block weekends (Friday – Sunday)
Delivery on the teaching weekends is normally scheduled between 9.00am – 5.00pm
Attendance dates and timetables are available before enrolment to support the arrangement of annual leave where required

View term dates

Employability

Your career

Industry opportunities on this course largely come from our own businesses on campus (see facilities tab), as well as the networking facilitated through guest lecturers and field trips.

Field trips and guest lecturers

Field trips and industry professionals in lectures form an important part of your learning, enabling you to experience different businesses, careers and best practices.

Recent field trips have included visits to places such as Redwings Horse Sanctuary, Tweenhills Farm and Stud, and Kingswood Stud, home of the Kurtsystem. The trips facilitate both industry networking and the opportunity to experience the application of science in practice with those using it on a daily basis.

Guest lecturers are selected to extend your learning and professional networks, recently including physical therapists, veterinary surgeons, research scientists in reproductive immunology, artificial Insemination technicians and performance coaches.

On-campus opportunities

Our commercial equine therapy and performance centres offer opportunities for students to gain industry experience to support their careers. With teams made up of expert personnel alongside volunteers, you could have the opportunity to get hands-on with clinical cases and to network with the range of allied professionals that involved in the rehabilitation and management of the horses, including veterinarians, farriers, nutritionists and more.

Furthermore, opportunities exist to gain valuable industry experience by volunteering at the national and international level events hosted by our Equine Centre. These include the Five Star Hartpury Horse Trials and the Hartpury International Festival of Dressage.

Find out more about our commercial equine activities below.

Explore equine activities

Graduate destinations

Whether you have already defined your career goals or you’re keen to explore your options, these programmes provide opportunities to develop both the specialist and transferable skills needed for a range of graduate careers. Our teaching staff, professionals on campus and careers team are available to provide expert advice and guidance, as required.

Recent graduate destinations have included:

Animal Health Technician, Equine Hospital
Research Ethics Officer, University Hospital
Nutritional Advisor, Saracen Horse Feeds
Marketing Executive, Animal feed manufacturer
University lecturer
Equine Events Coordinator, Hartpury Equestrian

Facilities

Valegro on water treadmill in Hartpury Equine Theerapy Centre

World-class facilities

You’ll have access to a diverse range of facilities while you’re here, many of which are newly built and world-class. Alongside lectures halls and workshop spaces, these include:

Equine Therapy Centre

Our campus Equine Therapy Centre is among the best known in the UK, being a highly reputable and well established referral centre for over two decades. Alongside being a successful business, treating a diverse range of horses, from Olympic athletes to companion ponies, it’s a place of learning for our students, embedded into both teaching and research activities.

You’ll have the opportunity to experience first-hand the techniques used on clinical cases as part of professional networks and, where relevant, be able to utilise the centre for your postgraduate research project.

Margaret Giffen Centre for Rider Performance

Our Margaret Giffen Centre for Rider Performance is the most advanced of its kind at an academic institution in the world. It provides the perfect place for you to develop real-world expertise, providing access to world-leading equipment and industry experts. Facilities within the centre are incorporated into relevant modules within the programme and, where relevant, are available for use within your postgraduate research project.

Laboratories

Our laboratories are modern and well-equipped, providing the ideal spaces for scientific activities and research. Some are used for specialist microbiological culturing and analysis, others for biochemistry and dissections.

Equine Centre

Comprising our commercial livery yard for 230 horses and modern equestrian facilities, our Equine Centre provides a diverse learning and research environment. Riders and horses at different performance levels, alongside diverse stabling types, offer students extensive opportunities to enhance their learning and practice.

Projects recently undertaken here have uncovered new knowledge in nocturnal behaviour, workload modelling, dietary supplement efficacy and performance parameter assessments, to name only a few.

Study spaces

Our University Learning Centre has books, journals, ebooks, computers and breakout study spaces. In addition, we have a study Lounge - an informal space with sports equipment, study booths and chill-out spaces to support both studying and relaxation. Postgraduate students also have a specially designated study area with 24-hour access.

Entry requirements

Academic

2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject. Students with 2:2 and relevant experience will be considered on a case by case basis.

Non-academic

Students with non-relevant qualifications but with sufficient work experience or professional experience will be considered on an individual basis.

International

In addition to the academic qualification an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required.

Please contact us for further information:

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Fees and funding

Tuition fees and financial support

Please visit our student finance page for information on tuition fees and student loans, as well as non-repayable grants, bursaries and scholarships, eligible to different groups, to support with study costs.

Explore student finance

Below you'll find extra costs associated with studying this course, as well as costs associated with living and extra-curricular activities that might be of interest.

Clothing and footwear (circa £100)

A number of modules require clothing and footwear suitable to wear on the yard, eg. long trousers and boots.

Hartpury University branded clothing is also available through our online shop, for those who wish to purchase it. However, this is not essential.

Visit Hartpury shop

Optional field trips

Field trips are generally included in the course fees. However, extra costs may be required for specific optional trips.

Accommodation and living costs

Please visit our student accommodation page for details.

Explore accommodation

Livery

We have stabling for 230 horses on campus. If you're interested in having your horse at Hartpury on DIY livery while you study, please visit our livery page for details and costs.

Livery options

Equine Academy

If you have the talent and drive to develop your skills as an equestrian athlete alongside your studies, you may be eligible to join our Equine Academy. For further details including costs, please visit our Equine Academy page.

Visit Equine Academy

World Leading

Our research has been recognised as ‘world-leading’ and international excellent’ (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

Top 10

We’re in the top 10 UK universities for teaching quality (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2023)

100%

100% of our Postgraduate Certificate Equine Performance and Rehabilitation graduates are in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes, 2022)

World-class environment

Benefit from world-class technologies including well-renowned equine therapy and rider performance centres that are leading the way in related research.

World-class connections

Gain access to international equestrian athletes from across the globe at our international events each summer. We’re also home to over 230 horses and riders on campus.

Play video PLAY

Access equine scientists and veterinary professionals in our commercial Equine Therapy Centre.

We treat development and performance athletes including 2016 Olympic champion Valegro who visits regularly to stay in shape.

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SUCCESS STORIES

A global reputation

Dr. Kathryn Nankervis, Principal Lecturer, Equine Therapy

Our renowned equine therapy expert Dr. Kathryn Nankervis is leading best practice in the use of water treadmills to rehabilitate horses across the world - working with prestigious organisations the British Equestrian Federation, Petplan Charitable Trust and Animal Health Trust.

View research profile

Driving positive change

Cherith Wilson, MSc Equine Science student

Cherith's MSc research project undertaken with Sirona Therapeutic Horsemanship (STH) - reveals the benefits of equine-assisted therapy for children and young adults, indicating improved confidence, calmness, communication, resilience and positivity.

Discover more

Apply now

You can apply for the Postgraduate Certificate in Equine Performance and Rehabilitation via our website.

Apply now

Get in touch

We would love to hear from you, so please get in touch. You can ask a specific question or simply pop your details in to be kept up-to-date with news and events.

Further course details

For further details about this course, including the programme specification and module descriptions, please visit our document library.

Visit resource library

Your journey

As a small and specialist university, we're ideally placed to support you on your journey into postgraduate study and beyond.

Postgraduate study is a valuable investment, made possible for many by the funding available.

Benefit from an academic support network to help you adjust to postgraduate study.

Enjoy a virtual tour of our 360-hectare campus and leading facilities.

Join a community of students from over 60 countries worldwide.

Important information

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are reviewed and developed regularly. Changes or cancellation of courses may be necessary to ensure alignment with emerging employment areas, to comply with accrediting body requirements, revisions to subject benchmark statements or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make necessary changes and will notify all offer-holders of changes as and when they occur.