All Short Online Courses / Industry Certificates

This is a library of all of Equine Guelph’s short online courses that have been offered on The Horse Portal. These award-winning short courses provide practical information and tips from equine industry and healthcare experts, and feature the most up-to-date research and latest resources.

Please note that these courses may not necessarily be available for registration – check our courses page to see which courses are coming up soon! If the course is not currently available for registration, be sure to sign up for a Course Update alert, and we will send you an email when registration has opened!


One Week Courses

Equine First Aid

This course covers an overview of first aid procedure and include a focus on many common horse health conditions horse caregivers may encounter on a day-to-day basis. A goal of this course is to give caregivers the peace of mind knowing that we can step in and help our horse when needed until a professional arrives.

Fire & Emergency Preparedness

This course covers an overview of barn fire prevention including the top causes of barn fires and practical ways that horse owners can reduce these risks.  Emergency preparedness will also be a focus including identifying potential emergency threats in your region and developing a disaster plan.


Two Week Courses

Gut Health & Colic/Ulcer Prevention

Colic is the #1 killer of courses other than old age! Reduce your Risk with Equine Guelph’s Colic Prevention Program. Designed for individuals that want to reduce the risk of colic in their own horse or horses they care for by increasing their knowledge of risk factors and preventative management strategies.

Palomino Horse

Horse Behaviour and Safety (Adult)

In this course you will be given the tools to take action to create a safe environment for you and your horse by: gaining an introductory understanding of horse behaviour; learning smart, practical horse handling skills; and reducing physical risks on your horse’s farm. (For students aged 16 and older)

Horse Care & Welfare

Taking on the care or ownership responsibilities of a horse (or donkey) is a serious and challenging undertaking. Based on the National Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines, this course considers the care and management of horses in terms of the Five Freedoms of animal welfare.

Horse Trailer Safety (Part 1)

Horse Trailer Safety (Part 1) is an introductory course for horse owners who may need to transport their horse to events, other locations or during an emergency. This course will focus on the trailer and towing vehicle to ensure safety for you, your horses, and others on the road.

Introduction to Forage

Understand the importance of forage for horses and practical advice for selecting, feeding and managing forage. During the course we will learn about: the links between forage and horse health and welfare, main forms of forage, tips for evaluating forage quality, strategies and principles of keeping your pasture healthy, and how you can implement good practices at your own farm. We will also hear from experts in the field (pun intended).

Racehorse Gut Health & Ulcer/Colic Prevention

Given the demanding life of the equine athlete, a high number of racehorses are at risk of digestive tract health concerns such as ulcers and colic. This online short course can be of benefit for all racehorse trainers and grooms in order to reduce the risk of ulcers, colic and digestive tract issues in your barn, and improve your horse’s performance on the track!

horse racing

Racehorse Lameness / Injury Prevention & Care

Given the demanding life of the equine athlete, racehorses are at risk of lameness and injury every day of their life.  There are daily practices that can be done to reduce the risk. This online short course can be of benefit for all racehorse trainers and grooms in order to help prevent injury and how to manage lameness – improving your horse’s performance on the track!

Racehorse Respiratory Health

Given the demanding life of the equine athlete, a high number of racehorses are at risk of several different respiratory concerns.  There are ways to reduce the risk through many daily management routines. This online short course can be of benefit for all racehorse trainers and grooms in order to reduce the risk of respiratory issues in your barn – improving your horse’s performance on the track!

The Senior Horse

Although owning a senior horse can be very rewarding it is important to have the knowledge to monitor for problems that may arise. With knowledge owners can likely mitigate costs through early intervention. This course will detail everything to watch for when your horse begins to age. 

Sickness Prevention in Horses

This course aims to provide you with an understanding of the key issues surrounding biosecurity, and infection control, in the horse industry. More specifically, the course will address the importance of biosecurity, your role in transmitting and preventing the spread of disease, and the most effective approaches for preventing and controlling the spread of disease on the farm and at events.

Sport Horse Injury/Lameness Prevention & Care

Performance horses compete in a wide range of athletic activities, each with their own “typical” injuries and lameness issues. Horses in recreational activities also have many lameness issues. This online short course can be of benefit for all horse owners, trainers, riders and farriers to help prevent injury and manage lameness. Our goal is to focus on evidence-based medicine and dive into the rapidly developing world of injury prevention and rehabilitation.


On-Demand Courses

These courses require approximately the same time commitment as either a one- or two-week course, but can be joined and accessed at any time! Learn the material on your own schedule – no pressure to finish before a deadline!

Equine Business 101

Equine Business 101 offers a starting point as you begin delving into the possibilities of running your own facility or taking your business to the next level, and sees you through the process of developing a business plan. Throughout this course, we will provide you with some basic information to guide you in the creation of your plan to run a successful equine facility.

Horse Behaviour and Safety (Youth – Ages 13-17)

Learn smart, practical horse handling skills, reduce physical risks on your horse’s farm, and understand horse behaviour and how to speak their language. This course is designed for young horse enthusiasts (aged 13-17) who are taking on more responsibilities for horse care, or are currently taking riding lessons, and want to learn more about horse behaviour and safety.

Introduction to Body Condition Scoring

Weight management is as important for the health of your horse as it is for you. You can assess whether your horse is too skinny, too fat, or just right by learning how to body condition score.  This course will help you learn how to body condition score a horse, determine whether something needs to change, and create an action plan to take control of your horse’s body condition and health. 


Equine Guelph’s Industry Certificates

The Industry Certificates combine two or more courses together to complete one of the Industry Certificates (these are done in partnership with our industry supporters and may count for CE credits). Note: if you qualify for one of the certificates below through completion the required courses, please reach out to us at [email protected] for your certificate!

Equine Emergency Preparedness Certificate (2 courses)

Emergencies can happen any time, any place! Learn the latest first aid techniques and emergency preparation strategies from industry experts and keep you and your horses safe. Complete two short courses and earn this unique industry certificate from Equine Guelph.

  • Equine First Aid
  • Fire & Emergency Preparedness


Equine Facility Management Certificate (3 courses)

Turn your passion into business acumen! This certificate program is designed for new or existing facility owners and managers. Learn crucial entrepreneurial skills and be up to date on Canada’s codes. Complete the three short courses and display your certificate at your facility!

  • Equine Business 101
  • Horse Care & Welfare
  • Sickness Prevention in Horses
Horses and riders on a trail ride

NEW! – National Codes and Standards Certificate (2 courses)

Every Canadian involved with a horse should know our national code & standards of care! This industry certificate is comprised of two short courses based on: 1. Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines and 2. National Farm & Facility Level Biosecurity Standard.  Knowledge of these robust standards is also valuable to residents outside Canada.

  • Horse Care & Welfare
  • Sickness Prevention in Horses

Want to offer a specific course exclusively for your group?

Send an email to [email protected] and let us know how we can help provide quality online equine education to your group!