Dear Students,

Welcome to this cohort of the Ontario Equine Education and Employment Program!

I am Gayle Ecker, Director of Equine Guelph and your instructor for the OEEEP program online portion.  I have been in the horse industry for pretty much all of my life, both racing and non-racing sectors, and also as a competitive rider in rodeo, managing a small boarding facility along with my own horses which included training young horses, Arabian shows, a bit of competitive trail/endurance riding,  as a competitor but with far more experience as a researcher of equine exercise physiology for the sports of endurance, competitive trail riding, three-day eventing, and race horses as I completed my Masters in that area.

So introduce yourselves in the Discussion forum (soon to be available) and tell us more about your background, your skills (in or out of the horse industry) and where you hope to be once you have completed this program and your long-term career goals.  That helps us help you!

And please note, there is no “dumb question”!  If you have it, you can bet many more have the same question, so please do not hesitate to ask your questions, and become involved in the discussions as that is one of the most powerful ways you have to learn this important knowledge that forms a base for your career in the horse industry!

Gayle