Gut Health & Colic/Ulcer Prevention – Winter ’25

Feb 10 – Feb 21

2 wks (5-10 hrs/wk)

Register Now

Colic is the #1 killer of horses other than old age!

In this online short course, you can learn from experts how to reduce the chance of common digestive tract issues in horses such as colic and ulcers.

Colic is defined as any abdominal pain. With digestive tracts measuring 85 feet in length coupled with the inability to throw up, horses are particularly vulnerable to colic. Further, horses have evolved over eons as continuous grazers, but in recent history, humankind has taken horses out of their natural environment and applied the stresses of modern day management. You can take action to prevent colic by:

  • Calculating your Risk
  • Assessing your Management Plan
  • Developing Preventative Strategies

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. Plus, learn about other common digestive issues in horses such as ulcers.

Never taken an online course before? No worries! This course takes a common sense, practical and flexible approach to training – no prior online learning experience required. Log in anytime – 24/7. Join in on conversations with instructors, guest experts and your peers in our Discussion Forum – a truly unique community approach in online learning.

You will learn to:

  • Identify risks factors associated with colic
  • Understand different types of colic
  • Detect early signs and symptoms of colic
  • Assess your management plan
  • Develop preventative strategies
  • Implement practical ways to reduce your colic risk

This course may be of interest for:

  • Anyone who owns a horse, as all domestic horses may be at risk of colic
  • Boarding/leasing or breeding facility
  • New horse owners who are interested in dramatically reducing colic risk for your horse
  • Owners of competitive horses, as the stress and lifestyle can predispose the equine athlete to higher colic risk
  • All youth leaders to encourage best practices for reducing colic through improved management
  • Employers (e.g., trainers, owners) with an interest to invest in their business through furthering the knowledge of employees caring for their horses; to purchase an online course for an employee, please contact Equine Guelph at [email protected]

Assignment (not graded, but recommended for personal achievement and required for certificate of completion)

Time Commitment:

  • Occurs over a 2-week period
  • 5-10 hour/week time commitment is required during this period
  • No set times to be online each week
  • Recommended you visit the course site at least 5 times a week, preferably once or more each day
  • Course is entirely online, so travel to the University of Guelph is NOT required

Materials

  • All materials are provided online within course site

Prerequisites

  • 16 years of age or older

For more information, please contact Susan Raymond Phone: 519 824-4120, ext. 54230 Email: [email protected]

Certificate of Completion

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from Equine Guelph – the horse owner’s Centre at the University of Guelph.

Continuing Education Credits/Professional Development:

 

Dr. Nicole Weidner completed an MSc and PhD in animal nutrition at the Ontario Veterinary College. Her research examined links between nutrition and disease in animals, with a focus on vitamin D. She’s worked as a guest lecturer and instructor in courses offered through the University of Guelph and has also been involved in the development of courses and educational tools. She’s interested in scientific outreach and communication, especially when it’s related to horse nutrition, health and/or welfare.

Mike KingMike King  – Mike is a Partner at Acera Insurance, and the national lead for their equine industry insurance and risk management programs serving clients from Coast to Coast. Mike has been involved in the horse industry for most of his life having participated at one point or another as horse owner, pleasure and competition rider, coach, judge, and facility manager. Today, various insurance programs under his management and oversight serve over 80,000 equine enthusiasts from coast-to-coast.  As a specialist, Mike is regularly invited to speak to groups on topics related to risk management and insurance in the equine industry across Canada.

Mike participates as a guest instructor twice a year in the Equine Business Management certificate course at the University of Guelph to share his insights with an International student body and is proud to be a long standing Education Patron at Equine Guelph.

One Moon - Krista Cole, Owner

One Moon – Krista Cole, Owner

“This course was very informative and truly interesting. There was a lot of information covered on the subject and it was broken down in sections each day. Was very enjoyable to take.”

Krista Cole, Thoroughbred Trainer (Krista Cole Racing Stables, Brampton, ON) Student – Gut Health & Colic Prevention

Palomino Horse“This course provides valuable insight for anyone that has an interest in improving the management of horse health. The take away is that good management saves horse lives and reduces expensive vet calls.”

Jackie (Calgary, AB), Student – Gut Health & Colic Prevention

“The Gut Health & Colic Prevention course was packed full of relevant and useful information along with practical applications that I can immediately implement with my horses. The Horse Health Tracker App is a very useful take away that I will be using often.”

Donna Elkow-Nash, Owner Student, Gut Health & Colic Prevention 

 

Nancy Tamblyn and Kevin Sampson“Thank you for providing this course! My husband is a 3rd generation full-time Standardbred trainer and was pretty much born and raised at the race track. We thought he knew everything there was to know based on the generations of knowledge he had in his head. By the end of the first day of the course, we were already discussing possible new strategies and techniques. By the end of the 3rd week, we realized how little we actually knew and are now implementing many new methods to lessen the chances of colic happening at the track and at the farm. All trainers should be asked to take this course before they can be certified.”

Nancy Tamblyn and Kevin Sampson – Standardbred Owners, Breeders and Grooms Sampson Standardbreds (Castor, AB) Students, Gut Health & Colic Prevention

Eligible Partner Discounts:

Course discounts available to members of the following equine organizations:

Provincial Memberships Only – 15% Discount!

$80.75
access until June 1, 2025 12:00 am

General Enrollment – Register Today!

$95.00
access until June 1, 2025 12:00 am

Course Instructor

Nicole Weidner Nicole Weidner Instructor

Dr. Nicole Weidner completed an MSc and PhD in animal nutrition at the Ontario Veterinary College. Her research examined links between nutrition and disease in animals, with a focus on vitamin D. She’s worked as a guest lecturer and instructor in courses offered through the University of Guelph and has also been involved in the development of courses and educational tools. She’s interested in scientific outreach and communication, especially when it’s related to horse nutrition, health and/or welfare.