This course will help students:

• Understand and use the Henneke body condition scoring system
• Determine if a body condition score is appropriate or corrective action is needed
• Understand what corrective actions might be appropriate for thin and overweight horses
• Understand when veterinary and nutritionist intervention is required
• Plan for corrective action, by creating goals, identifying barriers that might be in the way, and developing strategies to overcome those barriers
• Effectively monitor change in a horse’s body condition
• Create an action plan to take control of a horse’s body condition and health

• Introduction
• Horses with a body condition score of 1 and 2
• Horses with a body condition score of 3
• Horses with a body condition score of 4 – 6
• Horses with a body condition score of 7
• Horses with a body condition score of 8 and 9
• Identifying and planning your changes
• Identifying and overcoming your barriers
• Identifying and celebrating your successes
• Creating your action plan

Time Commitment:

• Guest expert/facilitator-led course over a 1-week period
• 3 weeks extended course access to allow extra time to complete learning activities
• Required activities are approximately 5-10 hours with opportunities for additional learning activities
• No set times to be online throughout the course
• Recommended you visit the course site 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

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.

Gayle Ecker is the Director of Equine Guelph and played an instrumental role in its birth and ongoing development as a Centre for the horse owner at the University of Guelph since 2003. She has dedicated her energies to advancing the equine industry through education and communications on health, welfare and safety. Gayle continues working on a ‘pyramid of education’ model – an educational approach that provides learning pathways for career development at all levels (youth education > industry skills > Equine Certificates and Diploma >leading to higher education) in the equine industry. In collaboration with the Office of Open Learning, Gayle developed the Equine Studies program targeted to the equine industry to provide over 20 online courses that can be combined for Business, Science and Welfare Certificates or an Equine Studies Diploma. She also acts as an instructor in many of the courses, and also for several courses on The Horse Portal. Her horse background includes years of experience in both racing and non-racing sectors of the industry. Gayle completed her Hon. B.A. at Western in Human Exercise Physiology, with an Athletic Injuries focus, followed by her B.Ed from Althouse College. Her M.Sc. was completed at University of Guelph, where she did research on fluid and electrolyte losses in horses over long distance riding and she was part of the On To Atlanta research team from Canada studying heat stress and acclimation in horses. She is also Certified in Equine Welfare Assessment from Colorado State.

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.