Foundation Degree in Equine Behaviour and Welfare » AC105

Are you planning a career within the numerous rapidly developing equine support industries and associated advisory services (eg research, consultancy, inspection, behavioural and physical therapies)? The structure of this course includes units common to the Animal Behaviour and Welfare programme, providing you with a broad understanding of underpinning concepts and offering the option to delay specialisation until the second year if preferred, together with elective modules specific to the requirements of the equine industry.

Research & Study Skills
This unit aims to provide you with the necessary framework of study and research skills required to undertake the programme. It covers essential academic techniques and transferable skills and will allow you to develop your research ideas using appropriate techniques in preparation for undertaking the Specialist Research Project at Level I.

Functional Anatomy and Physiology
The unit is designed to deliver a detailed understanding of key animal anatomy and physiological processes as they relate to the major body systems. You will also develop an understanding of the concept of homeostasis and how it is implicit in the effective and efficient functioning of all systems studied. A range of species will be covered to fully develop your knowledge of comparative animal physiology.

Fundamentals of Animal Nutrition
The aim of this unit is to provide clear understanding of both qualitative and quantitative mechanisms of nutrition. You will be expected to predict feeding strategies and nutritional requirements from first principles of behavioural ecology and related gross anatomical adaptations in a range of animal species.

You will undertake a range of in vitro and in vivo approaches to nutrient assessment and utilise data to undertake least cost ration formulation to satisfy a variety of production needs. Allometric growth principles will be reviewed and studentswill developing an understanding of the significance of this concept in a range of contexts.

Legislation and Ethics
This unit aims to provide you with a broad based awareness and understanding of the legislation relevant to animal keeping (in companion, commercial and research/education contexts). Against this underpinning knowledge the unit aims to develop your objective reasoning skills and abilities in order to consider the ethical and moral constraints surrounding keeping animals for commercial and domestic purposes.

The ongoing research and recommendations of key organisations (e.g. RSPCA and the Humane Slaughter Association) will be examined and the legal concept of ‘due diligence’ will be introduced (in the context of animal husbandry systems). The unit will encompass the areas outlined up to and including point of animals' death i.e. euthanasia/emergency slaughter. Crucially, this unit will introduce you to the constructs of ethical debate and develop the reasoning and analytical skills that will be required in further units.

Animal Welfare
You will explore the current debates surrounding the concept of animal welfare or ‘well-being. Techniques for the objective assessment of welfare in the context ofprovision of the 5 Freedoms will be discussed and an introduction to the physiology and neurology of pain and effect on behaviour will be considered. You will be made aware of and engage in the debates surrounding global and cultural differences in understanding of what fundamentally constitutes welfare and consider the potentially subjective nature of welfare depending on context.

An understanding of the theoretical content and parallel development of reasoning skills at this stage will enable you to make objective judgements and deliver informed responses to a variety of practical and ethical questionsin additional course units.

Principles of Animal Behaviour
This unit aims to provide you with underpinning knowledge at an appropriate level in relation to causation, development, function and evolution of animal behaviour(or ‘how’ and ‘why’). The relationship between environmental and evolutionary pressures on resulting behaviours will be explored and examined in a variety of contexts e.g. animal collections, production livestock and conservation programmes.

This unit will include a historical overview of a range of controlled behavioural studies enabling students to differentiate and recognise the relationship between ethology and behavioural physiology. An understanding of the theoretical content and parallel development of reasoning skills at this stage will equip students to make objective judgements and deliver informed responses to a variety of practical and ethical questions in additional course units; crucially, ethics and legislation, animal welfare, breeding and genetics.

Equine Evolution and Domestication
The overall aim of the unit is to provide you with an understanding of human/equid interactions and a broad based awareness of the resultant evolution and domestication of the horse. You will study the forces driving the evolution of the horse and its adaptation to them; the unit will explore and reappraise those areas of anatomy and physiology that are of particular relevance to the role of the horse in society, particularly as an athlete. Similarly, those factors which predispose the animal to development of disease which are directly attributable to role-related requirements will be analysed.

Principles of behavioural development will be considered, in parallel, in this unit to review how modern management and husbandry practices have contributed to the aetiology of abnormal behaviours in equid species. This provides underpinning knowledge that will be considered as part of a broader consideration of preventative and remedial strategies.

Work Based Learning
This unit complements the academic experience by providing opportunities for you to develop the knowledge, skills and work ethic necessary to succeed in industry.

Year 2 / Level IEquine Breeding & Genetics
This unit is intended to ensure that you will be able to describe the keeping and management of both breeding and young stock, at stud. You will develop a detailed understanding of the reproductive cycle of the horse and explore ways in which the breeding cycle can be manipulated and managed.

Equine Exercise Physiology
You will study the physiological and biochemical responses of the horse to exercise and apply underpinning theory to formulate recommendations for training regimens in a variety of sports specific contexts. You will debate the relevance of equine psychology and behaviour to enhancing the performance of the equine athlete.

Management of Equine Estates & Facilities
The aim of this unit is to investigate in detail processes involved in acquiring land and estates suitable for development for a range of equine related facilities and businesses ranging from leisure facilities through rehabilitation centres to keeping of animal collections.

Specialist Research Project
This unit will enable you to choose a topic relevant to your academic and professional development and undertake a sustained investigation in that field. The study will have a significant practical contribution and will be used to encourage and test initiative and independent thought.

Option units: please choose 2 of the following

Applied Companion Animal Behaviour
The overall aim of the unit is to refine and develop your existing knowledge pertaining to animal behaviour and thereby equip you with the ability to critically understand issues relating to companion animal welfare and human-companion animal interactions through the application of broad underlying concepts and principles.

Applied Psychology & the Customer
The aims of this unit is to introduce you to aspects of human psychology that are relevant to the care of customers within an animal context.

Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation
You will study the underlying anatomical structures in the body that may be affected by injuries and their subsequent healing mechanisms. Management of injuries including treatment regimes and rehabilitation programmes will be evaluated. The legal, ethical and practical considerations will be examined as part of a comparative assessment with conventional treatment methods.