The Open College of Equine Studies

Basic Stable Management

Aims of the course:

• To provide a straightforward introductory course suitable for anyone wishing to establish the foundation of stable management principles.
• To provide preparation for the Senior Horsemaster's Course 1 or BTEC National Certificate. It is not mandatory to complete BSM before starting the SHM1 or National Certificate course.

BSM is ideal for:

• Inexperienced students from the age of 14 years.
• Any student at the start of training with little or no experience of horse-care.
• A 'returning to horses' student - perhaps you rode years ago and are a bit rusty.
• The non-horsey parent of pony-mad children.
• Preparation for BHS and RC Stages 1 and 2.

Module 1 - Basic Anatomy and Physiology
This module introduces the colours, markings and basic physiology including the skeleton, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments, basic conformation, points of the horse, the teeth and ageing.

Module 2 - Care of the Stabled Horse
Care of the stabled horse, stable construction, routine, bedding, mucking out, handling, grooming, bandaging, plaiting, trimming, clipping.

Module 3 - Care of the Grass Kept Horse
Keeping a horse at grass, the paddock, fencing, watering, poisonous plants, shelter, general care, laminitis, sweet itch, cracked heels, mud fever.

Module 4 - Feeding
The digestive tract, basic digestion, rules of feeding, types of feedstuffs, food preparation, hay, how much to feed, sample feed charts, colic, worms.

Module 5 - Saddlery
Care and fitting of various items of tack, bits and bitting, martingales, tacking up and untacking. Health problems associated with ill-fitting tack.

Module 6 - The Foot, Shoeing and Lameness
Structure of the foot, shoeing procedure, a well shod foot, type of shoe, studs, causes of lameness, disorders of the foot, lameness – causes and treatment.

Module 7 - Horse Health
Signs of good and ill health, preventative medicine, vaccinations, sick nursing, isolation procedure, hygiene, equine first aid kit, administration of medicine, poultices, hot and cold treatments, when to call the vet.

Module 8 - Equine Veterinary Care
Wound treatment, dealing with bleeding. The circulatory and respiratory systems, functions and disorders. Ailments affecting the skin, eyes and mouth. Equine rhabdomyolysis (azoturia), strangles, influenza and tetanus.

Module 9 - Fittening the Horse
Movement and action, exercise, schooling, lungeing, fittening work, preparation for shows and hunting, travelling, at the show or meet, the day after, roughing off at the end of the season. Types of competition.

Module 10 - Safety
Accident prevention. Safety in the stable, yard, field, when loading, travelling and whilst riding. Basic road safety. Fire prevention, action to take in the event of fire. Manual handling - safe lifting techniques. Personal protective equipment and clothing.

Optional End of Course Examination
This is sent out with the Module 10 marked work and assessment sheet, and is completed at home without the use of course material or books.

 

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