32/ APRIL 2024 THE RIDER A Look Back at 20 Years of Equine Education and Research For the past 20 years,


equine education and research has been a prominent part of the University of Guelph’s (U of G) programming, providing quality


education to thousands of stu- dents worldwide. At the forefront stands Equine Guelph, U of G’s hub for all equine-related educa- tion and research.


What began as a vision to


elevate equine welfare and ad- vance best practices has evolved into an institution that has left a significant impact on both equine


enthusiasts and the broader in- dustry. “One of the biggest things


we stress in our programs is evi- dence-based information,” says Equine Guelph director Gayle Ecker. “By combining the latest scientific research with practical application for horse owners, our students gain the knowledge and tools they need to make a real dif- ference for the horses in their care.”


ited online equine course, Man- agement


The first university-accred- of


the Equine


Environment, launched in 2002 and was quickly followed by the Equine Exercise Physiology course and the Equine Science Certificate. This pioneering ini- tiative marked the beginning of a transformative journey in equine education at U of G, and Equine Guelph was officially established in 2003. As a leader in the equine


world, Equine Guelph has consis- tently pushed the boundaries of knowledge, offering a compre- hensive range of courses, pro- grams, and research initiatives that cater to the diverse needs of the equine community. One of the many ways Equine Guelph has proven their commitment to ex- cellence in education is through their partnership with Open Learning and Educational Sup- port (OpenEd) at U of G to de- velop the Equine Studies Online


program. “Offering industry-level


courses online seemed like the way to go, and we draw on our partnership with OpenEd to en- sure we uphold best practices in online education,” says Ecker. “We know it’s hard for horse owners to step away from their horses to learn, but with online courses, we’re able to reach stu- dents anywhere at any time.” Education at Equine Guelph


quickly built momentum, and by 2007 the Diploma in Equine Studies was established, includ- ing five new courses aimed at supporting equine business own- ers. Within a few years, the Equine Welfare Certificate was developed, bringing the total to three equine certificates and a diploma. Over the years, other notable milestones include reach-


ing students from more than 40 countries, funding more than 100 research projects, and winning 10 prestigious equine awards. “An exciting award that we


were honoured to receive was the Equine Industry Vision Award from the American Horse Publi- cations,” recalls Ecker. “This award is in recognition of leader- ship, creativity, and contribution toward positive changes in the equine industry, and we were the first Canadian organization to re- ceive it.” With two decades of dedica-


tion, innovation, and commit- ment under its belt, Equine Guelph has no intention of stop- ping anytime soon. “There


are continuing


changes in the equine industry globally that are helping us move these programs into different en- vironments,” notes Ecker. “We look forward to the opportunities and challenged that the future holds as we continue to inspire individuals to make a positive difference in the lives of horses.” Interested in joining the


thousands of students who have made a positive impact on their horses? Check out our upcoming courses and join the summer se- mester! Visit uoguel.ph/equine- studies to learn more and register.


Visit our Website


to learn more about our great products: www.orangeapeel.ca or call (905) 387-1900


LynnPalm Continued from Page 31.


halt, but should be ready to move off at the slightest in- dications of the rider. For the halt at the be-


ginning and ending of a test, a horse should be immobile at least 3 seconds. In Intro- ductory l Levels, a halt should be at least 4 seconds.


Court Size 20 meters X 40 meters is most popular 20 meters X 60 meters can also be used Learn sizes of figures by doing the geometry Learn the “math” of the Dressage Court (arena) by walking it on foot to find the distances that the figures call for in each test. This is really a fun


challenge — riding your figures to an exact size or path! Riding with accuracy will teach whether you are doing something correct, or you need to improve on this task. Riding with precision will always help you recog- nize how your horse under- stands


your All Purpose Cleaner, Stain Remover and Deodorizer Hand Washing Gel Pet & Equine Shampoos


communications (aids). The goal is that no one can see you “talking” to your horse! Light and invisible aids is the aim. First learn how to ride


the rectangle arena. The


long side of the arena is 40 or 60 meters in length. Then there are two short sides of 20 meters in either official arena size. Not only can ei- ther arena feel small or dif- ficult to ride along the rail (tangent to the rail — 1 meter is 3.3 feet from the rail) you also have four cor- ners to learn to ride! In the corners you must show that your horse is bending cor- rectly in order to be bal- anced, as well as going straight after and before each corner. Start with learning this.


Training Tips: Make your own arena! It’s simple and inexpensive. Set it up in your arena or pasture, but please make sure you have as level and as good a foot- ing as possible. I know you will not


regret these arena bound- aries for learning how much fun it is to ride with accu- racy and precision!


•Palm Equestrian Academy generalinfo@lynnpalm.com 352-362-7847 •Cyril and Lynn offer clinics throughout the country and abroad as well as online coaching. Join them on their teaching tours or their Palm Equestrian Academy Euro- pean Journeys.


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