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Olds College delays equestrian program

A new Olds College equestrian program that would have given graduates the chance to work in barns, boarding stables and trail rides has been stalled for a year.

A new Olds College equestrian program that would have given graduates the chance to work in barns, boarding stables and trail rides has been stalled for a year.

The college teamed with Ontario’s Guelph University to create the Western Recreational Rider Certificate program, focusing on the recreational and personal interest of owning and working with horses.

Mark Fournier, continuing education manager for Olds College’s Animal Sciences, said on Monday that the program will be pushed back to July 2012, instead of running as planned back in July.

After the program was first announced in early March, students started showing interest.

But a number couldn’t commit because they had summer jobs or plans already.

Course runs $500 per course, or $5,000 for all 10 courses.

Fournier said at one point, they had 18 individuals who met all the qualifications.

“We couldn’t pull everything together to a degree where I could guarantee students a good experience,” he said. “We delayed it a year to make sure it was going to be a good program.”

Fournier said he was pleased with the figure of 18 because it shows there’s program demand.

“We’re targeting those individuals who want to work with horses, who don’t want to spend initially two years of their life trying to test their career,” said Fournier.

The certificate program combines hands-on courses at Olds College with science-based courses offered online through Guelph.

It is less career-focused than the two-year equine science diploma currently offered at Olds College.

Fournier said they will start accepting students in November for next July’s launch date.

The program works in two parts. Students are on campus for eight weeks where they learn everything from barn skills to horse handling and equine anatomy.

Then they take on-line courses through Guelph from September through May.

They return to Olds College for two more months to learn more advanced skills.

Students finish off with a trail ride in the mountains.

If they wish, they can take some more courses at this point and receive a Guelph certificate as well.

Employers that have shown interest are trail ride companies, barn operators, race tracks and riding stables.

ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com