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Postgraduate Certificate Equine Performance And Rehabilitation

Equine Performance and Rehabilitation

Postgraduate Certificate

This course is ideal for those who want to integrate advanced science with high-level equine performance. Applying theory to practice in the real world, you’ll learn how to maximise equestrian athletic performance, aiding the selection of performance horses and extending successful careers of both the horse and the rider.

You’ll benefit from world-class technologies including well-renowned equine therapy and rider performance centres that are leading the way in related research.

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Key Information

Course Duration: 1 year part-time
Part or Full Time: Part Time
Level of Study: Master's and PhDs
Typical Offer: 2:1 honours degree (2:2 applicants considered individually)

Course information

You’ll be encouraged to attend academic and industry conferences and engage with communities of practice to enhance your learning and professional network, including those hosted at Hartpury. Our outstanding competition facilities host over 100 events each year, many at international level, attracting leading equestrian athletes from across the world. We’re home to over 230 horses and riders in our livery centre, many training to be equestrian athletes as part of our Equine Academy.

This master’s-level qualification is a recognised qualification in its own right, but on successful completion, you’ll also have the option to progress onto one of our equine Postgraduate Diploma’s or Masters programmes, where you’ll be able to select from a diverse range of equestrian performance modules to suit your interests and career goals.

Academic

2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject. Students with 2:2 and relevant experience will be considered on a case by case basis.

Non-academic

Students with non-relevant qualifications but with sufficient work experience or professional experience will be considered on an individual basis.

International

In addition to the academic qualification an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required.

Please contact us for further information.

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On-campus opportunities

Our commercial equine therapy and performance centres offer opportunities for students to gain industry experience to support their careers. With teams made up of expert personnel alongside volunteers, you could have the opportunity to get hands-on with clinical cases and to network with the range of allied professionals that involved in the rehabilitation and management of the horses, including veterinarians, farriers, nutritionists and more.

Furthermore, opportunities exist to gain valuable industry experience by volunteering at the national and international level events hosted by our Equine Centre. These include the Five Star Hartpury Horse Trials and the Hartpury International Festival of Dressage.

Find out more about our commercial equine activities below.

Find out more about our commercial equine activities.

Graduate destinations

Whether you have already defined your career goals or you’re keen to explore your options, these programmes provide opportunities to develop both the specialist and transferable skills needed for a range of graduate careers. Our teaching staff, professionals on campus and careers team are available to provide expert advice and guidance, as required.

Recent graduate destinations have included:

  • Animal Health Technician, Equine Hospital
  • Research Ethics Officer, University Hospital
  • Nutritional Advisor, Saracen Horse Feeds
  • Marketing Executive, Animal feed manufacturer
  • University lecturer
  • Equine Events Coordinator, Hartpury Equestrian
Success Stories

We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.

Duration

One year, full-time

The Postgraduate Certificate Equine Performance and Rehabilitation is validated as a one-year, part-time qualification and can therefore be complete within one year.

Two-three years, part-time

Alternatively, we offer flexible options to help students to manage their studies alongside other commitments by spreading this course over more than one year. These options can be tailored to suit your own needs, enabling you to complete your qualification in two or three years. Please enquire for further details

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one. This will range from your lecturers, supervisors and personal tutor to our specialist academic (Achievement and Success Centre), employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) and wellbeing teams.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Course information

Overview

You’ll be encouraged to attend academic and industry conferences and engage with communities of practice to enhance your learning and professional network, including those hosted at Hartpury. Our outstanding competition facilities host over 100 events each year, many at international level, attracting leading equestrian athletes from across the world. We’re home to over 230 horses and riders in our livery centre, many training to be equestrian athletes as part of our Equine Academy.

This master’s-level qualification is a recognised qualification in its own right, but on successful completion, you’ll also have the option to progress onto one of our equine Postgraduate Diploma’s or Masters programmes, where you’ll be able to select from a diverse range of equestrian performance modules to suit your interests and career goals.

Entry requirements

Academic

2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject. Students with 2:2 and relevant experience will be considered on a case by case basis.

Non-academic

Students with non-relevant qualifications but with sufficient work experience or professional experience will be considered on an individual basis.

International

In addition to the academic qualification an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required.

Please contact us for further information.

Employability

 

On-campus opportunities

Our commercial equine therapy and performance centres offer opportunities for students to gain industry experience to support their careers. With teams made up of expert personnel alongside volunteers, you could have the opportunity to get hands-on with clinical cases and to network with the range of allied professionals that involved in the rehabilitation and management of the horses, including veterinarians, farriers, nutritionists and more.

Furthermore, opportunities exist to gain valuable industry experience by volunteering at the national and international level events hosted by our Equine Centre. These include the Five Star Hartpury Horse Trials and the Hartpury International Festival of Dressage.

Find out more about our commercial equine activities below.

Find out more about our commercial equine activities.

Graduate destinations

Whether you have already defined your career goals or you’re keen to explore your options, these programmes provide opportunities to develop both the specialist and transferable skills needed for a range of graduate careers. Our teaching staff, professionals on campus and careers team are available to provide expert advice and guidance, as required.

Recent graduate destinations have included:

  • Animal Health Technician, Equine Hospital
  • Research Ethics Officer, University Hospital
  • Nutritional Advisor, Saracen Horse Feeds
  • Marketing Executive, Animal feed manufacturer
  • University lecturer
  • Equine Events Coordinator, Hartpury Equestrian

How you'll study

We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.

Duration

One year, full-time

The Postgraduate Certificate Equine Performance and Rehabilitation is validated as a one-year, part-time qualification and can therefore be complete within one year.

Two-three years, part-time

Alternatively, we offer flexible options to help students to manage their studies alongside other commitments by spreading this course over more than one year. These options can be tailored to suit your own needs, enabling you to complete your qualification in two or three years. Please enquire for further details

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one. This will range from your lecturers, supervisors and personal tutor to our specialist academic (Achievement and Success Centre), employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) and wellbeing teams.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Qualifications and modules

The focus of this programme is on optimising, maintaining, enhancing and restoring the performance of equestrian athletes.

Through specialist modules, you’ll develop your ability to understand and evaluate the interaction between the physiology of exercise and the principles behind rehabilitating the sports horse.

In addition, you’ll be given the opportunity to either further investigate the riders impact on the exercising horse, or to critically review a subject of your choosing that aligns with the aims of the programme and your own aspirations.

You’ll have opportunities to gain first-hand experience of advanced technologies at Hartpury, including gait analysis and electromyography equipment, as well as riding simulators used to assess rider influence on horse performance – some of our simulators are among the most advanced in the world at an educational institution.

Developing this bespoke expertise will be valuable for your career performance and progression. Upon successful completion of the course, you may be eligible to specialise your learning and development further, by progressing onto one of our equine Postgraduate Diploma’s or Masters programmes, selecting from a diverse range of equestrian performance modules, as well as others to suit your interests.

Below you’ll find the compulsory modules for this course and the range of optional modules, from which you would choose two, to suit your interests and career goals.

Module credits

Depending on the optional modules chosen, the Postgraduate Certificate course is delivered over three trimesters.

Upon successful completion of your modules, you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain may contribute towards your final postgraduate certificate differential award (pass, merit or distinction).

The course is taught in English.

Applied Equine Exercise Physiology

This module allows students to explore the fundamentals of equine exercise physiology in the context of different equestrian disciplines and their application to training.

Therapy and Rehabilitation of the Equine Athlete

Evaluate the practical techniques used within therapeutic care of the sports horse.

Advances in Equestrian Biomechanics

The application and assessment of biomechanical principles to equestrian athletic performance.

Equine Management for Optimal Performance and Welfare

This module aims to provide students with the knowledge and evaluative skills to debate the ethics and practicalities surrounding management of the horse within a range of societal pressures and the wider social responsibilities of the industry.

Postgraduate Independent Study

You will be supported to produce a critical literature review in an area of personal interest.

Rider Performance

Explore the physiological and biomechanical demands of the rider across difference disciplines and how the rider adapts and modifies to harmonise with the horse.

Qualifications and modules

Postgraduate Certificate

The focus of this programme is on optimising, maintaining, enhancing and restoring the performance of equestrian athletes.

Through specialist modules, you’ll develop your ability to understand and evaluate the interaction between the physiology of exercise and the principles behind rehabilitating the sports horse.

In addition, you’ll be given the opportunity to either further investigate the riders impact on the exercising horse, or to critically review a subject of your choosing that aligns with the aims of the programme and your own aspirations.

You’ll have opportunities to gain first-hand experience of advanced technologies at Hartpury, including gait analysis and electromyography equipment, as well as riding simulators used to assess rider influence on horse performance – some of our simulators are among the most advanced in the world at an educational institution.

Developing this bespoke expertise will be valuable for your career performance and progression. Upon successful completion of the course, you may be eligible to specialise your learning and development further, by progressing onto one of our equine Postgraduate Diploma’s or Masters programmes, selecting from a diverse range of equestrian performance modules, as well as others to suit your interests.

Modules

Below you’ll find the compulsory modules for this course and the range of optional modules, from which you would choose two, to suit your interests and career goals.

Module credits

Depending on the optional modules chosen, the Postgraduate Certificate course is delivered over three trimesters.

Upon successful completion of your modules, you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain may contribute towards your final postgraduate certificate differential award (pass, merit or distinction).

The course is taught in English.

Compulsory modules

Applied Equine Exercise Physiology

This module allows students to explore the fundamentals of equine exercise physiology in the context of different equestrian disciplines and their application to training.

Therapy and Rehabilitation of the Equine Athlete

Evaluate the practical techniques used within therapeutic care of the sports horse.

Optional modules

Advances in Equestrian Biomechanics

The application and assessment of biomechanical principles to equestrian athletic performance.

Equine Management for Optimal Performance and Welfare

This module aims to provide students with the knowledge and evaluative skills to debate the ethics and practicalities surrounding management of the horse within a range of societal pressures and the wider social responsibilities of the industry.

Postgraduate Independent Study

You will be supported to produce a critical literature review in an area of personal interest.

Rider Performance

Explore the physiological and biomechanical demands of the rider across difference disciplines and how the rider adapts and modifies to harmonise with the horse.

Depending on the optional modules chosen, the Postgraduate Certificate course is delivered over three trimesters.

The modules contain a mixture of scheduled learning – lectures, workshops and practical sessions – alongside independent learning. Students are expected to dedicate at least two to three hours of independent study per contact hour. The following breakdowns may vary, depending on module choices.

  Contact learning Placement learning Independent learning
Postgraduate Certificate 16% 0% 84%
Teaching contact time

Teaching contact time and method will vary depending on the optional module that you choose to study.

You’ll be assessed through a mixture of written exams, oral presentations and written assessments. Many of the modules will be marked based on a mixture of assessment types, whilst others will be based solely on one type of assessment.

Feedback will be provided to you throughout the course both formatively, with staff feeding back on draft work or in subject discussions, or summatively, provided by the staff commentary accompanying marked assessments. The following breakdowns may vary, depending on module choices.

  Written exam Practical exam Coursework
Postgraduate Certificate 50% 25% 25%

Assessment will vary depending on the optional modules you choose.

This course has been designed to fit around those working or volunteering within the sector. The course normally consists of four or five scheduled teaching blocks and assessment weeks spread over three 12-week trimesters. An overview is provided below.

  • Scheduled teaching generally takes place across block weekends (Friday – Sunday)
  • Delivery on the teaching weekends is normally scheduled between 9.00am – 5.00pm
  • Attendance dates and timetables are available before enrolment to support the arrangement of annual leave where required
View term dates

Please visit our student finance page for information on tuition fees and student loans, as well as non-repayable grants, bursaries and scholarships, eligible to different groups, to support with study costs.

Clothing and footwear (circa £100)

A number of modules require clothing and footwear suitable to wear on the yard, eg. long trousers and boots.

Hartpury University branded clothing is also available through our online shop, for those who wish to purchase it. However, this is not essential.

Optional field trips 

Field trips are generally included in the course fees.  However, extra costs may be required for specific optional trips.

Livery

We have stabling for 230 horses on campus. If you're interested in having your horse at Hartpury on DIY livery while you study, please visit our livery page for details and costs.

Equine Academy

If you have the talent and drive to develop your skills as an equestrian athlete alongside your studies, you may be eligible to join our Equine Academy. For further details including costs, please visit our Equine Academy page.

Accommodation and living costs

Please visit our student accommodation page for details.

Fees & finance

Our Resource Library is where you'll find all the essential details about Hartpury University's courses. It includes Programme and Module Specifications, along with Course Information Sheets for every course. You can easily download a complete revision history for each of these, clearly showing the dates changes were made.

Course Information Sheets: These are PDF versions of the course webpages. They provide an overview of the course, what to expect during your studies, and the topics covered.

Programme Specifications: These are detailed, validated documents containing academic specifics for each programme. They include descriptions of the programme, its aims, learning outcomes, year and module structure, as well as teaching, learning, and assessment strategies.

Module Specifications: Each Programme consists of several Modules. Our Module Specifications outline the topics covered and the expected outcomes for students studying each Module.

Resource library
Kirsty Lesniak

Meet the programme manager

Kirsty Lesniak is a Senior Lecturer (Teaching & Research).

Book an online appointment Meet Kirsty Lesniak

Fees & Funding

It's a good idea to think about fees and funding around your course as early as you can. We can help you to understand and take control of your finances. Here’s everything you need to know at a glance.

Postgraduate Fees Funding Hartpuy University (1)

Facilities

Our specialist facilities match our specialist nature. Students benefit from access to some of the most advanced facilities in the world at an educational institution.

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Find out more about our courses, professional learning environments and commercial industry connections. Learn about our world-class facilities and speak with our academic teams about how our qualifications could help to change or progress your career.

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Top 3 UK University

We're a top 3 UK university for postgraduate teaching, and top 5 UK university for overall postgraduate satisfaction (PTES 2024).

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World leading

Our research has been recognised as 'world-leading' and 'internationally excellent' (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

Hartpury University Equine

World-class equine facilities

Benefit from multi-million-pound equine facilities, used by world-class riders and horses from across the globe.

From research opportunities in our rider performance and hydrotherapy centres, to client-facing positions in our commercial therapy centre, you’ll develop professional skills for the future.

Equine facilities

Open up new opportunities

By studying a postgraduate qualification, you’ll deepen your expertise as part of a curious and likeminded learning community.

Megan had been overlooked for a job, with employers citing qualifications. That changed after she studied a master's at Hartpury. Find out how it gives you an edge. 

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Kirsty Lesniak

Meet the programme manager

Kirsty Lesniak is a Senior Lecturer (Teaching & Research) and the Programme Manager for Equine Performance and Rehabilitation.

Kirsty's profile Online appointments

Important information

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are reviewed and developed regularly. Changes or cancellation of courses may be necessary to ensure alignment with emerging employment areas, to comply with accrediting body requirements, revisions to subject benchmark statements or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make necessary changes and will notify all offer-holders of changes as and when they occur.

Related courses

Find out more about our master's degrees
Msc Applied Equine Science Hartpury
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MSc Applied Equine Science

Apply theory to practice on a campus equipped with world-class equestrian facilities, including competition arenas, equine therapy and rider performance centres, as well as over 200 horses and riders of all levels.

Equitation Science Hartpury
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MSc Equitation Science

Improve the welfare of horse and rider through ethical decision-making underpinned by the latest scientific research. This course can be studied in CPD module blocks, making it ideal for professionals, or via more traditional academic pathways.

Mres Equestrian Science
Course

MRes Equestrian Science

This unique Master of Research (MRes) degree is a specialised master’s degree that provides the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the core principles of research as well as the ability to undertake research in the equestrian science subject area.

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