Equine Feeding and Management

A healthy, thriving horse starts with good management – and at the heart of that is proper nutrition. This comprehensive course demystifies equine feeding, giving you the knowledge and confidence to make informed choices about your horse’s diet, no matter their age, workload or lifestyle.

You’ll explore how nutrition supports every aspect of horse health, from digestion and energy to behaviour and condition. The course covers everything from fibre types and feed labels to feeding for specific needs, common feeding mistakes, and how to build balanced diets tailored to individual horses.

Written in clear, practical language, the course blends theory with real-life application. With no deadlines or pressure, you can study at your own pace — and you’ll have your personal tutor on hand throughout to answer questions and offer feedback.

Whether you’re a horse owner or someone managing a yard, this course strengthens your foundation in one of the most important aspects of equine care. It also includes optional assignments and feed chart preparation, helping you apply what you’ve learned right away.

Syllabus

Core Feeding Principles

• Introduction to equine feeding
• Dictionary of key feeding terms
• The horse’s digestive system explained
• Natural feeding behaviour and implications for domestic care

Feed Types & Their Use

• High-fibre feeds: hay, haylage, horsehage
• Concentrates and hard feed
• Additives, vitamins, and minerals
• Categorising feeds for easy understanding

Feeding Guidelines & Calculations

• Rules of feeding and why they matter
• Working out how much to feed
• Preparing accurate feed charts for individual horses

Feeding for Life Stages & Situations

• Feeding youngstock, broodmares, veterans, etc.
• Feeding for different workloads and conditions

Feeding-Related Health & Behaviour

• Behavioural issues linked to feeding
• Feeding-related health risks (e.g. laminitis, colic)
• Preventing feeding errors and imbalances

Additional Topics

• Importance of worming and dental care in nutrition
• Feeding as part of overall equine welfare and management

Who Is It For?

This course is ideal for:

• Leisure horse owners — whether new or experienced, anyone caring for horses will benefit from a clearer understanding of feeding principles and practical application.
• Yard owners and managers — especially those regularly advising clients or responsible for multiple horses with varied dietary needs.
• Anyone seeking to deepen their equine care knowledge — whether for personal growth, CPD, or as a stepping stone to more advanced study.

If you’re aiming to improve your horse’s health, avoid common feeding mistakes, and gain a practical, in-depth understanding of how nutrition affects behaviour, performance and condition — this course is for you.

Student Experience

Students often tell us how surprised they are by how much they didn’t know before starting this course – even those with years of horse ownership under their belts. The easy-to-follow layout, accessible language, and flexible structure mean learners can take their time to absorb new information and revisit key sections whenever needed.

The distance learning format allows you to study entirely at your own pace — whether that’s during a quiet afternoon at the yard, an evening at home, or fitted around a busy work schedule. There are no deadlines, so you can progress in a way that suits your lifestyle.

Tutor support is available throughout, and students are encouraged to reach out with questions or for clarification. Many appreciate the personal feedback and the reassurance of knowing there’s someone there to guide them if needed.

Whether you’re returning to study after a break or learning alongside hands-on experience, the course is designed to build confidence as well as knowledge. One learner told us that the course helped her finally understand how to balance her horse’s diet properly — something she’d struggled with for years.

This course is especially valued by those who want to feel more empowered when choosing feeds, advising clients, or managing horses with specific needs. It gives practical, real-world knowledge that students can apply immediately in daily yard life.

Career Options

Understanding equine feeding and nutrition is not just a valuable skill for horse owners — it’s a vital component of many equine careers. Completing this course can enhance your professional credibility and open doors to further opportunities within the equine industry.

Graduates of the Equine Feeding & Nutrition course often use it as a stepping stone to:
– Yard management roles, where nutritional planning is key to horse welfare and client satisfaction
– Working in feed companies or as a feed rep
– This course is also a strong addition to the CPD (Continuing Professional Development) portfolio of anyone already working in the sector — from instructors and grooms to equine therapists and behaviourists