Veterinary Assistant with Horse Care Management

Do you love animals—horses in particular? Have you ever considered a career as a veterinary assistant, stable manager, or horse caretaker? If so, this equine veterinary assistant training course teaches you the skills you need to work directly with horses. Whether you are interested in joining a stable, equestrian center, or veterinary facility that works with large animals, having a fundamental knowledge of horse caretaking and veterinary science is essential. This course provides a broad...

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18 Months / 610 Course Hrs
Open Enrollment
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City of Hercules

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Veterinary Assistant with Horse Care Management

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Course code: GES191

What you will learn

  • Review basic principles, equine husbandry, and attain broad knowledge of horse care for stabled and pastured horses
  • Discover proper management of the health of horses in various situations and conditions
  • Obtain a deeper understanding of horse behavior, practical skills in properly handling and training horses, horse breeding, and the importance of genetics and selective breeding
  • Summarize the roles, responsibilities, and applicable laws and ethics as they pertain to the veterinary healthcare team
  • Learn fundamentals of animal anatomy and physiology, restraint techniques, and basic examination tasks relevant to veterinary assisting, using proper terminology
  • Explain how to perform veterinary assistant pharmacy tasks within the law's scope and discuss vaccinations, infectious diseases, transmission, and prevention
  • Know how to respond appropriately to veterinary medical emergencies, surgeries, and various laboratory procedures, and the veterinary assistant's responsibilities related to veterinary dentistry

How you will benefit

  • Gaining a comprehensive understanding of horse care, horse management, and husbandry is key to starting a career in the horse industry
  • Develop specialized equine knowledge of handling, feeding, training, breeding, and behavior
  • Prepare to assist veterinarians and veterinary technicians in providing patient care
  • Stand out to employers seeking individuals passionate about animals and possessing the communication and teamwork skills necessary to excel in the field
  • Give yourself a competitive edge by holding a certificate of completion for these two intensive courses, increasing your qualifications and affirming that you have met industry-recognized levels of proficiency

How the course is taught

  • Self-paced, online course
  • 18 Months to complete
  • Open enrollment, begin anytime
  • 610 course hours
  1. Veterinary Assistant
    1. The Veterinary Health-Care Team
    2. Veterinary Team Culture and Communication
    3. Introduction to Veterinary Medical Terminology
    4. Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology, and Terminology (Part I)
    5. Small-Animal Behavior and Restraint
    6. Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology, and Terminology (Part 2)
    7. Veterinary Receptionist Duties and Responsibilities
    8. Veterinary Inventory Management
    9. Pharmacy Procedures
    10. Hospital Safety and Infection Control
    11. Physical Exam and Patient History
    12. Small-Animal Vaccines and Infectious Diseases
    13. Small-Animal Nutrition
    14. Small-Animal Nursing Procedures
    15. The Human-Animal Bond and Euthanasia
    16. Laboratory Procedures for Veterinary Assistants
    17. Diagnostic Imaging for Veterinary Assistants
    18. Small-Animal Surgical Assisting
    19. Hospitalized Patient Care
    20. The Role of the Assistant During Emergencies
    21. Veterinary Dental Assisting
    22. Assisting with Exotic Species
    23. Assisting with Large-Animal Species
    24. Personal and Professional Development
    25. Beginning Your Career as a Vet Assistant
    26. Land the Job
  2. Horse Care Management
    1. Horse Care I: Equine Husbandry Basics
      1. Domestication/Development of the Horse
      2. Form to Function
      3. Definitions of Movement
      4. Teeth and Age Determination
      5. Feet & Hoof Care
      6. Horsemanship and Equitation
      7. G. Basic Handling of Horses
    2. Horse Care II: Equine Herd Health Management
      1. Review of Disease
      2. Normal Health Parameters & Signs of Disease
      3. Common Infectious Diseases
      4. Parasite Management
      5. Digestive System Disorders
      6. Miscellaneous Diseases
      7. Wound Management and First Aid
    3. Horse Management III: Equine Nutrition
      1. Review of the Horse's Digestive Anatomy & Physiology
      2. Review of the Basic Nutrients
      3. Animal Factors Affecting Nutrition
      4. Feed Factors Affecting Nutrition
      5. Feeding Factors Affecting Nutrition
      6. Feed-Induced Diseases
    4. Horse Training Principles (Option 1)
      1. Introduction to Equine Behavior
      2. Patterns of General Behavior
      3. Social Behavior
      4. Intelligence/Factors Affecting Learning
      5. Foundations in Horsemanship
      6. Principles of Training
    5. Horse Breeding (Option 2)
      1. Basic Principles in Selective Breeding
      2. Reproductive Physiology of the Mare
      3. Reproductive Physiology of the Stallion
      4. Breeding Management of the Mare
      5. Breeding Management of the Stallion
      6. Management of Pregnancy & Parturition
      7. Reproductive Failure
      8. Principles of Artificial Insemination & Embryo Transfer

Tracy Heyland, RVT

Tracy Heyland is a Registered Veterinary Technologist (RVT), earning the Academic and Practical Proficiency Award upon graduating. She brings 25+ years of experience in small animal medicine to her teaching, earned the Provincial Instructor Diploma, certified as a Professional Co-Active Coach, and is Fear Free Certified. Tracy has worked in general practice, emergency medicine, veterinary sales, operations management, and teaching positions and runs her own coaching and training company for veterinary teams, leaders, and managers.

Giving back to the veterinary profession is a passion of Tracy's where she volunteers for a veterinary technologist program advisory committee, remotely located spay and neuter projects, and a veterinary technologist association continuing education committee.

Mary Mould

Mary Mould has a bachelor's in veterinary technology and a master's in education. She has taught veterinary technology courses for 22 years and distance education for over 24 years. Completing her education through distance learning has been extremely helpful in understanding her students and the variables that go along with distance learning.

Mary published an article, "Brushing Your Dog's Teeth," in the Veterinary Technology journal and has spoken at the Midwest Veterinary Conference on animal pain management.

Mary is a member of the Association for Veterinary Technology Education (AVTE), Veterinary Support Personnel (VSPN), and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians (NAVTA).

Meg Anema

Meg Anema holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics from New Mexico State University and a Master of Science degree in Equine Reproductive Physiology from Colorado State University. Anema, a certified Career and Technical Education instructor, has taught courses in Equine Science, Animal Science, and Veterinary Science for over 10 years. She grew up training horses and has years of experience as a breeding farm manager, equine A.I. technician, and equine events coordinator.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 10 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 12 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Microsoft Word Online
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • All applications listed above must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment.

The following eBooks are available for your Veterinary Assistant course. Reading assignments in each lesson will be linked to the eBook for the designated reading.

  • Veterinary Assisting Fundamentals & Applications, 2nd edition, by Beth Vanhorn
  • An Illustrated Guide to Veterinary Medical Terminology, 4th edition, by Janet Amundson Romich

According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary of an equine vet assistant is $35,859 annually, with the highest earners making $49,500.

According to Indeed.com, the average salary for veterinary assistants is $43,254, with those who have more than 10 years of experience earning over $59,666.

The number one job of a veterinary assistant is to assist the veterinarian and veterinarian technicians with basic tasks. As a veterinary assistant, you may feed, weigh, and take the temperature of various animals. You may also help give medication, clean cages, and provide nursing care for animals when they have surgery or other medical procedures. You may also bathe and exercise animals as needed and help restrain them during treatment. As a veterinary assistant, it is also your responsibility to clean and sterilize equipment and exam rooms. Some veterinary assistants even perform clerical work, such as scheduling appointments and speaking with customers, as well. The duties vary widely, but all are important to ensure the health and well-being of animals inside the veterinary practice.

This online veterinary assistant training program is self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start whenever you are ready and finish at your own pace. When you register, you will receive 18 months to complete the course.

While the people in both these jobs may work in the same location (and potentially with the same animals), they perform very different roles. Veterinary assistants most likely have received training through a certificate program and training on the job by veterinary technicians to help with basic duties like setting up equipment and cleaning areas of the clinic like surgery sites. Veterinary technicians, or vet techs, have a formal education—likely a two- or four-year degree accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. They are also required to pass a licensing exam in most states. In short, veterinary technicians can perform more advanced clinical tasks under a veterinarian's supervision to help treat animals.

Not at this time.

This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.

All of our courses are self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start them when you want and finish them at your own pace. When you register, you'll receive eighteen (18) months to complete the course.

The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact the student advising team to see what options you may have available to work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.

Our courses are designed to accommodate various learning preferences. Depending on the course structure, you may get different forms of support. Self-paced courses are designed to be user-friendly and independent, minimizing the need for external support. In courses with instructors, our direct platform support feature includes opportunities for questions, discussions, and remediation, with email and phone support available for select courses. Our student advising team is available to guide you on program requirements and administrative requests, but they do not provide assistance with course content. Our goal is to provide you with the necessary support for success, whether it's through self-paced exploration, direct communication, or guidance from our advising team.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.

This course will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

This course is non-credit, so it does not qualify for federal aid, FAFSA and Pell Grant. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses. Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they meet certain requirements. Financing is available from select schools. Learn more about financial assistance.

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, representatives are available via LIVE chat. You can also call us at 1-877-221-5151 during regular business hours to have your questions promptly answered. If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please send us a question using the "Contact Us" form.