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Horse enthusiasts are invited to participate in this semester-long online Equine Science course offered in partnership with the Rutgers Department of Animal Sciences.
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Course Details
Course Name: Equine Nutrition
Course Code: AA0308WA27
Course Opens: January 19, 2027
Course Closes: May 3, 2027
Location: Online
Format: Self-paced, Asynchronous*
*Participants can complete the course content (approximately 36 hours) at their own pace anytime during the 14 weeks the course is open.
Registration Fee: $500 per person
Registration Closes: January 25, 2027
Paying with a check, money order, or purchase order?
Payments should be made out to: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Checks and money orders should be mailed to: Office of Continuing Professional Education, Attn: Registration Dept., 102 Ryders Ln, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
Purchase Orders can be mailed to the address above or electronically sent to registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.
Course Overview
This course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the nutritional management and requirements of horses.
This 14-week program is offered on a noncredit basis to horse owners, trainers, feed sales representatives, and anyone interested in the topic. It is appropriate for novice and experienced horse enthusiasts, though some background in both nutrition and equine management is necessary to excel in the course.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify and compare the basic digestive anatomy of horses and how it relates to digestion and absorption.
- Recognize the diversity of a horse’s nutritional requirements based on different life stages.
- Critically evaluate feeding programs, recognize deficits/excesses in the rations, and know the signs to look for in horses fed deficient or excess nutrients.
- Critique feeds and supplements with regard to quality, nutrient content, and necessity in a horse’s ration.
- Design a feeding program for a real or fictional farm incorporating 3-4 different life stages and one problem horse.
Featured Topics
- Gastrointestinal Physiology
- Digestion
- Essential Nutrients
- Feeds and Supplements
- Reading Feed Tags
- Evaluating a Forage Analysis
- Pasture Management
- Ration Analysis and Balancing
- Nutritional Deficits and Excesses
- Nutrition-related Diseases
- Myths in Equine Nutrition
- Nutritional Management of Mares, Stallions, Foals, and Performance Horses
Course Format & Assessment
This course is asynchronous, using automatically graded quizzes that must be completed to progress to the next section. This program is completely self-paced with only practice assignments and no associated deadlines. Registrants who successfully complete this course within the semester timeframe will receive a certificate of course participation.
Prerequisites
A high school diploma is required.
Meet Your Instructor
Carey Williams, Extension Specialist in Equine Management, Rutgers Department of Animal Sciences
Student Reviews
“Dr. Williams was outstanding and broke down a lot of the information into easily digestible (no pun intended) parts. I look forward to applying all I have learned at my barn.”
– Past Participant
“I really learned a lot of valuable information to apply to my business and also make my own horses happy and healthier!”
– Past Participant
“Loved this class and everything I learned! The knowledge I gained was amazing. Dr. Williams was an excellent teacher – so smart and funny! I would recommend this class to ANY horse owner, rider, trainer, vet tech, and so on. Excellent job!”
– Past Participant
Continuing Education Credits
The Equine Nutrition course is approved for 3.6 Rutgers CEUs (36 contact hours).
Course Requirements and Policies
Course Textbooks and Videos
Students are responsible for obtaining the required supplemental text. Purchasing the supplemental text is optional. All other materials and videos are provided through the course website.
- REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL: National Research Council: Nutrient Requirements of Horses, 6th Revised Edition, 2007
- This text can be purchased as a paperback, hard cover, or Ebook version.
- SUPPLEMENTAL (Optional): Horse Pasture Management, ed. Paul H. Sharpe, 1st Edition, 2018, Academic Press (or the 2024 2nd Edition)
- Chapters will be supplied in the course website or you can purchase the hard copy or eBook.
- Videos will be provided in course website.
Technology Requirements
This online course will be facilitated using Rutgers Canvas Learning Management System. A computer (desktop or laptop) is required. After you register, you will receive an email from “Rutgers University Canvas” prompting you to click a link to finish setting up your Canvas account. If you do not see this message in your inbox, please check your junk/spam folder. The instructor, Dr. Carey Williams, will send you a link to the class when we get closer to the start date in January. She can be reached via email at cawilli@sebs.rutgers.edu.
Email Requirement
A unique email address is required for each registrant to register and access our courses.
- If this is your first time registering with us, please provide your own unique email address when registering; do not provide an email address that you share with co-workers.
- If you have previously taken classes with us and have used an email address that you share with your co-workers or supervisor, your account must be updated with a unique email address. To do this, please send an email to us at registration@njaes.rutgers.edu stating that your email address needs to be changed and include:
- Your full name
- The shared email address that needs to be changed
- Your unique email address
- A phone number where you can be reached if we have any questions
Cancellations and Substitutions
A $100 cancellation fee applies for this course. Substitutions are permitted. View our cancellation policy.
Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about Equine Nutrition, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Senior Program Administrator Supervisor: Nathaniel Perrucci
848-932-7971
nathaniel.perrucci@rutgers.edu
For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.
