Distance learning with horses - any good?

[chev]

Can anybody tell me how distance learning works with equine studies and if it's any good? I can't get my head round studying equines without handling them!

My youngest baby is nearly 11 months, my eldest is four years, I'm desperate to study for a qualification and because of the difficulties I'd have going to college I've been looking at distance learning (home study).

I gave up work (in a playgroup) a week before the youngest was due and then we moved. I need to find work and having only qualifications in Welsh, art and 3-D studies, figure I need to study something! All my life I've had c*** jobs and now I want to do something I like. We had our own craft business which I enjoyed but I don't have the finance or the market to go back to that any more.

I have years of practical experience with horses but no formal qualification. I'd like to do one of the BTEC courses but can't afford to pay for them if they're not going to get me anywhere. Would a prospective employer recognise a distance learning qualification? Not sure what I want to do long-term, just know big pay is not an issue and I want to work with horses.

This is a long-term goal - I'm one of those sad women who wants to stay at home with her kids till they go to school; I just want to do more with my life when they do.

So is distance learning for equine studies the way to go? Or should I leave it till they're older and go to college? Any input gratefully recieved!

[Mehitabel]

since yo've got experience and have your own ponies to play with and put it into practice on, i tihnk you're one of the few people distance learning could work for. the downside is that you don't know when you're doing things right, but you sound like it'd be mostly theory and the "correct" way of doing things you'd be learning rather than how to handle them and how to look after them. if there's a final exam type thing in whatever course you decide to do, then it'd be worth going to wherever you'd do it for a few sessions beforehand, but if it's a matter of sending off completed assignments, then it sounds like it'd be perfect for you. most prospective employers (speaking as one myself) prefer experience and proven competence anyway, but a formal qualification is a good way of consolidating what you know and means you've got something definite to tell them. eg - "i have 10 years experience" might mean different things coming from different people. "i have stage 2" or whatever means the same thing and tells them your level much more easily.
i taught a lady who was doing a distance learning course once, she came in, learned to do stuff, and i signed a form saying she could do it, which she sent off to the course providers. i don't know if they all work like that though.

[chev]

Cheers Es. It was the not knowing if I'm doing it wrong bit that was worrying me most. I could get round that to an extent going for lessons somewhere again, it's actually attending a course that's not feasible, not just because I don't want to leave the baby but also cos we just can't afford childcare if I did.

I've sent off for a couple of prospectuses, so I'll have a look through them and go from there. Thanks for the input!

[kaykell7]

i do distabce learning psychology and it is really good the worksheets are worded in such aay that its really easy to work through independently and there is a tutuor who i can email and have net meetings with to sort out any problems. if you want to do it go for it you dont know until you have tried it! but i have to admit am curios as to how distance learning horse care would work.

[Aly]

Speaking from Australian experience,

Distance Learning can be a wonderful and rewarding experience, and as long as the qualification is recognised in your country, and as long as you have access to putting theory into practice, and most of all, as long as you are focused, and prepared to put in 100% and more, then go for it.

I have done a number of distance education courses, including a horse husbandry certificate, and human resource management. I am also about to embark on a bachelor degree, totally by distance education. Personally I find this way of learning a challenge, and tremendously rewarding. I also like the fact that it does not matter which country I am in I still have access to quality education of my choice. I love the fact I can work at it in my own time, my family can remain at home instead of being pawned off onto relatives, or creches etc.

The main things to know are
- ensure that the course is recognised when done by distance education, do not just ring the school, of course they will say it is, you must contact any relevant horse bodies eg. bhs, efa etc. to determine what is really what.
- look carefully at what courses are available, a certificate is not worth much when a diploma/degree is available for the same course. Look at what you want to do it for and why? If you start it at certificate level, will the diploma/degree recognise and give you credit for the subjects you have already done at the certificate level.?

Probably more, but this is now long enough. Let me know if you want me to pass on any other experience.
Cheers! Aly

[Cochise]

I did distance learning last year, through a polytechnic down south. They sent me modules with heaps of info on horses, divided into different sections, eg. grooming, skeletal and muscular etc and u have sheets to fill out then send them back and they are marked and returned. Some modules require practical work, and they send a representitive to you so that you can be tested there on the spot. I learned heaps, but I would love to actually go to the place full time and study there, but you cant take your own horse, plus I am at university this year.
Go for it!! The best thing I think you can do is find out from the actual place what is involved with distance learning on their course and think about it...ask for brochures etc etc

[Mary Ann Bright]

I'm currentlty doing a certificate in horse studies by distance education, and i find it quite good. The university sends the work to my school. It has a workbook of questions and a written assignment per module. They also send a CD with information files and short videos to watch and sometimes a larger video for extra information. We schedule practical sessions and workplacement where our practical skills are assessed, and once we had to send in a video of ourselves for assessment as well. We can call or email the tutors for help if we need to.

I think given the choice i would prefer to do the course locally, but if the course you chose to do is well run i think that distance education can be effective

[chev]

The course I've been most interested in was a BTEC honours degree but two things put me off. The first was the price - it's a lot of money when there's no guarantee of a job at the end of it, the second was the fact that I have to attend 5-day summer schools, once again difficult with a family.

So I'm now looking at a BTEC diploma, which is cheaper while still seeming to cover most things in a fair amount of detail, maybe easier to study after a break from studying and offers the possibility of continuing on to a degree afterwards.

I've asked at a couple of yards if they would employ someone who'd achieved their qualification through distance learning, and both said much the same as Es; go for a recognised qualification and it would be considered alongside college qualifications. If I can show I still have the relevant experience, how I study is less important than the fact that I have.

I'm going to get in touch with the BHS and so on, ask how they view this type of study, but as the BHS stages 1 to 4 are offered as distance learning courses, I'm guessing they don't have a problem with it!

Aly, from what I've found out the BTEC courses can be studied in "units" which would count towards a diploma\degree, also meaning I can spread the cost out a bit too. Did you find distance learning harder to fit in around the family, or that you had to make more of an effort to organise time to study? It's the one advantage of going to college I really can see right now - no-one would interupt my study to demand tea, cuddles or anything else!

I actually feel really positive about this though so I'm thinking I'll probably go for it!

[Aly]

Hi Chev

I have a couple of step kids, and whilst they do not live with us while we are overseas, when we are in Australia we have them as often as they wish to stay with us.

I was just very black and white with them, explaining that during certain times of the day/night, they were not to harrass me, cuddle etc. because I had important study to do, definately helped most of the time.

Also I clearly told them the times that I was to be studying every day, and kept to this same routine. Any time I lost to attending to the kids, I then made up for either on my day off or weekends, when their father could give me a hand, or after they went to bed. I have juggled full time work, the kids, the horses and study, throughout all the courses that I have completed and my HR Management course, I even managed an overall distinction, so if I can ,then believe me , anyone can find the time to study successfully. Kids can be remarkably understanding as well as easy to bribe, so you shouldn't find it to bad.

Goodluck and Cheers! Aly

[Lucy J]

how much study do you have to do, or does it depend how quickly you want to achieve the qualifications. Is there a time limit?

[chev]

It seems to vary according to which college you approach. One diploma course gives you up to two years to complete the course, if it takes longer you have to pay extra. Another just stated that most students complete the course in a year (that was a BTEC certificate) but didn't seem to give a definite time scale to stick to.

I've requested information on five different courses from three different colleges now (nothing like keeping your options open!) so I'll weigh up the pros and cons of each and go from there.

I'm not in a desperate hurry myself; my youngest won't start reception at school for another 4 years and I don't intend to go back to full time work until he does. If we stay here then there's the possibility of starting a college course when he starts nursery, which is nearly full time here, but I just want to stop my brain shrinking any more in the mean time and the more I can do now the better off I'll be in the long run.

How much time I'll need to study is a bit of a tricky one; on the one hand I'm pretty quick to learn and find most courses pretty easy; on the other hand, because I'm dyslexic it takes me ages to organise my ideas into an essay and twice as long to spell check it. I have to double-check everything I do for idiotic errors. Most colleges are pretty understanding and offer support for this kind of problem though so I won't relly know the answer to that one till I start. The colleges do give a rough idea of how many hours a week you'll need to set aside but it varies hugely from course to course and person to person.

[Blossom]

I didn't realise you could do the BHS Stage as distance learning, where did you hear of this and is there a website I can look at telling me more about is, as, as far as I was aware they couldn't be gained this way.

Thanks
Blossom

[chev]

Hi Blossom,

TOCES (The Open College of Equine Studies) offer BHS preparation courses through distance learning for stage 1 to 4. They offer the full course as well; if you take the distance learning only option then you have to arrange for practical training and sitting the exams yourself. I didn't look into it in any great detail as to do the practical training and sit the exams with them meant attending residential courses but if you want more info their address is

The Open College of Equine Studies,
Flempton,
Bury St Edmunds,
Suffolk IP28 6EN

or e-mail enquiries@equinestudies.co.uk

They do have a website; I found it looking for equine studies distance learning.

Hope that's of some use.

[Arabesque]

This is an older thread I think but it has made me think a lot, I've been considering distance learning by Equistudy to help me learn for BHS stage 1, combined with working at a friends yard weekends and hopefully some stable management 'lessons' at my riding school. Can anyone here comment on Equistudy? Anyone used it themselves?

[packhorse11]

It is even older now !! Anyway there is another place which you can find via the BHS site under training and education - or under their Trade links- or go direct.

They offer home study courses based on the theory of the BHS Stages exams. However they are really aimed at the private owner and are very user friendly - so they are good if you havent studied for a while!

www.horse-care.co.uk

might be of interest to you Arabesque.

All the best

Packhorse