SUNY (State University of New York) Cobleskill is located in Cobleskill, New York. The college is a four public college that enrolls about 2,500 students and is located about 40 minutes southwest of Albany. The college offers several Equine Studies Programs and currently has about 75 students who are pursuing an equine related degree. Students can earn either an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a very intimate setting at the Equestrian Center. The Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees will prepare students for a number of different careers that include:
- Horse Farm Management
- Thoroughbred Management
- Breeding Farm Manager
- Riding Instructor
- Equine Agribusiness
- Entrepreneurship
- Performance Horse Training
- Equine Studies Teacher / Professor
- Trainer
- Therapeutic Riding Instructor
- Equine Show/Event Manager
- Stable Manager
- Exercise Physiologist
- Equine Researcher
- Finance
- Sales
- Bloodstock Agent
- Exercise Rider
- Jockey
- Farrier
- Feed Company Representative
The Equestrian Center has many wonderful features that will enhance student’s learning. The center has new state of the art stables, indoor riding arena, multiple outdoor arenas, and miles of pastures and trails. The facility also offers many services like training, breeding, lessons, clinics, camps, and the center allows for students to have hands on experiences in the operation of a major equine business and facility.
Once a student has completed their bachelor’s degree, they will be prepared to move on to graduate studies in areas like horse behavior, nutrition, physiology, veterinary science or education. If a student chooses not to pursue a graduate degree, the bachelor and associate degree programs will prepare the student for immediate success in any equine related field.
The college offers a Bachelor of Technology in Animal Science Equine Advisement Track and is designed to offer students with the opportunity to develop advanced skills in areas of equine science, competition, and business management. This program will offer the student the opportunity to expand and build on previous background experiences and to increase their knowledge and skills that are necessary to effectively perform in a wide variety of equine related fields. Some of the courses that are included in this program are:
- Equine Behavior
- Advanced Equine Reproduction
- Equine Exercise Physiology
- Therapeutic Riding Instruction
- Advance Riding Techniques
- Parasitology
The Bachelor of Technology in Agricultural Business with and Equine Business Management Advisement Track concentrates on all of the business management aspects of the equine industry. This is a broad based program that provides flexibility so that each student can design their own unique educational experience and still receive the knowledge that they need to ensure that they will be able to reach their long term career goals. Some of the courses that are included in this degree program are:
- Equine Farm Analysis
- Financial Management
- Marketing
- Agricultural Economics
- Farm Appraisal
- Environmental Issues in Agriculture
Students who do not wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree can choose to pursue one of the associate’s degrees that the college offers. The Associate in Applied Science in Equine Studies will provide the students with the opportunity to learn about equine health, equine behavior, training, breeding, nutrition, and forage management. There are additional courses that the students may choose from that includes dressage and jumping, tackless training, reining, driving, eventing, and conventional and therapeutic riding instructor courses.
Student who are pursuing an associate’s degree are highly encouraged to select a specific field of study from one of the four fields that the college offers. The students can choose to specialize in Horse Farm Management, Performance Horse Training, Therapeutic Riding, and Thoroughbred Management.
