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A Career in Horses

Whether you are aspiring to pursue a career in the bloodstock industry or have a strong desire to develop your skills with horses, exciting career opportunities exist for people that possess both good horse and business management skills.

Horse Business Management Prospectus (622 KB)

Diploma of Horse Business Management
This Diploma is available to both Australian and International applicants. 

Internationally recognised by major sectors of the horse industry, the Diploma of Horse Business Management aims to equip students with the practical, husbandry and business skills necessary for a successful career in their chosen area. 
The intensive one year Diploma of Horse Business Management is structured equally into three broad areas: practical and horse management skills, equine science and business management.

Developed in close consultation with industry, students are exposed to a diverse range of prominent leaders specialising in riding, training and management techniques, business philosophies, economic views, marketing strategies and administrative practices.

To ensure students have obtained essential horse management skills, all students participate in the riding stream during the first half of the course before having an opportunity to branch out and specialise in a particular area of interest during the second semester.

While guest lectures are an important part of the course, equally important is the insight students obtain from outside the College grounds. Exciting study tour and work experience programs are a feature of the course and allow students to visit and work with prominent industry leaders and enterprises in both Australia and New Zealand.

course structure

The course is designed in a unit format and consists of eight units. There are two elective units within the course from which the students must select one.
Our unique course structure features a year of on campus tuition.

Students will also gain relevant work experience on prominent horse establishments throughout Australia and New Zealand.

A two week Practical Placement (i) session allows students to choose work in racing, pacing, dressage, eventing or show jumping stables, race clubs or breed society administration, insurance, horse transport, horse breaking, horse agistment, veterinary practices, feed, marketing, media and promotional companies or financial institutions.

The three week Practical Placement (ii) session follows the New Zealand tour where they can gain experience on leading Thoroughbred studs during the foaling and breeding season, or return to Australia for this requirement.

Course Units
The course is designed in a unit format and consists of eight units. There are two elective units within the course from which the students must select one. To know more go to Course Units.

career opportunities

Marcus Oldham has a strong focus on training graduates for meaningful and rewarding careers keeping them at the cutting edge of their field. The College’s international recognition, network of industry contacts and association with global employment groups, provide graduates with a unique position to obtain Equine careers both domestically and globally. Possible employment opportunities include:

  • Handlers/Supervisors
  • Broodmare/Yearling/Stallion/Stud Manager
  • Riding Instructor
  • Thoroughbred/Standardbred Racehorse Trainer
  • Showjumping, Eventing or Dressage Trainer
  • Pre-conditioning Racehorses
  • Horse Breaking and Horse Psychology
  • Sales Representative - Equine pharmaceutical companies, saddlery, horse feed
  • Equine Insurance Sales, claims investigations and loss adjustment
  • Horse sales companies as auctioneers, pedigree clerks, computer operators, syndication, importing and exporting
  • Equine public relations and marketing
  • Race club or breed society administration
  • Specialised intensive foal care
  • Bloodstock leasing
  • Horse journalism and photography
  • Horse transport by air, sea and road
  • Veterinary nursing in an Equine practice
  • Horse tourism operator
  • Freeze branding operator
  • Horse dental technician
  • Nutrition advisor
  • Horse Management educator
  • Parasite control advisor
  • Stable and fence building
  • Horse agistment property

entrance

This course is currently available full time on campus only.

Applicants must be 18 years of age by day 1 of the academic year  - generally the first or second Monday in February. 

Marcus Oldham College maintains a flexible policy in relation to entrance criteria and judges each applicant on their individual merits. Ideally, applicants will: 
  • be 18 years of age by day 1 of the academic year (generally the second Monday in February) 
  • have successfully completed secondary education (mature age applicants accepted on merit) 
  • have a strong desire to pursue a career in the horse industry 
All students are required to have a VCE or equivalent qualification, their own horse (lease horses available for students), associated equipment and provide supplementary feeding, farriery and veterinary costs throughout the duration of the course.
Students should also have basic experience of horse handling and riding so they can focus on excelling their Business Management Skills for the Equine industry.

apply

To apply for this course, print the application form below, complete and mail to the address on the form.
For further information, complete the online Enquiry or Contact the College directly.

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