MRes Equine Performance, Health and Welfare

This suite of postgraduate courses provides a thorough understanding of equine health, performance and welfare within the context of the human use of horses. The courses have been designed to meet the growing number of equestrian professions that require a high level of theoretical knowledge, and strong research skills. You can choose to specialise in key areas of interest, for example nutrition, behaviour, exercise physiology, genetics and reproduction. Our equine facilities include a research arena, floodlit outdoor riding arena, indoor school, a horse walker, round pen, a dedicated performance analysis room with mechanical horse and a variety of equine housing systems including, traditional style stabling, American-barn housing and crew yards. Our international research links provide opportunities and scope for a wide range of research projects both in the UK and abroad.This suite of courses is unique in the UK. The courses focus on the recent advances in equine health and disease, sports horse nutrition, behaviour, ethics, exercise physiology, equitation science, and genetics in the context of enhancing equine performance, health and welfare.You'll study the current issues and insights at the forefront of equine performance, health and welfare, and the philosophical, ethical and legal issues related to these. You'll gain an insight into the latest scientific research findings, and critically examine these in a practical context. The research project enables you to undertake and develop your own research interests with the support of experienced supervisors.The MRes courses offer you the chance to develop even further your understanding of equine research and specialise within the fields of either performance or health and welfare. On these courses, you'll enhance your research expertise, enabling you to analyse and report findings to a high scientific standard, and communicate them to a wide range of audiences.

Students should have a minimum of a 2:1 or equivalent honours biological sciences degree.