Online horse college question

[Ariesgrl131]

I found a online horse college that offers a bachlors degree in equine studies. I was woundering if its a waste of time and money. My plan is to be a owner of a boarding stable and breed and show shires here in the next 10 years. The college is called Breyer State University. Anyone ever heard of them? and as a boarder stand point would you be more inclined to board somewhere, where the owner has actual degrees in horse management or do it not really matter. Here is the link

http://www.equinedegreeonline.com/

Thanks for any advice, this has been racking my brain.

[WashingtonBay]

I don't think it will make a difference to boarders, honestly. (They'll care that you know what you're doing, but I don't think a degree is what will convince them.) I would only do it if you think the courses offered are really going to be helpful to you.

[IrisGreen]

I have no idea about the program and I don't board so I couldn't help with your question. If I did board I wouldn't care if the person had a degree or not. I would want them to have common since about horses and they can't teach you that. I have met plenty of people that think they know about horses or have taken some kind of "study course" or apprenticeship and still have no clue or common since. So a piece of paper doesn't mean anything to me because it doesn't show they actually know how to take care of horses or what to do in an emergency. All it means is they remembered the answer to the question but that doesn't mean they know why that's the answer or even how to do it in real life.

I think it would be a plus to have some kind of training or schooling to help boarders feel like you are furthering your education about horses and are open to learning all you can about them and how to properly take care of them. But, If your good with horses to start out with then it's just icing on the cake.

They have an Equine reproduction seminar that goes all over the USA that you can attend. It's a hands on seminar that's 2 or 3 days long and you get a certificate. I covers all the details of AI, gathering, shipping and other related topics. I can get the link for you if you want. It's around $200 to attend I think.

Link to Equine Repoduction site: I linked the 2009 tour citys/states.
http://www.equine-reproduction.com/courses/courses.shtml#locations


Here is the price list for Breyer Collage just so everyone knows what they are asking for there courses:

From the Breyer site:
The degree program is both convenient and affordable. There is a one-time enrollment fee of $150. Tuition fee for each of the 15 courses is $350. The final Equine Symposium course is $600. A student may enroll in one or more courses at a time, paying only the tuition for the courses being taken. A Breyer State Bachelor of Science degree will cost less than $7,500, including books, as compared to a minimum of $20,000 for an associate of arts degree from a small community college.

[Oreos Girl]

AriesGirl,
My first concern is that this university is not accredited by a agency approved by the Department of Education. That means that many places are going to consider your degree a non-degree. It is accredited by some Central States place so that it above that of say Phoenix University (as an example) that is a diploma mill. A diploma mill diploma is worth less than the paper it is written on. Diploma mills only want your money and will give "credit" for basically that money. I don't know how stringent this Breyer's College is but they do say that some of their courses are accepted as transfer to some schools.

That being said, it won't affect your current plans for the future but it could if you change your mind. These courses probably would not transfer to something else if you decided to go to an accredited university in the future for say a degree in business or even equine science.

I do agree with the other though that you might look through some of their courses and see if there is something in particular you want to learn about and take that course but I would not worry about a degree from this school.

Oreo's Girl
employed in the educational system

[Turn and Burn]

If I were looking for a boarding stable, I would want a owner that had experience with horses then a degree.

[Suzi]

Be careful of these online colleges. Many are just money makers. Most boarders want thier BO to be knowledgable, but that may better come from hands on than a degree, There is so much reading material out there already. Go to clinics and seminars. Check with your vet , farrier, local 4H or co-op. Talk to every horse person you can and listen. Volunteer at a horse rescue. Not only can you gaet valuable info from these palces. Your'e networking for future references and customers.

[HoustonFarrier]

If you want to show in the draft horse world, start going to as many of the big state fair shows as you can, and learn as much as you can....it'll help you in the long run, plus you will make contacts that can help you later on.

Steve

[rums_mom]

I just got back from Sweet Briar College with my daughter, they have an Equestrian program but do not offer a degree. You have an option of getting a certificate. The director of the program pretty much said a degree in equine studies or management is not worth the money it costs to get it. She said you are much better off getting a degree in something where you can make enough money to support your horse habit.

[AUEquine]

I'll be completely honest, all these Equine degrees are Crap, in my honest opinion! Even the ones from the big Ag universities! They're not going to help you go anywhere in life, unless you want a doctorate in equine studies and want to teach it at the coligiate level.
Most people in the horse world care about experience, not about a piece of paper! If you want my advice... get a degree, but get a business degree! A business degree will help you out alot more than an equine one will. You can always minor in equine to expand your knowldege.

My thoughts on the program you're looking at:
-how can you get an equine education online? I don't think you'd get very much out of it without the hands on activities and indepth conversations.
-Breyer University... sounds like a 'toy college'. In the horse industry we all know Breyer horses, so I hear that name and think someone named a fake college after a plastic pony.
-As a boarder, if you advertised that you a had a degree from an online place named breyer, I would seriously question your abilities and knowldege. I would assume you took an online course, and now think you know it all!

Now I know none of this is true, especially not the personal stuff about you. But this would be my opinion as a prospective boarder who doesn't know you from 'adam's house cat.' Please don't take offences to anything I've said! I feel your best bet would be to get a business degree (think also ag business) and an equine minor at a real university! I have alot of friends who own boarding facilities, most of which were lucky enough to just inherit them. But they all agree that they wish they had gotten some sort of business degree. They all say they can handle the horses just fine, it's the boarders, legalities, taxes, etc that get them!

Best of luck!

[sugarsgirl]

Like everyone else said, as a boarder, I wouldn't care if the owner had a degree or not, I would only care about the experience that the owner has with horses. You could be born on a farm, live there all your life and know more stuff and have way more experience than somebody that went to that school to get a degree. The only difference between someone who went and got a degree and someone whos lived on a farm all their life with the same experience, is a piece of paper.

[Mercury]

The best school for horses is experience. Instead of wasting money on online classes find a farm where you can apprentice at. Start small and work your way up. Since you want to get into shires I would suggest finding a shire farm. When I'm looking for a trainer I don't look at what degrees they have I look at what they have done. In my experience equine degrees are a whole lot of nothing.