Equine Behaviour & Performance (ANIM2024)

Course overview

The application of behavioural science as it relates to the horse and human-horse interaction. Basic learning theory is applied to all horses at all levels of training from birth to performance, with particular emphasis on horse welfare and behaviour. The biomechanics of equine locomotion and its relationship to training, exercise and performance are examined. Evidence of immunity to Q fever and vaccination against tetanus is mandatory for this course. Refer to UQ Student Immunisation Requirements for more information. External mode of study is restricted and will require permission to enrol. To request permission email AGFS Enquire with the course information and include relevant supporting evidence.

Eligibility criteria:

• Students must show evidence that travel time of greater than 90 minutes or 100km from Gatton Campus and is reflected in mySI-net: Acceptable Evidence advice that MySi-net record is up to date;
• Students must show evidence that work commitments restrict their ability to attend regular practicals: Acceptable Evidence a letter from employer
• Students with core course timetable clashes: Acceptable Evidence a copy of correspondence from Science – My Timetable indicating clash is unable to be resolved. Clashes with elective courses will not be considered.
• Students unable to provide this evidence will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

This course will be last offered in external mode in 2025.

Horses are believed to have been domesticated over 6,000 years ago and used for work and pleasure since this time. The domestication of the horse has required humans to develop an understanding of horse behaviour to allow safe interaction between horses and humans while maintaining the wellbeing of the horse. In this course, you will develop an understanding of the principles of behavioural and equitation science, and their applicationﾠto the horse and human-horse interaction.

You will undertake a comprehensive practical component in which you will apply basic learning theory to the training of horses from weaning to perfomance with particular emphasis on the wellbeing of the horse and occupational health and safety.

The biomechanics of equine locomotion and its relationship to training, exercise and performance will be introduced in the second half of the course.

This course has mandatory immunisation requirements due to an increased risk of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) for students working with animals or in agricultural environments. Students will be asked to provide evidence of immunity to Q fever and vaccination against tetanus via my.UQ My Requests as a condition of enrolment in this course. Refer to UQ Student Immunisation Requirements for more information.

Course requirements

Assumed background

Required course:

ANIM1006 - Fundamentals of Equine Science is a prerequisite for this course.

Recommended courses:

ANIM1014 - Animal Behaviour, Handlingﾠand Wellbeingﾠintroducesﾠbasic horse handling skills, which may provide a useful foundation for this course.

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

ANIM1006

Restrictions

Restricted to students who meet mandatory immunisation requirements.
External offering requires permission to enrol.

Jointly taught details

This course is jointly-taught with:

• Another instance of the same course

This course shares content with ANIM2024 In Person, with activities and assessment that may vary (Residential School sessions/Online modules) to suit the mode and campus of study. 

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

This course consists of lectures (online, self-directed) and compulsory practical sessions (on campus). A detailed timetable will be published on the course Blackboard site.

Some practicals will consist of whole class activities and others will be split into smaller assigned groups. Practical group lists will be finalised prior to your first session and confirmed on Blackboard - so please stay up to date with the information posted.

Mobile phones are not to be used during practicals and when on-site visits. Always ask permission before taking pictures.

You are required to attend all practical classes, in-person during the residential school - please remember to wear a hat and sunscreen, as well as the required clothing as identified in Learning Resources.

All timetabled practicals have been identified as high-risk activities for Q-fever exposure.

UQ Equine Science Conference

The UQ Equine Science Conference is an event for all Equine Science specific courses in both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. This will consist of a timetabled session that will occur on Friday May 30th between 10 am and 2 pm in 8103-132 - Animal Industries Building, Learning Theatre. Your participation in this conference is compulsory and linked to your presentation assessment (please refer to the Assessments Page for details). External participation will be facilitated online via Zoom.

If you have any concerns regarding your official timetable or course allocations, or there are no suitable class times available, contact Faculty of Science Timetable science.mytimetable@uq.edu.au for advice. 

If you have any questions about missing class activities, please contact your course coordinator. 

Aims and outcomes

The aims of this course are:

1. To provide students with the theoretical principles of equine behaviour and learning theory, and its application to the wellbeing, safe handling and education of horses from weaning through to basic training for sale and/or performance.

2. To develop students practical skills in training weanlings and yearlings in-hand.

3. To introduce students to the biomechanics of equine locomotion and its relationship to training, exercise and performance.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Equine lesson and analysis assessment

• Hurdle
• In-person
• Online

Mode

Activity/ Performance, Written

Category

Practical/ Demonstration, Reflection

Weight

20%

Due date

9/05/2025 2:00 pm

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

The online assessment is completed within Blackboard under the appropriate assessment title on your course Blackboard site. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit. 

Legal Declaration: 

By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications. 

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).  

Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item. 

Journal article review

• In-person
• Online

Mode

Activity/ Performance, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia

Category

Presentation

Weight

30%

Due date

30/05/2025 2:00 pm

Poster will be due for upload by 2pm on 23/05/2025.

Presentations will be delivered from 10am on Friday May 30, 2025.

Task description

Submission guidelines

You must submit your Poster portion of the assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece

of assessment you submit.

Legal Declaration:

By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source

or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and

(3) you have read the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Exemption from presentation and participation during the Equine Student Conference will only be granted in the most exceptional circumstances. Presenting on a different day is to be discussed with the Course Coordinator.

Late submission

1) The presentation component of this assessment item - students are unable to submit late as the assessment is conducted in class.

2) The poster component of this assessment item - students who submit their poster after the identified due date and time listed above OR where students have been approved for an extension for the poster submission (see 'Deferral or extension'), and submit your assessment item after your approved due date and time, your assessment submission will be subject to the following late submission penalty:

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).  

Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item. 

End-of-semester examination

• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

50%

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025

Task description

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

Course Grading Rules and Assessment Hurdles

• Students must complete and achieve pass marks on the Equine lesson and analysis assessment item.

Learning objective 2 cannot achieved without participation in the practicals. Therefore, attendance at and participation in all practicals is compulsory for this course.

If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of assessments and the final exam and the student does NOT complete and achieve passing marks the Practical assessment (Equine lesson and analysis), they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.

Activity that cannot be reproduced: Hands-on work with horses on campus.

Should you fail a course with a grade of 3 you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply. 

Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.  

Supplementary assessment is not available if you have failed the Equine lesson and analysis assessment item of this course. The learning objects of the hands-on work with horses are demonstrated throughout the semester and it is not possible to validly reassess these learning objectives in the supplementary assessment period.  

If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.  

Supplementary assessment can take any form (for example, oral, written, examination, etc.) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes. 

To receive a passing grade of 3S4 you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment. 

Additional assessment information

Please note the following when writing assignments

You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism 

All reported work must be done by the individual student. Assignments that look and sound alike will be reported as plagiarism – a serious offence at UQ. Please note the university’s policy on academic integrity and plagiarism which can be accessed at Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy. 

Turnitin 

Assignments that are required to be submitted through Turnitin, must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site. If you submit any version of your assessment item to any alternative Turnitin link, this is considered cheating, and you will be held liable for this action. 

Practical class attendance

You must complete and adhere to the OHS paperwork/relevant inductions to attend practical classes. 

For In Person students, there are Practical Classes scheduled as per your timetable. The practicals run for approximately 3-hours and may be a combination of laboratory-based and field-based activities. To obtain a grade for the practical classes students must participate and complete the associated exercises. If you do not participate in a practical class, or do not provide evidence of your attendance (i.e. signing attendance sheet/scanning student ID card at the beginning of your practical session), your report will not be marked.

Failure to attend practical classes without permission will result in a failing grade.

Permission for absence from class will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).

The Practical sessions are timetabled activities, and if students miss a practical and request exemption/access to online material as relevant, they must provide documentation that shows they were unable to attend the practical on the relevant day. Documentation for ongoing conditions, such as Student Access Plans, are not acceptable evidence for missed Practical sessions.

If peer assessment is necessary for any group assignments, then it can be included at any time.

Release of marks

Unless specifically indicated by the lecturer involved,ﾠevery attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment tasks available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will be available before the day of your end of semester examination in the course, unless otherwise indicated by the Course Coordinator. Results and feedback availability will be advised to you by email or announced via the course Blackboard site.

Feedback in this course 

Feedback is welcome in this course as any information on how students find this learning experience is constructive. 

Please use the evaluation form provided to you at the end of semester - or if you are enrolled internally, a course evaluation process will occur in the last few weeks of semester. 

Re-mark Applications – refer to the University's Re-mark Policy to check your eligibility

Before applying for a remark, students should consider the following:

• You have consulted the course coordinator for feedback
• Your academic grounds for remark have been discussed and are valid
• Wanting a higher grade is not grounds for a remark. A remark can decrease your grade.

Remark applications will not be considered without first having contacted your course Co-ordinator.ﾠ

Deferred and Supplementary assessment (including Deferred In-Semester Examinations)

Deferred and Supplementary information can be located on theﾠmy.UQﾠwebsite

• Apply for a deferred examination
• Information on supplementary assessment

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Other course materials

Additional learning resources information

Other horse handling methods

Brady, Steve 2005, Horse Training: Steve Brady's formula for success, Steve & Linda Brady, Aust.

Roberts Tom 2005, Horse control : the young horse : the handling, breaking-in and early schooling of your own young horse, 8th ed., P.R. Roberts, Richmond, Sth Aust. (Call no. SF287 .R63 2005)

The Jeffery method of horse handling, 2005, Horseman Video Showcase, Humble, TX.ﾠ (Call no. SF287 .J42 2005)

Wright, Maurice 1983, The thinking horseman, Maurice Wright, Armidale, NSW. (Call no. SF309. W74 1983).

Wright, Maurice 1973, The Jeffery method of horse handling : an introduction to a new approach to the handling of horses, R.M. Williams, Prospect, Sth Aust. (Call no. SF287.W75 1973)

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.

You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course:

• Vaccinations and Immunisation Procedure

Course guidelines

Student immunisation requirements

The University policy Vaccination and Immunisation (Vaccinations and Immunisation Guideline / Document / Policy and Procedure Library) provides information about immunisation and screening requirements related to programs and courses. Failure to comply with student immunisation requirements can lead to an increased risk of serious illness occurring. Therefore, non-compliance will result in the relevant course/s being dropped from your enrolment under Section 3 of the Enrolment policy (Enrolment Procedure / Document / Policy and Procedure Library).