Course coordinator
Dr Danielle Fitzgerald
Consultation is by appointment. To make an appointment to see me, please email.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Gatton
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
This course will no longer be offered after Semester 2, 2026. Enrolment enquiries should be sent to agriculture@enquire.uq.edu.au.
This course is an introduction to the physiology and biomechanics of equine exercise with application to training and performance. The prevention and management of performance problems including rehabilitation from injury and disease are also covered. 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 agriculture@enquire.uq.edu.au with the course information and include relevant supporting evidence. Eligibility criteria: 1. 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; 2. Students must show evidence that work commitments restrict their ability to attend regular practicals: Acceptable Evidence a letter from employer 3. 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. 4. Students unable to provide this evidence will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
This course builds on the content provided in ANIM1006/2024/2039 and introduces students to the physiology and biomechanics of equine exercise and fitness. This knowledge is then applied to the training and conditioning of performance horses and the prevention and management of performance problems including rehabilitation from injury and disease.
This course has compulsory activities that are not in the timetable that the student will need to self-manage.
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.
At the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, we are committed to creating an inclusive and empowering learning environment for all students. We value and respect the diverse range of experiences our students bring to their education, and we believe that this diversity is crucial for fostering a rich culture of knowledge-sharing and meaningful exploration. We hold students and staff accountable for actively contributing to establishing a respectful and supportive learning environment.
Bullying, harassment, and discrimination in any form are strictly against our principles and againstﾠUQ Policy,ﾠand will not be tolerated. If you have any concerns about your experience in this course, we encourage you to tell a member of the course teaching team. Your well-being and a positive learning atmosphere are of utmost importance to us.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
ANIM1006, ANIM2024 and ANIM2039
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
AGRC2001, ANIM2051 and ANIM2052 or ANIM1020 and ANIM2057
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ANIM7118
Restrictions
Restricted to students who meet mandatory immunisation requirements.
External offering requires permission to enrol.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Danielle Fitzgerald
Dr Angela Lees
Guest lecturer
Tutorial coordinator
Mr Mitchell Coyle
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
This course consists of lectures (online, self-directed), compulsory seminars (on campus residential school) and compulsory practical sessions (on campus residential school).
NOTE: the external offering of this course has a compulsory Residential School.ﾠ
The Residential School is held during the In-Semester Break - 01 to 03 October 2025.
Information on Residential Schools can be found here:ﾠhttps://agriculture.uq.edu.au/residential-schools
There will be 1 field trip for this course depending on timing of activities. You will need to provide your own transport to the off-campus sites. External students are welcome to attend these excursions with prior notification to the course coordinator.
All timetabled practicals for residential school and field trips have been identified as high-risk activities for Q-fever exposure.
Aims and outcomes
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the physiology and biomechanics of equine exercise and fitness. This knowledge is applied to the prevention and management of performance related injury.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Describe the effects of physical exercise and training on the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.
LO2.
Describe the mechanisms of repair from injury and disease during healing and rehabilitation.
LO3.
Develop industry-applicable skills in horse exercise, training, and rehabilitation.
LO4.
Compare and contrast different modalities used in the rehabilitation of horses from injury and disease.
LO5.
Discuss the management of exercising horses and common injuries including interventions that aid in the prevention and treatment of injuries
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination |
In-Semester Exam
|
25% |
17/09/2025
Scheduled for 8:00am - 10:00am in your timetable. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation |
Training plan critical analysis
|
20% |
26/09/2025 4:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Participation/ Student contribution, Practical/ Demonstration, Reflection |
Rehabilitation Work and Reflections
|
30% |
24/10/2025 4:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Examination
|
25% |
End of Semester Exam Period 8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025 |
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
In-Semester Exam
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
17/09/2025
Scheduled for 8:00am - 10:00am in your timetable.
- Other conditions
- Secure.
Task description
Lectures and practicals of Week 1 - 6 will be covered - this material will not be covered again in the final examination.
The exam will be a Zoom invigilated BB test. Have your UQ student ID card available for all your exams.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Refer to Additional course grading information – ‘Course Grading Rules and Assessment Hurdles’.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Other |
| Invigilation | Invigilated by Zoom |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Training plan critical analysis
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
26/09/2025 4:00 pm
Task description
Your task is to use an Artificial Intelligence software (eg Microsoft Co-pilot) to design an exercise program.
· Make a list of considerations that will need to be built into the training program.
· These will be used as the prompt in the software.
· Finally, evaluate the training program that is generated. From your studies and research determine:
o if the tasks are appropriate,
o if adequate rest is allocated,
o the level of detail provided is adequate to work from, and
o that the effort of the tasks is incrementally increasing appropriately.
Further details regarding this assessment will be provided on Blackboard.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
The use of AI or MT must be referenced appropriately. Please see assessment guidelines in blackboard course site for specific instructions.
Submission guidelines
Turnitin submission details:
You must submit your 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.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard, in accordance with the University's Assessment Procedure (located in the Policies and Procedures section of this course profile) which outlines the requirements for requesting extensions to assessment due dates. Extensions require the correct evidence/documentation to support the requested length of time of the 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.
For example, a report worth a maximum of 40 marks, submitted 28 hours late will attract a penalty of 8 marks, calculated as 2 periods of 24 hours x 10% x 40 marks.
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).
Rehabilitation Work and Reflections
- Hurdle
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Participation/ Student contribution, Practical/ Demonstration, Reflection
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
24/10/2025 4:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Longitudinal.
Task description
OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSESSMENT
On completion of this exercise you should be able to:
- develop a scientifically based equine training program,
- critically evaluate the effectiveness of an equine training program
This assessment is comprised in 3 parts:
The Rehabilitation work (10%)
The Report (10%)
The Demonstration of Skills (10%)
The Rehabilitation work (10%)
You are to develop a scientifically based training program for Academic (UQ's campus stallion). Throughout the semester you will be working in groups with your peers. Each group will be assigned to work with Academic and be responsible for performing the designated rehabilitation tasks and maintaining clinical records of the treatments performed. For external students, this will be completed during the residential school.
Activities will include applying rehabilitation techniques to condition Academic for upcoming breeding season and record-keeping of the progress on a dedicated Padlet Board, accessed on the course Blackboard site. The assessment will be assessed on your active participation in these activities.
The Report (10%)
You (as an individual) are to prepare and submit a report at the end of the semester that analyses the rehabilitation outcomes of Academic.
The requirements for the report are as follows:
Introduction
Outline the case: You should describe the horse (ID, breed, sex, age, etc.) and outline the history relating to the injury. Include a description of the activity for which the training regimen is developed; the frequency the activity is likely to be performed, other aspects of the horse’s performance that you consider appropriate.
Diagnosis
Define the lameness (limb involved, type of lameness, grade of lameness)
Discuss the techniques that could be used to make a definitive diagnosis.
Outline the musculoskeletal structures involved in the lameness. Include any associated conformation issues that might have contributed to or resulted from the injury (if any)
Treatment
Outline the rehabilitation plan.
Present a record of your interventions over the week for which you are responsible for rehabilitating the horse.
Evaluate the changes in the horse as reported via the Padlet board.
Discussion
Discuss the reasons for the interventions chosen.
Describe how your training regimen effects the horse's body systems and relate this to the requirements of the horse’s activities.
Present the positive and negative findings relating to the intervention. Discuss what you might do differently.
Discuss the safety precautions necessary for the techniques used.
Include references with a minimum of five (5) peer-reviewed journal articles.
Conclusion
Briefly restate the most important points of your report.
Reference list
Word limit – 2,000 words
The Demonstration of skills (10 %)
You will demonstrate the rehabilitation procedures you perform on the horse at the end of the semester (in person) or during the res school (external).
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Translation (MT) tools, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which AI or MT will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
The use of AI or MT must be acknowledged appropriately. Please see assessment guidelines in blackboard course site for specific instructions.
Hurdle requirements
Refer to Additional course grading information – ‘Course Grading Rules and Assessment Hurdles’.Submission guidelines
Turnitin submission details:
You must submit your 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.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard, in accordance with the University's Assessment Procedure (located in the Policies and Procedures section of this course profile) which outlines the requirements for requesting extensions to assessment due dates. Extensions require the correct evidence/documentation to support the requested length of time of the 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.
For example, a report worth a maximum of 40 marks, submitted 28 hours late will attract a penalty of 8 marks, calculated as 2 periods of 24 hours x 10% x 40 marks.
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).
Final Examination
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
- Other conditions
- Secure.
Task description
Lectures and practicals of Week 7 - 13 will be covered in this final examination.
The exam will be an on-campus exam. Have your UQ student ID card available for all your exams.
Students enrolled in External delivery must attend the exam in-person, either on campus OR at an approved off-campus venue as organized with UQ Examinations. Students who live within a 200km radius of the campus will be expected to attend campus for the exam.
Examinations will contact students directly to confirm arrangements. Please ensure to check your UQ student email account regularly throughout semester as One reminder will be sent and students who fail to nominate an exam centre and will be automatically assigned to sit their exam on campus. Late nominations will not be accepted.
Please ensure you update your semester address in Si-net at the start of the semester to accurately reflect where you are residing.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Refer to Additional course grading information – ‘Course Grading Rules and Assessment Hurdles’.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
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.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0% - 34% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35% - 46% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 47% - 49% OR failure to meet the identified assessment hurdle below. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50% - 64% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65% - 74% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75% - 84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85% - 100% |
Additional course grading information
Course Grading Rules and Assessment Hurdles
- Students must obtain a passing mark in the combined cumulative result for In-Semester and End-of-Semester Examinations in order to pass the course.
- Rehabilitation Work Assessment must be completed to pass the course. This is the practical component of the written and practical Rehabilitation Work and Reflections assessment piece. Practical component will be completed during the Residential School for External students.
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 progressive assessment and examinations and the student does NOT score a pass mark in the combined result for the in-semester andﾠend-of-semester examinations AND/OR does NOT complete the Rehabilitation Work assessment, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
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.
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 (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) 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.
TurnItInﾠﾠ
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.ﾠ ﾠ
Release of marks
Unless specifically indicated by the lecturer involved,ﾠevery attempt will be made to haveﾠthe 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.ﾠ
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.
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
If we've listed something under further requirement, you'll need to provide your own.
Required
| Item | Description | Further Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| ANIM3039 Course Blackboard Site | Blackboard is the main method of communication for this course. | |
| ANIM3039 Course Profile | Provides details of specifications, rationale, aims and structure of the course. It also informs you of the assessment for this course, including weighting and due dates. | |
| Enclosed leather shoes | Enclosed leather shoes are required for the horse handling. | own item needed |
| Long trousers/Jeans and collared shirt | Long trousers/Jeans and collared shirt are required for the horse handling. | own item needed |
| Laboratory coat and safety glasses | Laboratory coat and safety glasses are required for the laboratory work. | own item needed |
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 6 |
Lecture |
Week 1-6 Bone, Muscle, Joint, Tendon, Ligament Physiology and Repair (Dr Rebeka Zsoldos) Introduction to Equine Rehabilitation (Stephanie Batterham) |
Multiple weeks From Week 7 To Week 9 |
Lecture |
Week 7-9 Biochemistry of exercise (Dr Suresh Krishnasamy) Cardiovascular system and blood; Respiratory and oxygen transport systems (Dr Danielle Fitzgerald) |
Mid Sem break (29 Sep - 05 Oct) |
Practical |
Compulsory Residential School (animal laboratory skills) Practicals: Musculoskeletal anatomy of the horse, Conformation, Rehabilitation, Exercise physiology, Training programs, Tack and equipment, Lameness. Attendance and active participation in scheduled face-to-face practical classes is compulsory. Seminars Practical assessment Students who are unable to attend any of the practical classes: 1. MUST inform the Course Coordinator by email before the class they are unable to attend and (a) If ill or injured, provide a Medical Certificate to Reception in Building 8117A OR email to the course coordinator within 5 working days of the first class missed. You must state “your name” and the course code in the subject line (b) If NOT ill, provide a Statutory Declaration outlining the reason for the absence to the Course Coordinator by email. |
Multiple weeks From Week 10 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Week 10-13 Training programs; methods, risk of injury, overtraining; Measure of fitness (Dr Danielle Fitzgerald) Thermoregulation and body fluids (Dr Ange Lees) Fatigue and poor performance (Dr Danielle Fitzgerald) Lameness (Mr Craig Jones) |
Additional learning activity information
There will be compulsory seminars and compulsory practical classes for this course.
Further details regarding the practical expectations of this course, and a complete course timetable will be provided via Blackboard.
There will be 1 field trip for this course depending on timing of activities. You will need to provide your own transport to the off-campus sites.
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 for 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:
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).