What to Expect

New equine science students can find success -- if they take the program seriously.

So says Debbie White. She is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. "The courses cover a lot of information and you're expected to understand most of it, not just memorize it -- don't come [into the program] thinking it's a blow-off major," she says.

White has been working with horses since she was 12 years old -- mucking out stables, watering and grooming.

She wanted to attend a university that would give her a well-rounded education. "I thought I wanted to be a horse trainer, but I wasn't sure, so I wanted to be able to do everything when I came out, and be able to know what aspect I loved the most."

She says her program "seemed to get you ready for any angle of the equine industry rather than just learning to be a trainer or riding instructor or learning how to ride a horse."

She visited the campus and liked what she saw. "I liked the professors and the facilities, the program sounded pretty comprehensive and the equine class sizes were purposely kept small enough that personal attention can be given to the students."

The amount of time spent doing homework depends on how well you want to do, says White. "A lot of material is covered. If you want A's, maybe an average of 30 minutes to an hour of reading each day out of the book and handouts."

Of course, this doesn't include special projects. "Some classes, like the yearling training course, require at least two or more hours of outside class time each week."