How to Become an Equine Nutritionist
An equine nutritionist specializes in providing horses and ponies with the nutrients they need through feeds and supplements. Becoming an equine nutritionist does not require you to attend veterinary school, but a college degree and additional post-graduate work is necessary.
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Instructions
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Attend a college with an animal science program. Noted programs in the United States includes Texas A&M, the University of Kentucky and Rutgers University, although there are many others. As part of an animal science degree program, you'll learn about nutrition as well as anatomy, physiology, exercise, reproduction and farm management. After graduation, you'll be qualified to work at a breeding or training facility or for a food manufacturer.
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Earn your master's degree. During a master's program, you will study equine nutrition more deeply. For example, you'll study how the body derives nutrition from food at the microbial level. Most programs require the completion of a thesis to earn your degree. These programs are usually offered through an institution's agricultural college or animal science department.
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Go on for your doctorate. As a doctoral student, you'll work with the faculty adviser to develop a research question. You'll spend much of your time finding the answer to that question. A doctoral program allows you to pursue the questions you are most passionate about, and you'll develop your area of professional expertise, such as broodmare nutrition, performance horse nutrition or geriatric horse nutrition.
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Start practicing. After receiving a doctorate, some equine nutritionists work as researchers, seeking ways to improve the health of performance and companion horses through better nutrition. Others join university faculties and teach. Still others work as private consultants, working directly with horse owners, breeders and trainers on questions of diet and nutrition. You have a range of options to choose from in this field.
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Tips & Warnings
Find programs in equine and animal science in your area by using the College Navigator on the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences website (see Resources).
