Program Overview

ASC208 Equine Disease, Injury and Rehabilitation

This subject allows students to develop and apply their knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the healthy horse. Students' knowledge and competence in providing first aid and rehabilitation for sick horses will be developed. On successful completion of this subject, students will be equipped with the skills to recognise common equine diseases and injuries and be able to identify and administer appropriate equine first aid and equine rehabilitation methods.

Subject Outlines

Current subject outlines and assessment tasks are updated each session.

Availability

• Session 1 (30)
  • On Campus: Wagga Wagga Campus
  • Online: Wagga Wagga Campus
• Continuing students should consult the relevant information for current offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

• HD/FL

Duration

• One session

School

• School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Enrolment Restrictions

This subject is primarily for students in the Bachelor of Equine Science and Bachelor of Science (Business Management) course. Students studying other animal-based courses may be admitted with the permission of the Subject Coordinator and appropriate Course Director.

Prerequisites

• ASC148

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

• be able to recognise typical clinical and behavioural signs of a sick horse
• be able to categorise horse disease problems by severity to assist with prioritising first aid
• be able to explain the basic wound healing process, and outline appropriate first aid measures for a typical traumatic equine lower limb injury
• be able to understand and describe important equine disease states and apply this knowledge to outline the specific considerations for first aid and rehabilitation of common equine emergencies
• be able to outline the principles of evidence-based rehabilitation of horses with common injuries
• be able to identify available horse health professionals and review their legal limits and expertise in the context of relevant legislation

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:

• Equine healthy behaviour and vital signs
• Behavioural signs of disease and pain indicators in the horse
• Case-based disease processes of common infectious and non-infectious diseases/disease states (including viral, bacterial and fungal diseases of the skin and respiratory tract) and colic in the horse
• Basic cellular wound healing process in the horse
• Evidence-based first aid and triage for selected equine emergencies (colic, laminitis, haemorrhage and shock, recumbency, catastrophic musculoskeletal injury, lower limb injuries and ocular emergencies)
• Rehabilitation principles for the equine
• Equine rehabilitation practitioners
• Allied health treatment frameworks for the equine

Residential School

This subject contains a 3-day Compulsory Residential School. The 3-day Residential School will allow online students to appropriately cover practical aspects of the subject, including equine health assessment, managing wounds, bandaging different limb areas and different bandaging techniques, and principles of physiotherapy.

Special Resources

• Online students are required to attend a residential school, which may involve travel and accommodation expenses.
• Closed-in stout leather shoes or boots must be worn when working with horses.
• Clean overalls with long sleeves are compulsory for this subject.
• When working with horses, it is a requirement that all students wear an Australian Standards approved hard hat AS 3838.