Project
The collaboration between Equine Science staff and Clonshire Equestrian Centre offers ‘applied science with horses’ adding multi-disciplinary and vocational insights into all aspects of equitation including horse handling, health, sport and science.
Our equitation modules offer a scientifically based, broad introduction to a wide range of equitation disciplines. The modules presented at Clonshire Equestrian Centre meet all internationally based benchmarks related to Equine Science and sports. These benchmarks include the National Coaching and Training Centre, Horse Sport Ireland, British Horse Society, British Equestrian Trade Association and the Association of Irish Riding Establishments.
• Department of Biological Sciences - School of Natural Sciences, UL • Clonshire Equestrian Centre, Adare, Co Limerick • Irish Equine Centre, Naas, Co, Kildare • Faculty of Science and Engineering
The BETA Equine Thesis of the Year Award recognises and rewards excellence in undergraduate research. All fourth year Equine Science students complete a final year research project on some aspect relating to horses. The research projects completed by UL Equine Science students have been consistently short-listed into the top five Equine thesis of the year competition for the BETA awards. This award represents a shortlisting of all UK and Irish colleges engaged in Equine Science research.
Learning
Scientific principles are presented in a hands-on practical setting with horses. All equitation modules delivered in partnership with Clonshire Equestrian Centre ensure that there is both practical and practice-based elements underpinning the curriculum. The equitation modules cover aspects of horsemanship and equine management, biomechanics and behaviour in the context of show-jumping, dressage, eventing, horse racing, young horse training and high performance riding and training. .
Working in partnership with Clonshire Equestrian Centre enables students to integrate, explore and experience practical applications associated with horses with the scientific principles. This can be conducted at an experiential level by using cutting-edge technologies in all elements of equitation performance and care. Equitation modules adopt and integrate cutting edge and collaborative training techniques developed by Liam Moggan and Comdt John Ledingham in conjunction with published research to develop new insights in all aspects of equitation, training and management.
• Faculty of Science & Engineering, UL • Equitation Teachers and Scientists: Soraya Morscher, Amy Fitzgerald and Ciara King-Urbin (all qualified Equitation Coaches and have successfully completed both Horse Sport Ireland and British Horse Society coach training systems) •
Module assessments combine traditional academic performance metrics with continuous assessment of practical skills and performance.