Integrating Ethology and Equine Sciences into Horse-Rider Interaction -

Content

Over an 8 - month course covering behavior, habitat, nutrition, health and education , you will develop your knowledge and optimize the management of your horses while respecting their well-being.

Thus, by being made aware of the scientific approach , you learn to define the nature of a source, scientific or not, and to popularize scientific knowledge about equine ethology.

During the training, you develop the following skills:

Explain and use current knowledge in horse behavior, housing, feeding, health and education.
Pass on this knowledge to its natural audience.
Analyze and evaluate the reliability of an information source.

These skills are assessed through an exam allowing you to obtain, on an individual basis, the Certification Integrating Ethology and Equine Sciences into Horse-Rider Interaction.

Practical information

Next intake: October 12, 2026

Registration closes: September 30, 2026 (response by early October at the latest)

Duration : 8 and a half months, from October to June

Total hours : 80 hours (56 hours online, 14 hours in person, 10 hours for the cross-disciplinary project)

Location : online + 2 practical days at Haras de la Cense (mid-May)

Cost : €1,700. Payment in 1 or 3 installments possible.

Possibility of financing for professionals in the equestrian world (plan the request at least 2 months before the start of the training).

Accessibility : training open to people with disabilities (contact: Aimie Meron, 01 30 88 49 09 / formations@lacense.com )

View our performance indicators here.

Program

6 online modules (Horse MOOC):

Introduction to ethology
The scientific approach
Horse behavior
Learning in horses
The physiological functioning of the horse
Horse management at grass

Practical days at the Haras de la Cense:

You will spend two days at the Haras de la Cense. Practical work and preparation for the final exam will focus on the following topics:

Observe the horse's behavior in a group
Analyze the behavior of the horse alone or in interaction with humans
Studying and adapting the horse's diet to its needs: practical cases
Progress report on cross-functional projects

Cross-functional project:

During the program, you will lead a cross-disciplinary project for which you will develop a communication, information, or training tool. This tool aims to convey knowledge learned during the program to an audience of your choice related to your profession. You will choose the topic and format of your project (video, educational panels, presentation sessions, etc.).

To build your knowledge transfer action, you will rely on a triple analysis:

From the problem to be solved
Of the public, its knowledge and its beliefs
Scientific knowledge at stake

Assessment methods:

At the end of the training, you are assessed through three CUs on your ability to analyze practices with regard to recommendations and scientific results, as well as to transmit knowledge in equine science by adapting to the public.

UC 1: An online questionnaire on the Horse MOOC
UC 2: A bibliographic synthesis
UC 3: The cross-disciplinary project is the subject of a support to be created and an oral presentation

The “Ethology and Equine Sciences” diploma is awarded to learners who have obtained a score above 10 in the deliverables (project and bibliography), in the oral exam, as well as a result equal to or greater than 50% in the questionnaire of the 6 modules of the MOOC.

Download the full training program