Experiences of undergraduate students who successfully completed their equine degree during the COVID-19 pandemic

The aim of this thesis was to explore equine students’ experiences when completing their degree during a global pandemic to provide recommendations for future emergencies or unprecedented scenarios. Students on equine-related degrees have been underrepresented in education research, and as these programmes attract a high proportion of “non-traditional students”, factors facilitating student success were an additional focus in this research, providing an additional novel aspect.
The project was shaped under the four cornerstones for student achievement outlined by Tinto (2012): expectations, support, assessment and feedback and involvement. Eight final year students were interviewed at the end of the academic year, using a semi-structured approach which encouraged reflection and evaluation of their experiences. Some findings, like the importance of tutor and peer support, as well as a separate social support group mirrored findings from research in other areas, but the role of horses as a motivator, safe space and to drive a passion for learning had not previously been reported, as equine students in the UK have been underrepresented in education research.
Further complementary research should therefore consider the importance of horses and other animals for equine and animal science degree students, wider use of animals to support mental health interventions for students, the use of software modelling for anatomy modules, and enhancing digital confidence to support future hybrid teaching approaches. My research also clearly demonstrated that traditional and “non-traditional” students on equine degrees are able to thrive in higher education in the right conditions, and that struggles of traditional students require more research investigation.