Equine studies students clear Borders learning hurdle

Equine studies students from the Scotlands Rural College (SRUC) Oatridge campus in West Lothian got a chance to learn straight from the horses mouth during a study tour which took in the Borders. Pictured, top row, from left Eily Andrews, Samantha Muir and Sarah Dunbar; bottom row Melissa Beale, lecturer Gillian Turnball, Julie Isherwood, Amy Black and Emily Stewart.

Seven HND students, from the Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) Oatridge campus in West Lothian, visited Floors Castle stud, the Borders Donkey Sanctuary at St Boswells and the James Ewart Racing yard near Langholm as part of the two-day trip.

The trip also took in Geoff and Elspeth Adams’ pre-training yard at Rhymer’s Ha near Melrose, where horses are prepared for going into training at a racing yard; Kevin Jardine’s business which rehabilitates and rehomes race horses at Solwaybank Farm, near Canonbie; and foxhounds at the Buccleuch Hunt.

Equine lecturer Gillian Turnbull said: “The aim of the study tour is to let students see how various different types of yard in the industry function, some of which tie in with the units they have learned about on the course.”

z Studying students on tour – top row, from left – Eily Andrews, Samantha Muir and Sarah Dunbar; bottom row, from left – Melissa Beale, lecturer Gillian Turnbull, Julie Isherwood, Amy Black and Emily Stewart.