Equine
Turn Your Love for Horses Into a Career
Equine managers oversee the daily well-being of horses — feeding, health monitoring, training, and facility care — while also running the business side: staffing, scheduling, marketing, and event coordination for boarding, training, and breeding operations. It's hands-on work that rewards both an eye for animal behavior and a head for running an operation.
Iowa Valley trains for this at the Ellsworth Equestrian Center — a climate-controlled, professional-grade facility overseen with student help, and a regional destination for horse shows and clinics throughout the year. Students learn in the classroom and through working with live animals, building toward careers as trainers, stable managers, riding instructors, or roles across veterinary clinics, ranches, resorts, and equine publications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Equine track is right for me?
- Equine Management Practitioner Diploma — one year, for students who want a faster path into the workforce.
- Equine Management, AAS Degree — two years, for students heading directly into equine industry careers.
- Equine Science, AAS Degree — two years, with a stronger science emphasis for students who may continue toward a four-year degree.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. Both Equine Management and Equine Science are approved programs under the Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The Last-Dollar Scholarship is a state-funded award that covers remaining tuition and mandatory fees for Iowa residents enrolled in high-demand career programs, after other grants and scholarships (like the Pell Grant) are applied. For 2026–2027, it covers up to $236 per credit hour, and even students whose other aid already covers tuition can receive a minimum of $250 per term if they're enrolled full-time. Learn about the Last-Dollar Scholarship.
What will I be able to do after graduating?
Graduates go on to careers in equine facility and stable management, training, boarding and breeding operations, and related roles across veterinary clinics, ranches, resorts, and equine media — with a path to further study in animal science for those who transfer.
Equine management careers pay an average of $67,784 annually, with animal scientist roles cited by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as a related career path.
Ellsworth Community College
1100 College Avenue Iowa Falls, IA 50126
eccinfo@iavalley.edu
641-648-4611