Virginia Intermont College - Equine Studies

Virginia Intermont College is located in Bristol, Virginia and is one of only a few schools in the nation to offer an academically accredited four-year degree in Equine Studies. The equine program will begin by developing the student’s horsemanship skills by teaching the mechanisms of the horse and then teaching the proper riding positions. Virginia Intermont College provides students with a very hands-on experience and emphasizes the knowledge of the horse and care of the horse along with developing the students riding skills. Students will have the opportunity to be involved in training, instructing, horse show management and many other aspects of the horse industry. The school focuses on English riding and offers classes in dressage, eventing, equitation, hunter-jumpers, and show jumping. The curriculum places a great deal of time on developing a student’s skills that will prepare them for any career in the equine industry while also allowing a great amount of riding time as well. Graduates will leave the program with a vast knowledge of horsemanship and will be able to pursue a career in any field of the equine industry.

You do not have to own your own horse while earning your degree because the school has 65 horses available for students to ride, however, if you do own your own horse, you can bring it to the school and ride it during the riding classes as long as the horse is trained through the skill level of the class that it is being ridden in. It is strongly recommended that you do ride other horses during some of the classes because riding a variety of different horses will create a more versatile and skilled rider. If you choose to bring your own horse, you will need to make arrangements with the boarding facility as early as possible because the riding center only offers horse boarding on a first come, first serve basis for $3,900 per academic year. Students do not have to have their own tack, but it is strongly recommended that each student bring all of their own tack and grooming supplies because the school has a limited number of supplies available at the riding center.

The riding center is located six miles from the main campus and is very modern facility that sits on 132 acres of beautiful land. The riding center has a number of different features that include:

· 250 x 150 and 200 x 100 foot indoor arenas
· 350 x 200 foot outdoor arena
· A.J. Coyle Memorial Cross-Country Course
· 65 school provided horses
· Over 90 stalls
· 28 stall student boarding barn
· Several sets of USA Equestrian regulation jumps
· Classroom with access for riders with disabilities
· 9 large grass paddocks
· 2-horse trailer and a 6-horse gooseneck Sundowner van for transportation to shows
· 4 tack rooms
· Personal lockers
· Laundry facilities
· Faculty offices
· 3 wash stalls with both hot and cold water

While attending Virginia Intermont College, students will have the opportunity to compete at horse shows through the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Members will compete at eight regular shows against Wake Forest University, Duke University, North Carolina State University and eight other universities. Besides the eight regular shows, members can also compete in regionals and nationals. The IHSA teams have accumulated several regional championships and reserve championships.

Students can also join the Interscholastic-Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA). This is a national organization that holds competitions in each of the different regions that it is divided into. The purpose of the IDA is to introduce students to dressage and to develop their skills through competitions.

The campus also holds several Campus Cup competitions throughout the year and there is also the annual Virginia Intermont Horse Trials and an A-rated horse show at the Lexington, Va. Horse Center.

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