Best Equestrian Colleges

Alfred University's equestrian studies program offers a minor that can be combined with any number of majors at the university. Equine theory classes in subjects such as equine science and course design as well as English and Western riding and draft horse driving are all taught out of the university's Bromeley-Daggett Equestrian Center, a 400-acre facility just a few minutes from campus. AU also fully supports its varsity hunt seat and Western equestrian teams, which compete in Zone 2, Region 1 of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

• Location: Alfred, New York
• Alfred University Profile
• Equestrian Program Website

The animal science program at Berry College allows students to pursue their studies with an equine emphasis that includes various courses in equine science and management as well as opportunities for experiential learning at the college's 185-acre Gunby Equine Center. The Berry College hunt seat and Western equestrian teams compete successfully in IHSA Zone 5, Region 2, regularly advancing to the national finals.

• Location: Rome, Georgia
• Berry College Profile
• Equestrian Program Website

Possibly one of the most well-known equestrian colleges in the nation, Centenary College offers a Bachelor of Science in Equine Studies with concentrations in riding instruction and training, equine business management, communication for the equine industry and equine science. Centenary also supports several equestrian teams, including an Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) dressage team, a hunter/jumper team and hunt seat and Western IHSA teams competing in Zone 3, Region 3. The Centenary College Equestrian Center is a sizable facility featuring three barns, three riding arenas and a hunt field.

• Location: Hackettstown, New Jersey
• Centenary College Profile
• Equestrian Program Website

• Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
• Colorado State University Profile
• Equestrian Program Website

Lake Erie College's equine studies department offers a liberal-arts based program with majors in equestrian facility management, equestrian teacher/trainer and equine entrepreneurship with options for concentrations in therapeutic horsemanship and stud farm management. Lake Erie supports several competitive equestrian teams as well, including an IDA dressage team, an Intercollegiate Combined Training Association team and IHSA hunt seat and Western teams competing in Zone 6, Region 1. LEC's 86-acre George H. Humphrey Equestrian Center is located five miles from campus.

• Location: Painesville, Ohio
• Lake Erie College Profile
• Equestrian Program Website

• Location: Murray, Kentucky
• Murray State University Profile
• Equestrian Program Website

Penn State University's College of Agricultural Sciences offers a minor in equine studies within the dairy and animal science program. The minor includes core courses in basic equine science as well as additional electives emphasizing topics such as management, genetics and breeding. The program also maintains a herd of Quarter Horses at the university's equine facility that are used in classes and for breeding. Penn State's IHSA hunt seat equestrian team competes in Zone 3, Region 1 and trains off campus at a privately owned farm.

• Location: University Park, Pennsylvania
• PSU Profile
• Equestrian Program Website

Savannah College of Art and Design is the only art school in the country to also offer a degree in equestrian studies. SCAD's equestrian program includes a Bachelor of Arts in equestrian studies as well as a minor, with theory and practical courses in equine science, management and riding. The program operates out of the college's 80-acre Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center. SCAD also offers a highly competitive hunt seat equestrian team that competes in IHSA Zone 5, Region 3 and has brought home several IHSA and American National Riding Commission individual and team championships.

• Location: Savannah, Georgia
• SCAD Profile
• Equestrian Program Website

Skidmore College does not offer an equine studies major or minor, but the college maintains an active equestrian program. Students take classes in several levels of hunt seat riding and dressage as part of the physical education program, and non-credit riding instruction is also available. The college also has a successful IHSA hunt seat equestrian team competing in Zone 2, Region 3 and an IDA dressage team. Skidmore's Van Lennep Riding Center houses the educational and competition programs.

• Location: Saratoga Springs, New York
• Skidmore College Profile
• Equestrian Program Website

At St. Andrews University, equestrian students can pursue bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in equine business management, equine science, pre-veterinary, therapeutic horsemanship and therapeutic horsemanship business management. St. Andrews also offers several options for competition, including IHSA hunt seat and Western teams competing in Zone 4, Region 3, an IDA dressage team, and a hunter/jumper show team. The program operates out of the St. Andrews Equestrian Center, a 300-acre complex two miles from campus.

• Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina
• St. Andrews Profile
• Equestrian Program Website