Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences

Bachelor of Animal Husbandry - Equine, Sports and Business (BSc)

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Year 1: In your first year, you’ll get a comprehensive introduction to both equine studies and business administration. You'll cover basics like horse nutrition, health, and physiology, alongside fundamental business topics such as marketing, sales, and finance. This year focuses on building a strong foundation in both fields.

Year 2: Your second year deepens your understanding of the equine industry and business management. You'll study more specialized subjects, including equine genetics and sports management, while also delving into advanced business courses. Practical projects and group assignments will help you apply what you’ve learned.

Year 3: In the third year, you’ll have your first internship at a horse company, gaining hands-on experience in the equine field. You’ll also start to focus on your minor, which can be related to horses, commercial business, or equestrian business administration, and can be completed at our university or another institution worldwide.

Year 4: Your final year includes a second internship, this time in the service industry, which could be within or outside the equine sector. You’ll also work on your graduation assignment, tying together all your knowledge and skills. By the end of this year, you’ll be well-prepared for a career in the equine and business world.

All our 4-year Bachelor programs result in a Bachelor of Science (BSc) or a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree. All study programs at VHL are accredited by the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). This is the official organization responsible for evaluating the quality of higher education institutions in the Netherlands.

From Breeding Expert to Online Marketer
Combining 'horse' and 'business' gives you diverse knowledge and skills, making you valuable in the equestrian world and beyond. You could work in nutrition, genetics, welfare, research, marketing, or event management, with employers like feed producers, sector organizations, stables, insurers, transport, and event agencies.

What can you become?
You can pursue various careers such as nutrition consultant, breeding expert, marketer, event organizer, project manager, self-employed entrepreneur, or lecturer. Here are four examples:

Sales Consultant Horse Feed
As a sales consultant at a horse feed company, you’ll interact with customers like sport rider stables, riding stables, and feed shops. You'll recommend the best feed for their horses, considering nutritional values, health, shelf life, and economics.

Employee at Equestrian Sports Association KNHS
At the Royal Dutch Equestrian Sports Federation (KNHS), you could specialize in areas like ‘Recreational Sports.’ You'll plan and organize events, develop tools like riding route apps, and find innovative ways to engage recreational equestrians.

Online Marketer
As an online marketer, you'll work to make a company's products and services well-known. You’ll use social media, email marketing, and Google to reach the right audience, whether for an equestrian company or another type of employer.

Events Employee
As an events employee, you’ll help organize events by arranging locations, decorations, catering, programs, and participants. For equestrian events, you'll tackle challenges like accommodating many horses on one site.

Why VHL?

• Great atmosphere.
  You will quickly feel at home here thanks to our personal guidance and meet many new, interesting people. From day one, you are part of a professional network of students and colleagues from all over the world.
• Learning by doing.
  You apply the theory in practice: besides obtaining highly valued work experience during internships abroad, you will work on real-life cases and go on excursions to companies in the field.
• Study programmes with impact.
  Your specific knowledge and degree from the most sustainable university of applied sciences in the Netherlands make you highly sought after by employers.
• Future-proof.
  With your specific knowledge and skills, you will have the tools to create a future-proof world. Our programs are designed to give you the opportunity to make your own choices. This will prepare you for a fascinating career in a professional field that really matters.
• International orientation.
  Exchange and internships abroad are incorporated in the study program.