The Royal Veterinary College’s (RVC) graduate diploma in equine locomotor research is now available in the United States.

The program offers U.S.-based equine footcare professionals the opportunity to gain the skill set to produce original research, increase the evidence base underpinning the work and enhance equine welfare.

The program will employ distance learning coupled with six residential weekends over 2 years at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center. Participating farriers will have up to 5 years to complete the course.

“We are delighted with the interest in the graduate diploma in equine locomotor research and the U.S. contingent’s commitment to advanced footcare, evidence-based practice and equine welfare,” says Renate Weller, RVC’s course leader and member of the International Equine Veterinarian Hall Of Fame. “The prospective students who have been in touch are established footcare experts. As an equine clinician and researcher, I’m excited to be working with people who have the practical experience, knowledge and desire to advance footcare of horses through research and increase the scientific evidence behind it.”

Expansion efforts follow Weller’s presentation on tendon ruptures and bone fractures at the 2016 International Hoof-Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she asked her audience whether there was interest in continuing hoof-care education through a university program. Weller brought audience members’ expressed interest before RVC administrators.

Further information about the program can be found on RVC’s website.