Among the many strengths of the St. Andrews educational experience, the Laurinburg branch proudly offers one of the nation’s most well reputed equestrian education programs. Check out what equine-oriented publications and higher education publications are saying about St. Andrews.
So Much More Than a Diploma: St. Andrews University Equestrian Studies
In this January 2021 article, The Plaid Horse’s Lauren Mauldin writes, “Still, there are some institutions that maintain excellence through generations. Institutions that know how to create opportunities for their students, and expertly weave riding into a solid education. Since 1961, St. Andrews University in Laurinburg, NC, has been fostering an environment of excellence both in the barn and classroom.” Read the full article.
Colleges Strong in Equestrian Studies
It would be surprising if St. Andrews were not on this short list of the top 76 colleges in the U.S. Wouldn’t it? Those of us who were students thirty or forty years ago may remember when the equestrian program ran from Shelby’s personal barn. Today, the St. Andrews equestrian program boasts a 300+ acre equestrian center with 4 barns, 2 covered arenas, 1 indoor arena, 3 outdoor riding arenas, 1 dressage arena, 2 hunter trial (derby) courses, several riding fields, and extensive turnout for horses. Our four equine-related majors include biology (with specialization in equine science), business administration with a specialization in equine business management, business administration specialized in therapeutic horsemanship business management, and therapeutic horsemanship. It’s also nice to know, that just like in decades past, students who don’t own horses or who have never ridden a horse have opportunities to have physical education with St. Andrews horses and otherwise learn from and enjoy the equestrianism. Learn More.
Top Ten Best Colleges for Equestrians in the United States
Equine Helper (equinehelper.com) is one of many equine-insider publications naming St. Andrews among the country’s best colleges for equestrians. Author Carmella Abel explains, “While not every career in the equine world requires a specialized degree, holding a degree from one of the well-known horse colleges in the US can provide incredible opportunities!” St. Andrews University offers both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in topics such as pre-veterinary studies, equine business management, therapeutic horsemanship, equine science, and therapeutic horsemanship business management. The beautiful St. Andrews Equestrian Center occupies over 300-acres. Equestrians at St. Andrews University have the ability to compete on one of their many nationally-ranked equestrian teams. These teams include an IHSA hunt seat team, Western team, IDA dressage team, and a hunter/jumper show team.
15 Best Equestrian Colleges & Universities in the US (2021)
The equestrian programs combine classroom learning with hands-on, real-world experience to prepare students for their future careers. St. Andrew’s also has an extensive competitive riding program that includes hunt seat and western IHSA, IDA dressage, and ANRC teams.
2020 Best Equestrian Colleges in the United States
How did 30 colleges get on ThoughtCo’s 2020 list of the best equestrian colleges nationwide? Colleges were selected for a wide range of reasons such as being recognized for their outstanding equine education programs, offering degrees in equine science, equine management, pre-veterinary studies, and other specializations designed to prepare students for a career working with horses. St. Andrews once again has a strong track record in getting students accepted to the highly selective veterinary colleges. Most of the listed colleges feature state-of-the-art equine facilities, and many also have competitive intercollegiate equestrian teams in various disciplines including hunter seat, Western, saddle seat, and dressage. Each of the colleges listed have some of those things, but St. Andrews has each of those things . . . and much more. As different authorities report on the top equine college programs, some colleges come and go, but St. Andrews is a consistent feature. ThoughtCo groups the SA equine education programs with Texas A&M, Auburn University, Baylor University, Colorado State, Oklahoma State University, Penn State University, and University of Georgia. ThoughtCo (thoughtco.com) serves as a reference site with a 20+ year focus on expert-created education content, one of the top-10 information sites, as measured by comScore.
2019 Eight Best Equestrian Colleges in the Country
Across the U.S., there are roughly 400 collegiate equestrian teams. Among those colleges, HorseRookie picked St. Andrews as one of the top eight in the nation for equestrians going to college. St. Andrews is listed alongside Purdue University, Auburn University, Texas A&M, and University of Georgia.
15 Best Universities for Master’s Degrees in Equine Studies
The Best Master’s Degrees (bestmastersdegrees.com) describes St. Andrews as “home to one of the premiere equestrian programs in the country.” They praise, “This unique program allows students to tailor their master’s degree to fit their career goals. For example, students interested in managing an equine facility will take both business classes as well as hands-on practicums to best prepare them to blend their career interests with their love of horses. Tuition discounts are given to members of national equestrian associations, and prospective students may be happy to know that St. Andrews is home to a 300-acre state-of-the-art equestrian facility.” To find the best equine studies master’s programs, their reviewers considered everything from the selection of concentrations offered, to campus and facilities, to affordability, and came up with the 15 best universities for a master’s degree in equine studies. Their latest list was published in 2018. Learn more.
2017 – Peggy McElveen Receives IHSA’s Lifetime Achievement Award
The IHSA describes our Peggy McElveen as “one of the most popular equestrian team coaches in Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) history.” Read the full article
Tags: Accolades, Equestrian