06/11/2026
Talk about unique classrooms! Humber’s Equine Studies offered students a “stable” job.
In the 1970s, Humber established one of Canada’s most respected equestrian programs. The Humber Equine Centre was the only college facility of its kind in Ontario. It was located nearby to the Woodbine Racetrack and the spacious (at the time) Humber Valley. The Centre included stables for 35 horses, feed storage, an arena, a tackroom, classrooms, and a surgical wing. The surgical wing allowed students to learn all the necessary knowledge for the industry and acted as a clinic facility for the industry. Students involved in the pre- and post-operative care and observation of the horses reinforced their classroom studies.
The Equine Studies program which was a two-year program that provided both practical and theoretical training in equine care and management. The program was the only two-year program in Canada at the time. Students were expected to have some previous experience in the horse industry. Once in the program, students were taught about the care and handling of horses and were shown new technologies related to the horse industry and techniques in horsemanship. Hands-on experience was given through participating in the daily care of the horses in the stable. Students would be assigned a horse for individual daily care and could be given special assignments of breaking-in and training new horses. Students also worked with the Royal Winter Fair to gain management experience. In 1975, a horse gave birth to Humber’s first foal. Students were given the opportunity to provide all of his care. This included feeding, grooming, and monitoring his development.
The Equine Centre and the Equine Studies program closed their doors in 1995. But it is safe to say that the Equine Studies program was one of the most unique courses offered at Humber.
Photos from the Humber Archives
