A comparative study of post-secondary Equine Studies programs in the United States with that of the Deutsche Reitschule in Germany

This study compared and contrasted twenty-two post-secondary Equine Studies programs leading to a baccalaureate degree in the United States, as listed in the 1995 College Board Index of Majors and Graduate Degrees, with the prototypal equine program of the Deutsche Reitschule in Germany, in terms of five programmatic components, and offered inferences to account for found differences between both programs. The American schools considered represent a comprehensive grouping of four-year institutions. The Deutsche Reitschule [National Riding School] was utilized as the prototype program because of its established reputation developed over centuries in preparing instructors and standardized foundations in the equestrian arts. The five programmatic components used as comparative criteria were: (1) Curriculum, (2) Faculty, (3) Student, (4) Academic Resources and (5) Special Resources. Data used to address three research questions were obtained from institutional catalogs and a questionnaire with the cultural and societal norms as they relate to the equestrian arts in both countries. A recommendation is for administered to the director of each Equine Studies program in March, 1995. Data were then examined from an analytical perspective to identify similarities and differences among American schools, and between those institutions considered in aggregate, and the Deutsche Reitschule. It was found that Equine Studies programs in the American schools aimed the educative process toward both career- (work place) and knowledge- (preparation for personal and civic life) oriented ends, but differed widely on the importance of each, as well as, on the distribution of coursework required for a degree among major, minor, general education and elective areas. No program required more than minimal field experience. Conversely, the German program aimed solely toward preparation for a narrow field of work, with coursework only in the major (equine) area. It emphasized extensive field experience. Programs in America tend to draw female students and female faculty, whereas, the reverse was found at the Deutsche Reitschule. It was concluded that these differences are consistent with the cultural and societal norms as they relate to the equestrian arts in both countries. A recommendation is for student exchange in equine studies to be established between American institutions and the Deutsche Reitschule.