Equine Science (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgProfDev postgraduate personal statement example

Personal statement example

At six each morning I weigh haynets on a spring balance hanging from a beam in the barn of the livery yard where I work. Most owners leave written instructions, and over three years I have noticed how often those instructions change after a laminitis scare, a weight-tape reading or a conversation at the gate. Some are sound and some are guesswork passed between owners. I want to understand the science well enough to tell the difference, which is why I am applying for postgraduate study in equine science by online learning.

My BSc in Animal Science gave me a grounding in nutrition, physiology and welfare across farmed and companion species. My dissertation looked at how soaking time affected water-soluble carbohydrate content in meadow hay. Using bales from two local suppliers, I soaked samples for different periods, dried them and sent them for analysis through the department's arrangement with a commercial laboratory. The losses varied considerably between the two hays, which made me cautious about the fixed soaking times often recommended informally on yards. The project taught me to write a clear method, keep samples consistent and report a small dataset honestly without claiming more than it showed. My supervisor's main criticism was that I had too few replicates, and I agree; it is something I would plan better now.

After graduating I took the yard job, intending it to be temporary. It has turned out to be the most useful education I have had outside university. I muck out, turn out, bring in, check water and rugs, and report anything unusual to the yard manager, who makes the decisions about calling owners or the vet. I have watched farriers work through difficult feet and seen vets carry out lameness workups and dental checks, but I have only watched; my role is to hold horses, follow instructions and notice changes. That habit of noticing is my strongest asset. I keep a simple spreadsheet of body condition scores for the horses whose owners have asked for it, and seeing scores drift across seasons has made me curious about grazing management and metabolic disease in a way textbooks alone did not.

On two weekdays I work in a feed merchant's shop. Customers ask which balancer or chaff suits their horse, and I have learned to point them to the manufacturer's information and their vet rather than offering opinions beyond my knowledge. Those conversations show me how much owners want trustworthy, practical guidance, and how much confusion exists about sugar, starch and fibre.

Online study suits my situation. My shifts are early and fixed, and I want to keep working while I learn so that I can test ideas against what I see each day. During my degree I managed a part-time job alongside lectures and submitted every assignment on time, and since graduating I have completed short online courses in equine first aid and pasture management in my own evenings. I am comfortable studying alone, but I also value discussion; I would welcome contributing to online forums with students who bring experience from racing, competition or welfare work that I lack.

Outside the yard I sing alto in a community choir, which has nothing to do with horses but has taught me to rehearse patiently and to listen to the people beside me.

In the long term I would like to work in equine nutrition advice or welfare education, helping owners make decisions based on evidence rather than habit. I am particularly interested in nutrition, behaviour and the management of overweight horses and ponies, and I hope a dissertation might return to forage in a more rigorous form. I bring a relevant degree, steady practical experience and a careful, honest approach to what I do and do not yet know.