09/21/2026
Can You Go to College for That?
Inside Martin Community College’s Equine Program
By Tammie Thurston, Equine Program Director
When people ask me what I do for a living, they’re usually surprised when I tell them I work with horses—as a career. I’m Tammie Thurston, a horse trainer with Thurston Quarter Horses and the Equine Program Director at Martin Community College. What really catches people off guard is when I explain that I do this at a college. Almost without fail, the next question is, “You can go to school for that?”
At Martin Community College, the answer becomes obvious the moment you step onto our equine campus.
The first thing you notice isn’t the buildings—it’s the horses. Our mornings start early. Students are checking water troughs, throwing hay and feed, and bringing horses in to prepare for riding classes later in the day. It doesn’t look like a typical college morning, but if you’re from the horse world, it looks exactly right. It’s the perfect way to start a learning packed productive day at MCC’s equine facility.
And that’s where the old saying, “You don’t need college to work with horses,” starts to fall apart.
Our equine program doesn’t replace real barn experience. It sharpens it. We give students hands-on, industry-relevant training in a structured environment where mistakes are learning opportunities—not career-ending consequences. That doesn’t mean it’s easy or risk-free. Horses are horses. But it does mean students can learn everything from basic training maneuvers to starting c**ts, handling breeding stallions, collecting and inseminating mares, and much more—without the pressure of someone’s livelihood riding on every decision.
If you’re serious about a career in the equine industry, MCC isn’t a detour. It’s a launchpad.
A Serious Equine Program in an Unexpected Corner of North Carolina
Located in Williamston, North Carolina, Martin Community College is a small two-year school—but our equine program has earned a strong reputation for delivering hands-on, real-world training. We intentionally compress the depth of a four-year equine education into two focused, demanding years.
Students attend all equine classes on our equine facility campus that includes multiple well-maintained barns, an indoor competition coliseum, outdoor arenas, breeding labs and foaling areas, and equine science classrooms. And since the MCC Foundation heard consists of around 50 or more horses at any given time, they get the experience of working with a diverse group of horses used for training, riding, and handling. Students don’t just ride safe, overused school horses. They work with finished horses, green horses, sale prospects, broodmares, and young stock.
The equine facilities and coursework mirror what students will encounter in professional barns. The program feels less like a traditional college and more like a working training operation that also teaches anatomy, nutrition, evaluation, and reproduction.
For anyone looking for a well-rounded equine education, MCC is truly a hidden gem, offering a down-to-earth environment, a strong work ethic, and countless opportunities in and outside the classroom.
A Two-Year Program With Real-World Depth
Our Associate in Applied Science in Equine Technology is not a typical academic degree. It’s an immersion program: more saddle time, more barn hours, more responsibility, and less passive classroom learning.
Students receive instruction in equine anatomy and physiology, nutrition and feed balancing, c**t starting, herd and facility management, reproduction and foaling, emergency care, business practices, and riding across disciplines with a strong emphasis on correct fundamentals.
Graduates leave with skills most horse people don’t learn until they’ve been around barns for a long time—like spotting when a horse isn’t moving quite right, knowing how to change a feeding program when a horse starts losing muscle over its topline, and handling equine emergency rescue situations. They learn how to design a facility from the ground up and then create a realistic equine business plan for that operation.
We also teach the entire reproduction process—from teasing mares and collecting a stallion to inseminating a mare, foaling, and eventually starting c**ts under saddle. And through our evaluation courses, a few of our students even become certified judges while they’re still in the program.
Beyond classes, students get plenty of additional opportunities. They can join the show team—riding seasoned horses for their first show or bringing along green horses for their debut. We host many guest speakers, take fieldtrips to places like Tryon International Equestrian Center, the World Equine Expo, Colonial Downs racetrack, and national show like the AAQH Congress. Plus, students manage big events like the FFA and 4-H judging competitions and our annual open show, gaining real-world skills in equine event management. The reality is simple: this program delivers the depth of a four-year equine degree, compressed into two barn-centered years.
Why Choose College Instead of the Traditional Barn Route?
Working your way up through barns has long been part of the horse world, and for some people it still works. But it has limitations—no structure, inconsistent instruction, and unsafe practices passed down simply because “that’s how it’s always been done.
At MCC, we give students the space to learn and grow, even when they make mistakes, in an equine environment that’s realistic but a little more forgiving. They still experience the hard work, responsibility, and risk that comes with the equine industry, so they’re ready for the real world—but with instructors who truly care about them as people, their growth, and their safety, not just about how much work they can get done.
Just as important are the connections students gain. Our instructors maintain strong relationships with reputable training barns, breeding operations, therapeutic riding programs, and equine businesses across the region. Many internships turn directly into long-term employment, without students having to gamble on a working-student position that may not offer real advancement.
High-Level Training Without the High-Level Price Tag
Equine education is expensive. Private equestrian colleges can cost $40,000 or more per year, and even state universities add up quickly once housing and fees are included.
As a community college, MCC offers comparable—and often greater—hands-on experience at a fraction of the cost. Our graduates leave prepared to work, not buried in debt that pushes them out of the horse industry.
That balance of rigor, practicality, and affordability is what sets MCC apart.
Where Our Graduates Go—and Why It Matters
Our graduates move into a wide range of equine careers, including assistant trainer, barn and facility management, veterinary and clinic technicians, therapeutic riding, breeding and foaling operations, lesson programs, sales barns, and independent equine businesses.
Barn owners consistently tell us the same thing: MCC graduates show up confident, capable, and ready to contribute. They have a strong work ethic, anticipate needs, and don’t require constant supervision.
In this industry, that’s invaluable.
Yes—You Really Can Go to College for This
For riders who want horses to be more than just a hobby, Martin Community College gives you a real, respected way to turn that passion into a career—without putting your finances at risk. In just two intensive years, you get hands-on, barn-centered training that teaches real-life skills and the kind of experience the industry respects, so you’re ready to make a living doing what you love.
So when someone asks, “You can go to college for that?”
My answer is simple:
Yes.
And at Martin Community College, we do it the right way—intensively, affordably, and with the kind of training that will allow you to be successful in any aspect of the industry.
