College Station, Texas - November 13, 2007 The deadline for individual and group discount registrations is drawing near for Spring 2008 Distance Learning Business Courses at the Center for Equine Business Studies at Texas A&M University. The Center for Equine Business Studies (CEBS), brings a convenient and economical solution to small business owners, retailers and others wanting to hone their skills by offering on-line distance learning courses to improve practical business knowledge and tools. Distance learning replaces the traditional face-to-face classroom with instruction delivered via the Internet. This allows students to participate in classes at times that are convenient to their job and family obligations, and from any location with Internet access.

Courses to be offered on-line for continuing education credit in the Spring 2008 include "Business Basics for the Equine Business" and "Sales in the Equine Industry," offered earlier this year.

"Business Basics for the Equine Business" provides instruction in the basics of managing businesses that provide products or services to the equine industry. Students will be introduced to managerial decision-making and analysis in an equine environment, and develop skills that facilitate application of management principles to realistic business situations. A basic knowledge of excel spreadsheets will be required.

The student will select an actual or hypothetical equine related business as the subject for their course projects and develop the following for that business:  

• Balance Sheet
• Income Statement
• Enterprise Budgets
• Partial Budgets
• Cash Flow Budgets
• Capital Asset Schedule
• Schedule of Insurance Coverage
• Human Resource Plan  

"Sales in the Equine Industry" focuses on professional sales techniques in the equine environment. Students will develop sales skills through application of sales principles and realistic selling situations.  

"As we have begun offering these courses, we are discovering there are people already in the workplace who want to remain current in their techniques and marketable in their ability to move up in their current companies or find new positions," said Clark Springfield, course instructor. "We strongly urge interested persons to register as early as possible, not just to receive the discount, but to ensure their place in the classes."

Course fees are $595 per person through December 31, and $695 per person thereafter. Group discounts are available. The courses can be taken for continuing education credit and each course can be taken individually or as a part of a certification program. Upon successful completion of all five Equine Entrepreneurship courses, the participant will be awarded a Certificate in Equine Entrepreneurship from Texas A&M University. Courses that will be offered in the future include Marketing and the Equine Industry, Equine Entrepreneurship I, and Equine Entrepreneurship II.

For additional course information and to enroll visit http://agonline.tamu.edu/equine, or contact Clark Springfield, Equine Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator, athcspringfield@ag.tamu.edu, or call (979) 845-3805.

About the Center for Equine Business Studies  
Approved in concept by The Texas A&M University System's Board of Regents, the Center for Equine Business Studies at Texas A&M University is to become a valuable and constantly available resource for all aspects of the equine industry as it works to provide economic and market information to the industry. The Center will focus its studies on the impact of the horse industry, environmental and tax issues; provide economic analysis of the potential impacts of programs and proposed legislation on the U.S. and international horse industries; as well as develop entrepreneurship training for the many small businesses that serve as the lifeblood to the industry's economic landscape.