Published: September 01, 2008 03:08 pm      

Prospective horse owners invited to seminar

Oklahoma City area horse short course scheduled at OSU Extension Center

Horse lovers who are interested in finding out how to properly care for and train equine are invited to attend the Oklahoma City area Horse Short Course at the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Center this fall.

Classes will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. beginning Thursday, Oct. 2 at the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service in Oklahoma City and will continue on each Thursday evening until Nov. 13. 

“We’ve set the program up so that the average horse owner or someone who is thinking about getting a horse can learn quite a bit about the management and care of their charges,” said Ray Ridlen, agriculture and horticulture educator for the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service and an instructor for the course.“Some of the state’s foremost experts in equine topics will be speaking during this course.”

Dr. David Freeman, a State Extension equine specialist, will begin the course by talking about the “Basics of Owning a Horse.” This includes an overview about the current horse industry, an assessment of production and use goals, and an identification of operating expenses.

On Oct. 7, Dr. Gene Parker, a veterinarian, will discuss health management of horses, while Dr. Justin Talley, State Extension entomologist, and Sherman Grubb, Creek County Extension educator, will look closely at farm management problems, including fencing and pest control, on Oct. 16.

“We’ve set the course up so that each week the horse enthusiasts can learn quite a bit on a different subject,” Ridlen said. “This program has been done in other places throughout the state and has proven to be a great help to horse owners.”

Nutrition, feeding management, pasture and hay needs and breeding management are also courses that will be addressed in the seminar.

The “Horse Training Principles” course seminar will be held at the horse operation of instructor John Letham, a horse breeder in the Yukon area.

“There shouldn’t be a dull moment in these seminar courses,” Ridlen stressed. “This should be the single most informative class horse lovers could take to find out what they need to know about the care and management of horse stock.”

Horse ownership is not required for the course, since it has also been designed to help people to prepare for a horse they plan to own in the future.

The seminar will be limited to the first 30 people and a pre-registration fee of $30 is required.



FOR MORE information about the seminar, contact the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Center at 713-1125.