Oklahoma City area short horse course scheduled

Learning to care for a horse is no easy undertaking.

A whole lot goes into the care and maintenance of these animals," stated Ray Ridlen, Agriculture Educator for the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service. "Anyone who undertakes the task of caring for one needs to know the challenges that must be faced."

To help Oklahoma City area residents become more knowledgeable about the care and training of horses, the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service will offer a seven-week "Horse Short Course" this September and October.

Classes will begin Sept. 10, at the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service in Oklahoma City from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and will continue on each Thursday evening until Oct. 22.

"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," commented Ridlen, who will serve as one of the instructors for the course. "Some of the state's foremost experts in equine topics will be speaking during this course."

Dr. David Freeman, an OSU Extension equine specialist, will begin the course by talking about the basics of horse ownership and care. This includes an overview about the current horse industry, an assessment of production and use goals, and identification of operating expenses.

Other specialists teaching the course include Dr. Gene Parker, area animal quality and health specialist, Dr. Justin Talley, OSU Extension entomology specialist, and Sherman Grubb, Creek County Extension educator.

Nutrition, feeding management, pasture, fencing, forage production, pest control, breeding specifics, and even behavior principals for training are also courses that will be addressed in the seminar.

In addition to the in-class course work, participants will also visit a successful horse training operation in Yukon, OK, as they learn more about training principals from local breeder John Lethem.

Horse ownership is not required for the course, since it has also been designed to help people to plan 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 405-713-1125.

Date: 9/4/09