Due to the influx in the population numbers of horses in Pendleton County, a program was offered to the people that own them to attempt to bridge the communication gap from horses to people. In conjunction with the Cooperative Extension programs in Grant and Owen counties, the Pendleton County Extension Service hosted a course planned for adults and children with horses.
A series of 5-3hour educational sessions were taught by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service agents and Dr. Robert Coleman, UK Equine Specialist. These sessions combined classroom instruction and hands-on demonstration that focused on the topics of nutrition, forage and pasture management, tack and equipment, reproduction and breeding, and hoof care.
Twenty horse owners were given a survey on the first night of class to establish a current horse knowledge benchmark as well as identify certain areas of focus for the program. Participants completed a post-session questionnaire that resulted in 100% increasing knowledge by attending each session and 100% indicated that they would use information presented in their equine operation. Six months following the completion of the program, those same horse owners were surveyed through personal conversation to determine the application rate of the principles taught through the Horse College. One participant indicated that he had already saved $500 in pesticide expenses by applying pasture management techniques and projected that he would also reduce his hay and feed costs coming this fall and winter to the tune of $5000 or $200 per animal. Three producers installed filter fabric pads to minimize environmental impact on high erosion prone areas. All three producers indicated that the soil loss to erosion was reduced to very little, if any soil lost. Five participants indicated that they had seen a savings in feed not purchased in the minimum amount of $600 per producer. Eight participants indicated that body condition scoring had allowed them to keep their horses healthier.
As a result of the impact that this Horse College has had on those equine operations that attended, a second series of 5 classes have been planned for the fall of 2006 in conjunction with a field day session to be conducted by a certified equestrian trainer.