OA - Summer 2024

Equine Department Welcomes Growth

When someone asks, “What’s new in the Equine Department at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College?,” answers will include new majors and minors, renovations in the equine center (indoor arena), upgrades to the barn and new state-of-the-art equipment in the classroom. And now, all of those answers are superseded by the answer “Hottie.” That is the name of the foal born from a student’s horse, Rue. Hottie is the living result of the minor in Breeding Management added to Equine Studies in August 2023. When Ed Ferguson, Ph.D., chair of the equine studies department, came to SMWC, he realized that there was a need for horse breeders and horse farm managers in Indiana. Building upon the curriculum that already had equine nutrition and other equine science classes, he added courses to concentrate on breeding. “We added Endocrinology,

or how the hormones work, and then Reproductive Physiology, which is how the reproductive system works. Then, they will take an Artificial Insemination class and learn to inseminate the mares and how to ultrasound them in the Equine Reproduction class.” During the fall term, Rue was inseminated in class and monitored with ultrasound during her pregnancy. “The Mare and Foal Management class I taught in the spring went perfectly because the foal was born in the middle of the class.” From conception to birth, the students had a hands-on experience! According to Ferguson, SMWC’s unparalleled hands-on learning experience sets the program apart. He believes this gives students a significant edge over their peers in other undergraduate programs nationwide. Combining theoretical and practical experience can benefit students when entering the workforce

or pursuing more education. In the new academic year, Ferguson plans to breed three to six mares, allowing students to perform the inseminations. He also intends to demonstrate embryo transfer. This hands-on exposure to Assisted Reproductive Technology equips students with practical skills before entering the industry, instilling confidence in their abilities and readiness for their future careers. The introduction of Equine Pre vet Science in the Fall of 2023 immediately pushed it to the largest equine major in the department. “It has helped us attract more students than we would get without creating the major. Being able to offer a pure pre-vet has been tremendous for our recruiting,” Ferguson said. The combination of standard pre-vet classes at other colleges is combined with barn management classes and riding classes that are unique to a

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