Equine Science Program

Stable Management

Course Syllabus for ANS 419

Instructor: Sheryl King Ph.D.
Office: Agriculture, Room 133a
Telephone: 453-1771
E-mail: sking@siu.edu

Text: The Horse, 2nd Ed., by J.W.Evans

Lecture Outline

Farm Project:

This is a semester-long project in which the students are involved in the running of a full-time ('pretend') commercial horse farm. It comprises 33% of the grade. Weekly installments are presented which will document various special activities to be managed over a one-year period at your farm.

Laboratory Outline

Animal Care:Each ANS 409 student will be assigned animals from the SIU-C herd to care for and train. All of the care, aside from daily feeding and stall cleaning, will be your responsibility. If your horse is sick or injured, you will be the caregiver. All assigned horses must be kept reasonably well groomed. You will be responsible for all shots, for worming, hoof trimming, dental work, etc. All treatments will be entered into the horse's permanent record with your initials.

Training:

One horse in your assignment horses will be yours to train. Your progress on your training assignment as well as the condition of the horses in your care will be evaluated over the course of the semester. The goal for your training assignment will be individualized to your talent and experiences and discussed at the beginning of the semester.

Foal Watch:

The students are responsible for acting as a night foaling attendant several times during the foaling season.

Skill Mastery:

In order to complete ANS 419 satisfactory, you will be expected to demonstrate mastery of a variety of horse handling skills, diagnostic and maintenance skills. These procedures will be presented to you over the course of the semester. These skills will be tested several times over the semester.

Skill List:

Background Skills

Knots (quick release, bowline, square, half hitch, sheet bend, coil)
Tack (disassembly, assembly, nomenclature)

Training Basics

Harnessing
Saddling
Equipment Use
Leading
Lougeing
Ground Driving

Basic Care and Treatment

Aging
Floating
Shots (i.v., i.m., s.c., blood sampling)
Worming (paste, fecal egg counts)

Emergency/Supportive Care

First Aid (wound treatment, lameness identification and treatment)
Leg Wrapping (injury, exercise, and shipping)

Hoof Evaluation and Trimming

Breeding Basics - Stallion

Stallion Handling (teasing, restraint, hygiene, breeding)
Semen Collection (evaluation and shipping)

Breeding Basics - Mare

Mare Handling (teasing, restraint, hygiene, breeding)
Artifical Insemination (fresh, cooled, shipped)

Foal Care

Neonatal care
Early Training (restraint, halter breaking, lifting feet, tying)

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