Equine Science

Throughout winter quarter, I stepped outside my comfort zone into the equine world. It was definitely challenging to be around such amazing animals, and to not have any experience in comparison to a lot of my fellow classmates. At times, I felt very timid around the horses, but once I realized that I wasn't going to learn anything unless I just went out there and gained experience, the class got a lot better.

Besides my equine science class, I was involved in an enterprise that took care of the mares and geldings on campus. Part of the enterprise was doing a certain amount of feedings. My first feeding was TERRIBLE. Imagine being at the horse unit at 6 a.m. while it is raining, barely awake, and learning to tell the difference between legume hay and alfalfa hay, and also trying to learn what the average size of a flake is. Also, being vertically challenged, I could not reach some of the feeders and when I tried to toss the feed into the feeders, the feed would just fall back on me! The rain made it worse too because the feed just stuck to me. The feed was everywhere and I ended up turning bright red, because I learned that I am allergic to the legume hay! It was a crazy morning.

The lab for my equine science class was so much fun. Cal Poly's motto "Learn By Doing" is really fulfilled in the Animal Science Department. I loved being able to have so much hands on experience working with the horses, and actually applying the topics we discussed in class towards the horses we have on campus, like common blemishes and unsoundnesses. Also, playing with the yearlings was one of my favorite labs and best moments of my freshman year.