Horse facilities can provide more than just dung and hoof prints. Equine-assisted programs offer unique educational benefits that could enhance students’ experiences and improve their lives. Are you wondering about the specifics? Take a look.

1. Building Confidence

Working with horses gives students more confidence and raises their self-esteem, as learning to groom and ride such proud, noble creatures promotes a sense of achievement.

2. Improving Communication Skills

Horses are observant beings who react to non-verbal communication elements by observing one’s body language. Dealing with them helps students understand the value of expressing one’s feelings. Besides, students must work together, communicating with the horse and each other to achieve mutual goals. Such activities help enhance their social skills and foster relationships with their peers.

3. Developing Empathy

By caring for horses, students learn sensitivity and gentleness. It fosters a unique environment where emotional and social skills can flourish.

4. Stress Reduction and Emotional Regulation

Spending time with horses helps reduce stress levels. It also facilitates emotional regulation, assisting students to manage anxiety and improve their mood.

5. Encouraging Physical Activity

Horse riding is a vital part of teaching and training horses. It involves such physical activities as grooming, saddling up, and riding, which promote an active lifestyle and urge students to remain fit.

6. Boosting Cognitive Abilities

Mental stimulation sharpens our skills. What do you do when you can’t solve an academic problem? You contact the best essay service, Top Essay Writing, and ask them for help. You gain new insights once you see their work, stimulating your knowledge and critical thinking. The situation with horses is rooted in the same principles. Cognitive abilities are developed when equestrian practitioners learn to identify and remove obstacles, such as figuring out how to jump a fence and providing commands to their horses. It involves thinking critically, locating solutions, and analyzing situations.

7. Supporting Special Needs Education

Of course, equine-assisted learning can help any student, but those with special needs can benefit from the controlled environment the horses provide. When horses are understood and treated with respect, they become focused and obedient. Spending time with them can help improve students with special requirements' focus, motor, and sensory skills.

8. Teaching Responsibility and Commitment

You can’t just forget about a horse. It is what students should do daily:

• Feed a Horse: Students must give it food every day.
• Give Fresh Water: Horses love drinking, so a fresh supply must be present all the time.
• Make Sure It’s Properly Cared for: Students must watch out for their horse’s health.
• Be Attuned to Its Needs: You’ll learn how to speak with your horse and monitor its needs and wants. Fulfill them, and you’ll have a friend for life.

A sense of responsibility connects the dots for many students, so they understand that they can’t just show up to use horses for practice and do nothing in return. The sense of consistency, responsibility, and reliability is what they will take into the other parts of their lives.

9. Fostering Environmental Awareness

By learning about horses and how to care for them, students are introduced to sustainability practices related to animal welfare and the conservation of the environment. They learn to value nature and discover how to preserve it.

10. Inspiring Career Exploration

Inspiration comes in the most unexpected shapes. Seeing the base of sample essays on different topics can help you understand your subject better, allowing you to discover something new about it. Similarly, by spending time with horses, students might decide to study veterinary sciences, animal behavior, or agriculture. Equine-assisted programs can help inform your future career.

11. Artistic Expression

Plenty of art activities, such as drawing and painting, can be centered on horses. Students can express themselves visually after spending a day with their creature.

Galloping Towards Growth

Equine-assisted learning programs are a valuable part of learning environments. Their possibilities can affect students’ confidence, communication skills, and empathy. When schools open their doors to horses, it signals that school leaders are ready to nurture the development of their students in ways that go beyond standard academic curricula.

There are more informative articles in our section on Health & Education.

“32 and You: An Owner's Guide to Genetic Tests in Horses,” presented by Dr. Callum Donnelly, assistant professor in the Section of Theriogenology at #CornellVet, recorded February 20, 2024 via Zoom.

Dr. Callum Donnelly's talk focuses on horses' genetic health, discussing what kinds of genetics tests are offered, how to interpret genetic tests and what the future holds for genetics as a tool in your horse's health.

Donnelly received his veterinary degree from Charles Sturt University in Australia. He is a specialist in both reproductive medicine and internal medicine, and holds a Ph.D. in integrative pathobiology from the University of California-Davis. Donnelly’s thesis work focused on genomic and precision medicine as part of the Pioneer 100 Horse Health Project. He currently serves as a faculty member in the reproductive medicine section, and his clinical practice and research efforts are focused on maternal fetal health and medical genetics, helping to manage healthy and problem pregnancies, and providing advanced care for babies before they are born.

Read more: 32 and You: An Owner's Guide to Genetic Tests in Horses

"Why is the Mule the Most Important Member of the Horse Family?" presented by Dr. Doug Antczak, recorded Feb. 21, 2023 via Zoom.

The Mule is a hybrid animal produced by a mating between two separate species, the horse and donkey. Mules have a long history of contributions to human society as a remarkable beast of burden and source of animal power. Less well known are the many ways in which the study of mules has advanced scientific thought and our understanding of fundamental biological principles. This seminar will introduce you to the wonderful and fascinating world of mules.

Doug Antczak, VMD, PhD, is the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine at the Baker Institute for Animal Health. Antczak graduated from Cornell University with a BA in biology in 1969, before receiving his VMD from University of Pennsylvania in 1973. He then completed a PhD in immunology at the University of Cambridge in 1978. At Cornell, Doug Antczak’s research program is focused on the health of horses, a passion of his from an early age. Through the Baker Institute’s Equine Genetics Center, the Antczak laboratory group has a long history of advancing basic knowledge and applying that knowledge in equine genetics, immunology and reproduction. Among other important projects, Dr. Antczak’s genetic selection and breeding of horses led to his continuing involvement in the international Horse Genome Project.

Read more: Why is the Mule the Most Important Member of the Horse Family? Cornell Equine Seminar

"Five tips for keeping your horse sound," presented by Michelle Delco '98, D.V.M. '02, Ph.D. '16, assistant research professor at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, as part of the Cornell Equine Seminar Series.

Cornell's Equine Hospital, the New York State 4-H Horse Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension are proud to host the Equine Seminar Series. In this series, equine experts present on important equine health and management topics. The seminars are free to attend and open to the public. We hope you will join us and other equine enthusiasts for this exciting virtual learning opportunity!

Read more: Five Tips for Keeping Your Horse Sound - Cornell Vet Equine Seminar Series

In this Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) safety tip, Master Instructor Teresa Kackert will show you how to safely deworm your horse by use of a syringe. We thank Bimeda, who makes wonderful deworming products, for the help in making this video. We also thank Houghton College in New York for the wonderful facility and horses to work with in producing these videos.

Read more: Deworming the horse using a paste syringe with Teresa Kackert

Cornell Equine Seminar Series presents:
"Stable Vices: Theirs or Ours? Abnormal Behavior in Horses," presented by Dr. Katherine A. Houpt, recorded Sept. 19, 2023.

Houpt, who is the James Law Professor Emeritus of Behavior Medicine at #CornellVet, discusses common stereotypies in domestic horses, including potential causes, treatments and management strategies.

Houpt received her VMD and Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Her research is focused on domestic animal welfare, equid behavior and physiological basis of equine ingestive and maternal behavior.

Read more: Stable Vices: Theirs or Ours? Abnormal Behavior in Horses

Your horse is reluctant to pick up more than a walk lately -- is she feeling a bit sluggish, or could it be osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis (OA) -- also referred to as equine degenerative joint disease (DJD) -- is a common condition horses experience resulting in degeneration of the joints and pain, inflammation, reduced flexibility and range of motion. Osteoarthritis typically affects the synovial and cartilaginous components of joints. Any joint is at risk whether hips, hocks, stifles or knees and fetlocks.

Find answers to FAQs about lameness and arthritis in horses, below.

At what age do horses get arthritis?

Osteoarthritis can impact every horse, no matter their age, breed or discipline. It’s a common misconception that the condition impacts only senior horses, however. Horse owners will need to take preventive steps early on to control their horse’s risk, and manage with prompt diagnosis and proactive treatment, should their horse develop OA over time.

What is the most common cause of lameness in horses?

It is estimated that OA is responsible for up to 60% of all lameness in horses.

How can I tell if my horse is in pain?

“Horses almost never say ‘no.’ Horses can talk, and it is our job to learn how to speak their language and above all, to listen and be their advocate,” said Steve Allday, DVM, an equine lameness specialist with more than 35 years’ experience caring for an impressive list of equine athletes. Dr. Allday also founded and developed the joint supplement line, LubriSyn.

To help address the underrecognized signs of pain in horses, co-authoring Drs. Catherine Torcivia and Sue McDonnell, within the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, published “Equine Discomfort Ethogram.” The report outlines 73 equine discomfort behaviors and grouped them into eight categories: posture and weight-bearing; limb and body movements; head, neck, mouth, and lip movements; attention to area; ear and tail movements; overall demeanor; altered eating or drinking; and vocalizations/audible sounds. Review their published work for detailed illustrations, written descriptions and even videos to best know whether your horse is in pain.

How can you tell if your horse is lame?

Dr. Allday recommends that you lunge or hand-trot your horse and look for a “nod.” If their head goes down when the right front leg goes forward, the problem is in the left front. If they “toe-heel” on their hind legs, it’s a sure-sign there is pain in the heel, frog or other form of lower-limb lameness.

What causes arthritis in horses?

Trauma to the joint, a horse’s conformation defects, their age, improper shoeing and trimming, as well as sequential bone fragments can all cause equine arthritis.

What are the signs of arthritis in horses?

There are a number of signs your horse could be affected by OA, such as lameness or limping, warm or painful, swollen joints, reluctance or difficulty to move, and stiffness in the joints.

Can arthritis in horses become worse over time?

“Osteoarthritis is ubiquitous in all mammals and progressive as a rule,” said Dr. Allday. With proactive treatment, and joint health supplements to prevent the condition from worsening, arthritis in horses can be manageable.

How do you prevent arthritis in horses?

By getting ahead of what problems could arise because of a horse’s conformation or housing/training environments, you can help prevent joint issues.

Incorporate horse joint supplements like LubriSyn HA or Cosequin to support healthy joints and improved mobility.

Prioritize hoof care and keep horses on a regular trim schedule. Learn more about horse hoof care from a lifelong horse farrier.

Keep horses at their optimum weight, as obesity stresses the joints.

Ensure they receive excellent nutrition to encourage strong bones and healthy cartilage.

Limit riding on hard surfaces, if possible, and instead opt for softer footing.

“I put my horses on Lubrisyn as soon as possible,” Dr. Allday said. “I have unwavering statistics, the earlier they go on it, the more they function, and the less necessary it is for me to inject them. I have a rope horse I made over $150,000 on, and I’ve only injected him one time. He has showed up for me every time.”

How do I know if my horse has arthritis?

Owners and riders are excellent diagnosticians of any changes in a horse’s joint health. “This is simply because you know your horse. When I go look at a horse, I’m taking a snapshot of just that moment, while you have known the horse for days and years -- sometimes, his entire life -- before I got there that day,” said Dr. Allday, who recommends giving horses a close once-over when grooming or tacking up for a ride. Look to see if one side is larger than the other. Also, rub the horse’s back and palpate it to make sure it isn’t sore, and always check their hocks for any fluid. Share any new findings with your veterinarian. Should your veterinarian suspect joint problems, it’s likely they will perform a routine lameness evaluation.

Can you ride a horse with arthritis?

The short answer is “Yes,” but it depends. Talk with your veterinarian about your horse’s level of arthritis to know whether with treatment, he recommends the horse being ridden. “OA isn’t the end of their career, but it’s certainly something you have to be on top of, address rapidly and maintain routinely,” said Dr. Allday. “You may even have to go to anti-inflammatories to maintain a horse’s athletic career.”

What is the best treatment for arthritis in horses?

Veterinarians may recommend prescription medications, like Equioxx, Surpass Topical or Adequan i.m. to manage the pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis. Should OA be diagnosed, your veterinarian will work closely with you on joint health needs to prevent further progression of joint damage, as well as anti-inflammatory treatments available to manage the pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.

Visit Valley Vet to learn more.

Read more: FAQ: Lameness and Arthritis in Horses

Teresa Kackart demonstrates a safe way to lead a horse from horseback. Brought to you by the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA.horse)

Read more: How to Safely Pony a Horse with Teresa Kackart (6:55) - Certified Horsemanship Association