Happy New Year from the folks here at the Equine Science Center! Like many of you I am looking forward to the new year and the new beginnings it brings. The new year is also the perfect time to set some goals for the year. You do have an entire year stretching out in front of you, waiting to be filled up with good things.

The holiday season is upon us once again. As usual, I suggested to my friends at the Equine Science Center that we make a fun video for the holiday season. I thought we would be making treats once again. Last year was one of my favorite years because I got to taste test all the holiday horse treats! Turns out my friends at the Center had a different idea in mind for this year – holiday horse wreaths. Now, I was a little skeptical to begin with. I can’t eat a wreath. I believe good food is one of the best parts of the holiday season. Turns out, though, wreath making can be fun! Grab your crafting supplies and join us in making your very own holiday horse wreath!

I’ve been busy supervising my two-legged friends at the Equine Science Center to make sure they have the correct supplies for Thanksgiving. As you might guess, my menu for the day includes some sugary doughnuts! Some of the traditional Thanksgiving foods have me turning my nose up, but any holiday that includes food is a win for me. You all know food is one of the most important things in my life, which makes Thanksgiving one of my favorite holidays. This year, though, Thanksgiving feels especially important. I think we are all in need of a day to sit down and count our many blessings.

I am thankful for the veterans who have served our country. If you know a veteran or see one today, make sure you say, “Happy Veterans Day” and thank you for your service”! What else can we do to show our appreciation for the veterans in our life? Well, it turns out that spending some time with me and my four-legged friends might be a good choice. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you! Afterall, anyone in the equine industry will tell you that spending time with a horse is a great way to improve your mood and make your day a bit brighter!

I can’t believe November is right around the corner. You know what that means, right? The Evening of Science and Celebration is right around the corner. This year the event will be held on a virtual platform. Like everyone else we’ve had to adapt our programming in order to still bring you the most up-to-date information to advance the health and well-being of horses everywhere. The Virtual Evening of Science and Celebration will be on Thursday, November 12th at 7PM EST and you can join from the comfort of your own home.

As promised, I am back with the next installment in my series on careers in the equine industry. We’re still learning about my favorite sector of the equine industry. Yes, that’s right it’s the feed industry! I never knew so much work went into creating the perfect horse feed. This week features an interview with Dr. Mary Beth Gordon. She’s a graduate of Rutgers University and now works for Purina Animal Nutrition.

After a bit of a break, I’ve returned to my series on careers in the equine industry. The next two blogs will feature interviewees who are from one of my absolute favorite sectors of the industry! You guessed it – the feed industry. Those treats and feed formulations dancing in my head will give me sweet dreams tonight. I tried to keep my drool to myself while conducting these interviews. Afterall, I wouldn’t want to appear unprofessional!

I’ve noticed a concerning trend since everyone has taken to working in front of their computer screens all day – people aren’t getting enough exercise. My four-legged friends and I get plenty of exercise, though. All this space in our pasture for romping is the perfect location to get all of my steps in! Do you know what happens when you exercise on a routine basis or train? What about when you stop exercising? Well, I have some answers for you this week.

I’m back with the final installment in the Back-to-School series. This week we’ll look at what it’s like to be a veterinary student. Elena Rizzo, a vet student at Michigan State University and graduate of Rutgers University, is our guest this week.

I am excited to bring you the next installment in my Back-to-School series. This week we’ll visit with Francesca Buchalski, an undergraduate student in the Department of Animal Science here at Rutgers University. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be very impressed with Francesca and her dedication. Can you guess the best part, though? Francesca is one of the students who works with us here at the Equine Science Center. She always remembers to bring in some doughnuts for me, so of course, she is one of my favorite students!