Back-to-School With An Undergraduate Student

August 19, 2020

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!

Back-to-School With A Graduate Student

August 5, 2020

Can you believe August is already here? I sure can’t. I’m excited to see the school year kick-off soon. By now you probably know this is one of my favorite times of the year. I get to welcome all the students to campus and make sure they are clear on which treats are my favorite (Doughnuts are always welcome!). This fall will look a bit different than usual, though. Sadly, I will miss the typical bustle and excitement of welcoming students on campus. I’ve come up with the perfect way to live vicariously! Some of my student friends have agreed to do a series of interviews to give you a first-hand look into life as an undergraduate, graduate, and vet student.

Nelson Investigates: Equine Metabolic Syndrome

July 22, 2020

I decided it was time to embark on another investigative journey. I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard a lot about low starch diets. I decided it was time to put my sleuthing skills to the test again. Dr. Carey Williams, Rutgers University’s Equine Extension Specialist, seemed like a good place to start, since her specialty is equine nutrition.

RU Coming to the Summer Showcase?: We’ve Gone Digital!

July 9, 2020

My poor head is spinning. This transition to working remotely has my poor hooves all in a tangle. Let me tell you…technology was not designed for hooves to handle. Despite all of these problems on my end, the Equine Science Center has smoothly made the transition to digital content. We are excited to bring our annual Summer Showcase to you in a digital format on Friday, July 17th at noon. Mark your calendars so you don’t miss this fun event!

Aging Gracefully

July 1, 2020

One of my pasture mates commented the other day that I was getting rather old. I just snorted in disbelief. I mean have you seen me tearing around the pasture when breakfast is announced? I certainly don’t feel like I’m getting old. I haven’t lost my touch with the ladies either. I decided I’d better do some reading on the subject of aging. After all, I will reach old age someday. I can always dispense advice to my four-legged friends, like my pesky pasture mate. Plus, the Rutgers Equine Science is a leader in research on the aged (that’s old) horse. Let’s take a look at what I learned.

Gold Mine in Your Manure Pile?

June 10, 2020

I was watching my two-legged friends the other day as I dozed in the shade. Have you ever noticed that they do some strange things sometimes? I mean, here was this person lugging a wheelbarrow around and filling it up with manure! I started to ponder this interesting behavior and decided I had better call in an expert to answer my questions. Have you ever wondered what to do with all that manure your horse produces? Well, wonder no longer. Check out this interview with Dr. Mike Westendorf, Extension Specialist at Rutgers University and our resident expert on manure management.

Let’s Celebrate Horses!

May 27, 2020

Can you believe June is right around the corner? It seems the days just fly by. You know what June brings in the state of New Jersey, right? It’s the month of the horse. You get to spend the entire month celebrating me and my friends! Do you think I can talk my two-legged friends into bringing me a few extra donuts? After all, I need to join the celebration somehow. Bringing me donuts isn’t the only way you can celebrate horses in the coming month and all summer long. The Equine Science Center will be bringing you virtual horsey education all summer long. We’ll miss seeing your eager faces on campus and across the state, but you can still be up to date on everything related to caring for your horse and ensuring it is in the best possible health!

Your Horse’s Body Condition: Too Much, Too Little, or Just Right?

May 13, 2020

I’m waiting impatiently for someone to come let me out into the pasture. I can almost see the grass growing from here. I know this can be a dangerous time of year for me, though. I might lose my fine figure, if I’m not careful. And I definitely don’t want that to happen! I can already hear the laughter from my barn mates, including those cute mares in the next pasture over, if I were to lose my sleek physique. I decided I would use this time I spend waiting to educate myself on determining if I’m overweight, underweight, or just right and how to solve any problems with my weight.

Nelson Investigates: Vaccines and Health

April 29, 2020

You may remember my blog from a few weeks ago where I interviewed Dr. Leslie Seraphin and started my investigation on the importance of spring vaccinations for your horse. I carried my investigation to new heights this week during an interview with Dr. Michael Fugaro of Mountain Pointe Equine Veterinary Services. Dr. Fugaro is also the current president of the New Jersey Association of Equine Practitioners (NJAEP). In his interview (you can watch it below), Dr. Fugaro discusses why vaccines are a critical part of your horse’s health care plan and how the current COVID-19 situation impacts horse owners and veterinarians.

Sparkle and Shine: Spring Barn Cleaning

April 15, 2020

My two-legged friends at the Equine Science Center find themselves with too much time on their hands and an itch to be moving around. I called a meeting of my four-legged friends and we came up with the perfect task for our human friends – spring barn cleaning. There’s nothing like a little elbow grease to make you feel like you’ve put in a good day’s work. As you clean the barn and surrounding area, it’s also the perfect time to make sure your barn is a safe place and you’ve minimized the risk of fires. Let’s look at what areas you should pay attention to while cleaning. We’ll also review some safety tips as we go along!

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