With spring grass shooting up all over the place and making the pastures green, I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the nutritional value of those green shoots. I decided to enlist a little help from our very own Dr. Carey Williams and her recent graduate student, Dr. Jennifer Weinert-Nelson. After all, they are the resident experts on horse nutrition and pastures! Dive in with me and see what you can learn about forages for your horse and what role they play in your horse’s diet.

I’ve been watching the activity on the farm here at Rutgers and I can tell you our students and faculty have been busy! One of the things they’ve been busy preparing for is Ag Field Day at Rutgers Day. Rutgers Day will take place on Saturday, April 29th from 10AM to 4PM. The festivities on our part of campus kick off with the Animal Handling Shows in the morning. The students have been busily preparing themselves and their animals over the semester. I’m sure they would appreciate your support and cheers as they take part in the shows. The rest of the farm will be open and we’ll have fun activities going on in the Red Barn, so make sure you stop by to collect some goodies and say hello!

There are green grass shoots popping up across my pasture and it makes me excited! I have to kick up my heels and frolic across the pasture on these beautiful spring mornings. The only downside of spring is the arrival of the veterinarian for my spring vaccinations. I have to stand quietly while I get my shots to impress the ladies and make sure I get a sweet treat at the end (I prefer doughnuts, of course!), but it sure is hard sometimes. Have you ever wondered why you and your horse need vaccinations? Well, join me on an investigative journey and we might just figure out the answer.

We are in the middle of Rutgers Giving Days at the moment! As you might imagine, our office has been busy and will be through the end of the week. This year we are raising funds for the Ronald S. Dancer Memorial Scholarship. Any money you donate this week will be put directly towards the scholarship fund.

This busy spring continues! Don’t forget that our New Jersey Equine Industry Summit is next week on Thursday, March 16th. You can look back at the previous blog post, if you somehow missed it. The next event on our calendar is the Junior Breeder Symposium on Saturday, March 25th! The event begins at 8:30AM and runs through 3PM.

Boy! This winter and spring are a busy time for the Equine Science Center. I’ve been having to sneak in a few extra naps and doughnuts to keep my energy up. As you know, we’re finishing out our series of Virtual Horse Management Seminars focusing on equine nutrition. The next big event on our calendar is the 2023 New Jersey Equine Industry Summit. The Summit will be Thursday, March 16th at the Cook Student Center in New Brunswick, NJ.

It’s time for the Horse Management Seminar again! This year we’ll be sticking with the virtual format as it allows people from across the country (and world) to join us. Log on from 6:30 to 8:30 PM ET on Wednesday, February 8th, 15th and 22nd. This event is free, but you will need to register if you plan to attend one or all of the evenings. You can register at https://go.rutgers.edu/2023HMS.

I am back once again with the latest installment in my series on careers in the equine industry. Today you’ll get to meet Dr. Brian Colquhoun, a veterinarian trained in acupuncture. He owns and operates Colquhoun Equine Health & Performance, a veterinary practice located in New Jersey. We are very lucky here at Rutgers University because Dr. Colquhoun visits campus on a routine basis to share his expertise with undergraduate students in our classes. Enjoy this brief glimpse into Dr. Colquhoun’s career!

Welcome to 2023! It’s hard to believe another year has rolled by and yet, here we are. You may want to stay inside where it’s warm and dry during the winter months which means your visits to the barn become less frequent. I can’t wait until we have our first snow, so I can kick my heels up and create a few snow plumes! Some of my human friends seem to dislike the cold weather and wear so many layers to stay warm. Winter brings special concerns and challenges for the horse owner, in addition to those extra layers of clothing. It’s easy to stay focused on the big problems winter brings such as keeping water troughs and buckets free of ice and then overlook smaller items. Even though you may not think about it very often, it’s important to keep up with your horse’s hoof care this winter season.

Where has the year gone? It seems like it was just last week that I was writing about 2022 being a new year and now it’s almost over. I hope you and yours are ready to welcome in another new year! New Year’s always seems like a good time to take a few moments for reflection and goal setting. As you might guess, my goals and reflections usually center around eating and learning! Most years my list of New Year’s resolutions includes a new flavor of doughnut I want to try. I’m beginning to worry that they will run out of new flavors at some point. It hasn’t happened yet, so I’m keeping my hooves crossed that it stays that way.