Winter Horse Care: Well Fed for the Winter

February 9, 2022

Brrrr! These past few weeks have been cold here in Central New Jersey. I spend much of my time munching hay and trying to stay warm. As you know, talking about food is one of my favorite pastimes. As I grab the next mouthful of hay, I also tell my pasture mates all about what I’m eating. All of this eating and talking about eating has gotten me wondering what you need to know about feeding your horse in the winter. I had my friends at the Equine Science Center give me a little help in coming up with all the answers!

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Posted By Lord Nelson at 10:07 am

What Will You Do When You Grow Up?

January 26, 2022

I’m excited to be bringing you the latest post in my careers in the equine industry series! Are you ready for another inside look at a career? I certainly hope so because I can’t wait to share all my new insights with you. This week I talked to Mr. Mike Conforth, who is responsible for the daily management of Rick’s Saddle Shop, a tack, feed, and equipment supplier with locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. As a business, they employ approximately forty people.

RU Coming to the Virtual Horse Management Seminar?

January 11, 2022

Welcome to 2022! I hope you all had an enjoyable and restful holiday break. I certainly did. I spent lots of time dozing in the sunshine and munching on tasty treats (including some hot doughnuts). Do you remember what I wrote about in my last blog post? If you’re having trouble remembering, I can give you a hint. It was all about my New Year’s Resolution! If you took my advice and incorporated education into your resolution or goals for the new year, I have the perfect opportunity for you!

My New Year’s Resolution: What I Want to Learn This Year!

December 29, 2021

Happy New Year!! How has another year already flown by? For many of us, the start of a new year is a time for reflection and planning for the year ahead. I think reflection is best undertaken while dozing in the sunshine. There’s a perfect corner in my pasture for just this sort of activity. You never know what thoughts will float across your mind as you stand there in that state between waking and sleeping. One of the thoughts that floated across my mind recently was education.

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Posted By Lord Nelson at 11:03 am

Winter Horse Care: The Science of Staying Warm!

December 15, 2021

The weather heading into this winter has been a little crazy. My two-legged friends never know what to wear. Should they don their heavy winter coats or a light jacket? My decision is a little less complicated. I grow a nice fluffy winter coat as the days begin to shorten. Winter shedding season will be triggered by the increasing length of the days as the spring approaches. Pretty cool, don’t you think? It also means I never have to put any thought into it. While my winter coat does an excellent job of keeping me warm on the cold days it can make me sweaty on some of these warm days we’ve been having. This leads some horse owners to opt into clipping their horses’ coats. This means, of course, that the horse will be less equipped to keep themselves warm on a cold day. So, what do you need to know about keeping your hose warm and cozy this winter?

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Posted By Lord Nelson at 10:02 am

Northern Lights: Holiday Crafting with the Equine Science Center

November 30, 2021

The first sprinkling of snow has occurred here in Central New Jersey! There’s nothing like sparkling snowflakes to get you in the mood for some festive, holiday fun. The folks here at the Rutgers Equine Science Center have the perfect activity to fill a cold, winter afternoon with some holiday cheer. This year everyone had some fun decorating holiday candle holders. Check out the video for instructions on how to make your very own candle holder and gain some inspiration on decorating ideas!

Tiring Turkey?

November 16, 2021

I can almost smell the scents of Thanksgiving in the air! Can you believe Thanksgiving is almost upon us? As you might guess, Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite holidays. What’s not to like? You get to eat all sorts of yummy food, spend time with friends and family, and take time to reflect on the blessings in your life! To me, that sounds like the perfect combination. Of course, the Thanksgiving feast holds a special place in my heart (even though doughnuts are not usually considered part of a traditional Thanksgiving meal).

2021 Evening of Science and Celebration

November 2, 2021

Where has the fall semester gone? I can’t believe our annual Evening of Science and Celebration is here. You’re invited to attend this fun event! Join us on Thursday, November 11th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM for a program packed full of science. You can also help us celebrate the evening’s award winners. The event will be fully virtual and is free to all! You will need to register for the event beforehand. You can do so at https://go.rutgers.edu/Evening2021.

It’s Pumpkin Time!

October 19, 2021

I can’t wait for fall to fully arrive. Those mornings with a hint of crispness in the air make me want to kick up my heels and take off across the field! I also love to see the fun fall decorations people put up. Some of them can be a little scary, especially if they rattle in the wind. I must admit, though, those scary decorations give me the perfect excuse to show off my moves in front of the ladies. Do you know how quickly I can do a spin and launch into a gallop? It’s fast. While all of these antics are fun, my mind quickly turns to food. I’ve got to replenish all that energy I expended on the fun and games! 

What Will You Do When You Grow Up?

October 6, 2021

I have an exciting post for you this week! I decided it was time to dive back into my series on careers in the equine industry. This week I interviewed one of our very own, Dr. Kenneth McKeever. Dr. McKeever is an equine physiologist who works at Rutgers University as a Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and the Associate Director for Research at the Equine Science Center. If you’ve ever been to one of our events such as the Evening of Science and Celebration, you might have heard him talk about his research or a related topic.

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Posted By Lord Nelson at 11:09 am