Young Horse Teaching and Research Program
 
Cook campus, rutgers the state university of new jersey
 
 
 
Young Horse Program History
 
Why and how the Young Horse Research and Teaching Program was started...
    In the mid-1990’s, associate professor, Dr. Sarah Ralston was a member of a consultants’ group advising Wyeth on better management practices for the controversial pregnant mare urine (PMU) industry.  Soon afterwards Dr. Ralston got an idea for a program in which she could combine her research interests in transportation stress and young horse nutrition, with her Equine Science teaching program at Rutgers University.  The program would also have the added benefit of being able to debunk some of the common myths and erroneous information about the PMU industry that were being disseminated.  
    The planned program would select 12 foals from PMU farms, (generally located in the mid-west), and study their responses to the stress of the 36-hour drive to New Jersey.  They could then be used in nutrition and growth studies, and the Rutgers teaching program from September to May.  In May they could be auctioned off, and the proceeds from the auction could be used to support the Equine Science Program at Cook College.  
    Dr. Ralston worked with the North American Equine Ranching Information Council (NAERIC) and her colleagues at Cook College to implement a pilot project in 1999.  The program was a big success, and is currently in its eighth year.  It has evolved into something very special, and is a winning situation for all involved.
 
Advantages of the Program...
    The program involves and benefits many different groups, including:
 
  1. • The Equine Industry-  the research conducted by the program has provided very interesting information regarding best practices for feeding young warm-blood and draft cross horses.  The research has also provided insight into herd dynamics, management of stresses during long-distance travel, proper vitamin supplementation to reduce illness from transportation stress, herd dynamics, and equine behavior.  
  2.     Many of the research projects conducted have been designed and implemented as senior thesis’ by Honors students.  These studies often target areas in which there has not been a great deal of research but which are of vital interest to horse owners and breeders.  For more information on the research conducted by the program, please visit our Research page (click here).  
  3.  
  4. • The PMU Industry-  at the end of each year the program sells the well-handled, well-behaved, and generally good quality yearlings, all of whom have gone on to successful lives as both highly competitive performance horses, and pleasure horses.  The program, auction, and the horses themselves, all serve to increase awareness of the quality of the draft and warm-blood crosses being produced by the PMU farms.  They also dispel many of the myths and lies circulating about the PMU industry, providing the public with a more accurate view of how the industry and the farms operate.
  5.  
  6. • The Students-  each summer 6-9 students accompany Dr. Ralston to the ranches in North Dakota and Canada to select the 12 foals for that year’s program.  For those students, the trip serves as a once in a lifetime opportunity to view first-hand how the farms operate, herd-dynamics and horse behavior, and an entirely different part of the country.
  7.     Once the foals, then weanlings, are transported to New Jersey in September, more than 30 students per year have the opportunity to work with them.  The students and horses learn together, as many students entering the program have little or no horse experience.  Throughout the year the students are responsible for the training and daily care of the horses, and participate in various research projects, also a first for many.
  8.     For six weeks in March and April the horses participate in the Animal Fitting and Handling course, where an additional group of students, approximately 24 per year, gain experience with them.  The students learn about daily care and grooming, and handling and training.  The course concludes with the Ag Field Day horse show.
  9.     For information on the current research students, please visit our Student Profile page (click here).  For information on Ag Field Day, please visit our Ag Field Day summary (click here).
 
Information regarding the ranches which breed the horses...
    Please visit the ranches’ websites:
        Early Dawn Sport Horses- website
        Hiatt Farms- website
        Ravine Ranch- website
        
Information regarding the Pregnant Mare Urine Industry...
    Please visit the website of the North American Equine Ranching Information Council- website
 
Horses through the years TOP LEFT: RU class of 2006 bottom LEFT: RU class of 2007 close LEFT: Some of the RU class of 2008 in North Dakota
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