Pandemic Ponies: Educating New Horse Owners During COVID-19
Animal Science
Laura Kenny
Equine Educator
Penn State
Collegeville
Abstract
During the spring of 2021 and in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Penn State Extension Equine Team suspected that many people were buying new horses for the first time. An informal Facebook poll on the team’s page demonstrated that 43% of respondents had acquired a new horse during the pandemic. Horse ownership is costly and requires specific knowledge about horse health, care, and behavior, so in April 2021 we developed a virtual course for new horse owners called “Hold Your Horses: What to Know When Buying a New Horse.” The course was held over Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions and the ability to reach a wider audience compared to in-person events. The course was offered over 3 weeknight sessions and topics included “Considerations When Choosing a Horse,” “Finances of Owning a Horse,” “Basic Horse Health,” “Basic Horse Behavior,” “Basic Horse Nutrition,” and “Bringing the New Horse Home.” The course was free and 142 people registered from 20 states and 2 foreign countries. Post-program evaluations were collected using Qualtrics and showed that, when averaging all three sessions, 50% of respondents did not yet own a horse, and 67% were either planning to buy a horse within the next year or might buy a horse within the next year. When asked how much the program would impact their horse buying or horse care decisions, a total of 61% responded either “a great deal” or “a lot.” The program had major impact (over 50% of respondents will adopt this practice as a result of the program) in the following behaviors: consulting a mentor when considering a horse to buy; performing a pre-purchase exam on a horse; determining a budget for the horse’s care; creating an emergency fund for a horse; and monitoring vital signs, body weight, and body condition score. Overall, participants reported appreciating the information provided, indicating that this course is a needed resource for new horse owners.
Authors: Brittani Kirkland, Laura Kenny, Danielle Smarsh, Bethany Bickel
-
Brittani Kirkland Equine Educator, Penn State Extension, Pennsylvania, 15301
-
Laura Kenny Equine Educator, Penn State Extension, Pennsylvania, 19426
-
Danielle Smarsh Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor, Penn State Extesnion, Pennsylvania, 16802
-
Bethany Bickel Extension Associate, Penn State Extension, Pennsylvania, 16802