The Missouri Department of Agriculture reports that Missouri ranks third nationally in horse population. With an estimated horse population of 200,000 horses, the total value of all breeds exceeds $400 million and operating expenses are more than $200 million annually. Equine science is important to a growing number of students in Animal Sciences at MU, with approximately 20% of our current students having a primary interest in horses. Due to these numbers, the MU Equine Program is a popular and growing component of the Division of Animal Sciences. Currently, five equine-specific courses are taught within the Division.
Equine Program Overview
The MU Equine Teaching Facility at South Farm houses a quarter horse breeding program with care and management of these horses being the cornerstone of these courses. Some of these horses have been raised at our facility, but most of them were received through generous donations from program supporters. Overall, the horses MU Equine Teaching Facility assist in teaching approximately 100 undergraduates interested in equine science each semester! The MU Equine Program is committed to raising athletic horses with great dispositions and marketable bloodlines. Each November the MU Equine Program offers a select group of horses for sale in their Annual MU Online Horse Auction.
In the spring the equine breeding management class, as part of their coursework, is responsible for breeding and foaling of all mares at the farm. The resulting foals, as well as some donated horses, are then trained by students in an equine behavior and training class during the fall semester. Additionally, a barn management and marketing class prepares sale information for the MU Online Horse Auction and hosts the sale preview. Each horse is sold with complete health records and daily training journals. The ultimate goal of this sale is to place horses in long-term homes while providing income directly to the equine program.
Established in the spring of 2008, the Horse Farm Volunteer program allows for students to gain experience in horse care and general maintenance while caring for the breeding herd. Students from all backgrounds are eligible; with 87% of those volunteering having no prior equine experience. Volunteers are responsible for daily feeding, turnout, stall cleaning, and grooming of horses. In addition, volunteers are notified of all veterinary or farrier appointments in an effort to engage students in the entire management of the farm. Other volunteer learning opportunities include performing foal watch, handling weanlings and yearlings, practicing routine health care and disease prevention, and assisting with the sale horse preview.
As the equine program strives to become financial independent it must rely on support from the community and alumni. Donations of any useful tack, equipment, and supplies to further our ability to teach students are greatly appreciated. The equine program is also in the process of renovating facilities to better accommodate our educational activities. If you would be interested in making a donation to the MU Equine Teaching Facility, please contact Marci J. Crosby at 573-884-7836.
MU Online Horse Auction and Fundraiser
The MU Equine Teaching Facility, a part of the Division of Animal Sciences, is known for raising quality horses with remarkable athletic potential since 1959! Horses raised in this program have excelled in many different events including cutting, barrel racing, roping, hunt seat, jumping, eventing, and western pleasure showing. Each November, the MU Equine Program offers a select group of horses for sale.
Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/MUequine for weekly updates and video clips. Video clips may also be accessed by visiting youtube.com/MUEquine. We will continue to add training photos and video links to our sale page so check back frequently!
The MU breeding program raises four to six foals a year, with an emphasis on quality not quantity. These horses are of various ages and have been trained by undergraduate students in coordination with courses taught at the MU Equine Teaching Facility. We generally sell a combination of riding horses and youngstock, with most young horses bred and raised by students in our program, and riding aged horses donated by generous program supporters.
All proceeds benefit the MU Equine Program and support student activities in our teaching program! Funds are directly used to care for our teaching herd and purchase classroom supplies. Additionally, this auction provides valuable real-world experiences for our students through training horses and professionally communicating with potential buyers. It is with your help that we are able to continue to educate the future faces of the equine industry.
Our sale provides tremendous hands-on opportunities for our students to learn about careers in the equine industry, but also professionalism and thinking on their feet. It is our goal to place these horses in quality, life-long homes. To achieve this mission, all horses are sold with complete medical records and detailed daily journals of each horse’s training program since birth. This information is available by request to prospective buyers. We jokingly say each horse is sold with their own personal “owner’s manual”!
All bidding occurs online so buyers know the current price and can bid accordingly.
To access our online auction site, go to horseauction.missouri.edu.
Questions about sale horses can be directed to Marci J. Crosby at 573-884-7836 or crosbym@missouri.edu