Theme 7-2: Capacity, Institutions and Innovations for Sustainable Development--Poster Sessions
Description
Since 2009, Extension Specialists and County Extension Agents from the University of Kentucky in the Southeast United States have conducted an annual educational event; the Kentucky Equine Farm and Facilities Expo field-day. These annual field-days have provided practical, hands-on demonstrations and seminars for 135-250 members of the equine community per event. Participants have been a mix of horse owners in relation to farm size, number of horses and business vs. recreation. Many participants have not been previous consumers of Extension educational programming. One of the major draws of the Farm and Facility Expo field days has been the host sites, which have included various well-known Thoroughbred, Sport-Horse and Quarter Horse farms, with an increased number of participants observed when the event was held at well-known farms. Partnerships have been established with many equine related businesses, with over 30 companies displaying their products and services at the event. The educational programs at these events have been conducted by Extension Specialists, industry experts and Extension Agents and have included timely topics such as weed identification and control, vaccination protocols, farm safety, pasture management and renovation, rotational grazing, feeding and nutrition, fencing options, barn design, on-farm solar energy and many others. Post-event evaluations have been conducted and, of the more than 2,400 persons who attended these events, 84.25% of the respondents have found the information presented useful in the management of their horse operation, 78.5% planned to make at least one change in their horse operation and 90% were very satisfied with the event.
Citation
Musen, S. L.; Lea, Krista L.; Smith, S. Ray; and Coleman, R. J., "Effectively Reaching the Equine Community in Kentucky" (2022). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 5.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/24/7-2/5
Included in
Effectively Reaching the Equine Community in Kentucky
Since 2009, Extension Specialists and County Extension Agents from the University of Kentucky in the Southeast United States have conducted an annual educational event; the Kentucky Equine Farm and Facilities Expo field-day. These annual field-days have provided practical, hands-on demonstrations and seminars for 135-250 members of the equine community per event. Participants have been a mix of horse owners in relation to farm size, number of horses and business vs. recreation. Many participants have not been previous consumers of Extension educational programming. One of the major draws of the Farm and Facility Expo field days has been the host sites, which have included various well-known Thoroughbred, Sport-Horse and Quarter Horse farms, with an increased number of participants observed when the event was held at well-known farms. Partnerships have been established with many equine related businesses, with over 30 companies displaying their products and services at the event. The educational programs at these events have been conducted by Extension Specialists, industry experts and Extension Agents and have included timely topics such as weed identification and control, vaccination protocols, farm safety, pasture management and renovation, rotational grazing, feeding and nutrition, fencing options, barn design, on-farm solar energy and many others. Post-event evaluations have been conducted and, of the more than 2,400 persons who attended these events, 84.25% of the respondents have found the information presented useful in the management of their horse operation, 78.5% planned to make at least one change in their horse operation and 90% were very satisfied with the event.
