The UK logo as a link to the main page.
  • Commonwealth Collaboratives - Home
  • 2008 Commonwealth Collaboratives
  • Commonwealth Collaboratives - Healthcare
  • Commonwealth Collaboratives - Economic Development
  • Commonwealth Collaboratives - Education
  • Commonwealth Collaboratives - Environment
  • Commonwealth Collaboratives - Quality of Life

Equine Initiative

There is an unspoken assumption in Kentucky that the equine industry will always be and that horses and horse-related businesses and services will always be a significant factor in our economy. Unfortunately, many data points make clear the mobility of the horse industry; for example:

  • The number of Standardbred stallions in Kentucky has gone from over 225 to fewer than 20 in the last two decades.
  • The number of Thoroughbred broodmares in Kentucky to foal is declining, prompted by breeder incentives in other states and the lingering effects of mare reproductive loss syndrome.
  • A decade ago Kentucky hosted the second largest Quarter Horse show in the nation; today we host the 53rd largest show.
  • The national Arabian Horse Show has left the Louisville fairgrounds after more than 20 years.

The Equine Initiative, led by Lorraine Garkovich in the College of Agriculture, is responding to this situation. It seeks to identify and develop programs that meet the ongoing needs of the multi-breed Kentucky equine industry as well as to support equine-related organizations and interests through education, research, and service. The initiative seeks to develop near- and long-term actions for the College of Agriculture, conduct focus groups with persons in the equine industry to determine the ongoing needs of the industry, expand participation by equine industry leaders in a survey of needs, and host a summit of equine industry leaders to identify specific responses to the industry's needs. The goal is to increase Kentucky's share of the estimated $102 billion horse industry by providing research, education, and outreach programs; increase the responsiveness of UK's research and outreach programs to emerging issues and challenges facing the industry; and establish innovative majors in equine sciences, horse facilities management, equine business management, and other related areas.

Who We Are

The University of Kentucky Equine Initiative is a partnership between the College of Agriculture and the horse industry. It was established through efforts of the Gluck Equine Research Foundation, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association/Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, and College of Agriculture faculty and administrators. The initiative will collaborate with equine-related organizations and people throughout the Commonwealth to enhance Kentucky's reputation as the "Horse Capital of the World" through education, research and service.

Actions and Outcomes to Date

Working statewide with the Kentucky Equine Education Program, the Kentucky Horse Council, Commerce Lexington, the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program, every Kentucky horse council, veterinarians, veterinarians associations, and the Office of the State Veterinarian, several equine farms, The Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club,  equine arenas, Kentucky Equine Research, and the Kentucky Horse Park, the initiative has made significant progress.

Equine Education

Equine education activities include: a statewide meeting with representatives of Kentucky higher education institutions with equine related programs; an interactive web site, Higher Education Equine Programs in Kentucky—Which is the best for you?; identification of courses available to visiting students, mechanisms enabling students to take advantage of existing courses, and agreements to jointly offer courses that build on the strengths of each institution; first offering of the course, Equine Markets; a three-day preparedness and response to agricultural terrorism training for first responders and other equine professionals, and creation of horse industry-related training materials on preparedness and response; design of a new undergraduate major in equine science and management; and refurbishing of current structures and building of a new educational facility at Maine Chance farm in support of the program.

Equine Research

New Equine Research strands include work on the central Bluegrass area as an equine economic cluster; the economics of the Thoroughbred boarding business in central Kentucky; a LESA-based system for valuation of land for its suitability as horse farm, pasture related research; expanded research on horse transport; composting, and nutrient management for small horse farms, and establishment of an endowed professorship in equine science.

Equine Outreach

Equine Outreach programs include a survey of Kentucky horse owners to which 2,743 people responded, representing 27,721 horses located in Kentucky; and the creation of a Horse Pasture Evaluation Program.

Future Equine Initiative activities will include an on-the-ground count of horse enterprises in three to five Kentucky counties to build on the information gathered in the horse count survey, finalizing of horse industry-related materials on preparedness and response to terrorism, the Kentucky Horse Industry Conference in 2008 to identify challenges, opportunities, research, outreach, and policy initiatives influencing the future of the horse industry in Kentucky, and the Kentucky International Equine Summit.

Text Only   © 2006 University of Kentucky   Site development: Site Lab   Last updated: 2/04/08   An Equal Opportunity University