Ranch Horse Program on Aug. 4 kicks off annual Beef Cattle Short Course in College Station

The seventh annual Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Ranch Horse Program will be held Aug. 4 in conjunction with the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course, BCSC, set for Aug. 5-7 in College Station.

The Ranch Horse Program will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Thomas G. Hildebrand, DVM ’56 Equine Complex, 3240 F and B Road, College Station.

The Beef Cattle Short Course, the world’s largest beef cattle educational event in the world, will be Aug. 5-7 on the Texas A&M University campus.

The horse program is free to all BCSC participants or $60 at the door for nonparticipants. To register for the Ranch Horse Program, go to https://tx.ag/RanchHorseReg.

“Horses play an important role in many of the operations that will be represented here at the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course, so we want to make sure there is something specifically for those owners concentrating on their equine herd,” said Jennifer Zoller, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horse specialist in the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science, Bryan-College Station. 

Bringing together equine expertise

Zoller said the program is a joint effort between AgriLife Extension, the Department of Animal Science, the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the new Texas A&M Institute for Equine Sciences.

The mission of the Texas A&M Institute for Equine Sciences is to unite stakeholders to advance equine research, education, advocacy and outreach, prioritizing horse welfare and promoting equine sciences in human health, recreation and sport.

“Since 1942, the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course has educated and supported ranchers and producers from across the country, and we are proud to support the Ranch Horse Program’s efforts to incorporate the value of horsemanship in everyday management systems,” said Craig Huffhines, Institute for Equine Sciences director.

Ranch Horse Program topics and speakers

The morning program will include presentations on:

• 2023 American Horse Council Economic Impact Survey results, Chelsie Huseman, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horse specialist, Department of Animal Science.
• Update on Equine Programs in the Department of Animal Science, Zoller.
• Ranch Horse Joint Health, Kati Glass, DVM, clinical associate professor in large animal surgery, Texas A&M Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, and Jessica Leatherwood, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Animal Science, Tarleton State University. Glass and Leatherwood will discuss joint structure and management practices that promote joint health and longevity in working horses. Their extensive research in this field enables them to offer valuable insights beneficial to horse owners and producers.
• Business Management Practices – Roger Hanagriff, Ph.D., associate professor and incoming Texas Aggie Rodeo Team coach, Department of Animal Science. Hanagriff will discuss cash flow budgets, providing an example template, detailed instructions, and guidance on using these tools to develop projected financial statements.
• The Stuart Ranch-Q&A Session with Terry Stuart Forst, general manager. Stuart Forst, a rancher and innovator, oversees the historic 7S Stuart Ranch in Oklahoma. Under her leadership, the ranch implemented significant changes in cattle operations, greatly improving the ranch’s profitability.
• In the Arena with Craig Cameron. As a horse trainer and clinician from Texas, Cameron is known for his compassionate and effective horsemanship techniques inspired by Ray Hunt. He founded the Extreme Cowboy Race and hosts the “Ride Smart with Craig Cameron” program on RFD-TV, traveling extensively to teach and inspire horse enthusiasts worldwide. Cameron’s approach emphasizes patience and understanding, earning him numerous accolades, including induction into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.