Library's Everything Equine event at Midway University showed visitors the ins and outs of all things horses

Midway University students showed how they groom horses and allowed the children to help take part in the process.

Stacy Thurman, head librarian at the branch library and a City
Council member, described Everything Equine as an “event that
gives people an idea of a day in the life of a horse.” She said
afterward that about 150 attended the 11 a.m.-1 p.m. event.

Story and photos by Grant Wheeler
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway University and the Midway branch of the Woodford County Public Library partnered to host the third annual “Everything Equine” event Saturday at Midway University’s equestrian center. The event featured demonstrations from Midway’s equestrian students as well as the Lexington police department’s mounted unit.

Suzanne Conrad of the branch library was responsible for coordinating much of the event. “We aim to show the folks here on exactly what all that goes into caring for these horses,” she said, “and provide an entertaining as well as an educational experience for everyone involved.”

In addition to the demonstrations, folks who partook in the event were given the opportunity to visit numerous outside vendors and learn the ins and outs of all things horses.

The Lexington police department’s mounted unit came to demonstrate how horses can be used in a law enforcement setting. Officers Eckhardt and Sullivan showed how their horses Huston and Remington are used for a variety of purposes – mainly for crowd control. Eckhardt said he has been on the force for 20 years but only on the mounted unit for seven: “I love my job wouldn’t do a daggone thing different.”

Right: A young lady sits in a saddle to get the feel for what it is like to be riding on horseback.

Midway University sophomore Haley McCullah described this exercise as a way to “get them comfortable in the saddle and it helps teach a lot of confidence.”

McCullah and an admissions counselor at Midway University, Melody Small, came to speak to event goers a little about the university and equine program. The university had one of the many booths set up around the large building where the event was held.

The walls of the equestrian center displayed the anatomy of a horse, giving a better understanding of the animal’s internal workings and how distinctive they are. (Click on the image for a larger version.)

Amy Parker, an equine nutritionist, describes the digestive tract of a horse to interested event-goers.

Jenna Moline, a veterinarian for Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, explained her role as an ambulatory veterinarian.

Moline said often has to go out on calls for an array of issues regarding horses. At right, she is pictured showing the leg bone of a horse to a few interested youths. (Click on the image for a larger version.)

Thad Gouge, from TG Forge Inc., a farrier service based in Wilmore, Kentucky explained the process behind crafting quality horseshoes for all variety of hooves and horses. Gouge is responsible for horseshoe maintenance on “roughly half of the horses at Midway University,” he said.

Everything Equine provided people with a firsthand look at horse care and use – one of Kentucky’s premier and proudest traditions.