What Can eXtension and HorseQuest Do For You?

Kristen M. WilsonRegional Extension Horse Specialist

Elaine L. BaileyCalvert County Extension Educator

Introduction

• How do you find information?– Most people ‘Google’– Most people don’t look past the first page of ‘hits’

• How do you know your information source is:– Unbiased?– Science-based?– Up-to-date?

What is eXtension?

• An Internet platform developed by Extension professionals, for Extension professionals and clientele

• Information on a multitude of subjects with 39 Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice• Agriculture Law• Bee Health• Beef Cattle• Better Kid Care America• Companion Animals• Consumer Horticulture• Corn and Soybean Production• Cotton• Dairy• Diversity Across Higher Education• Drinking Water Issues• Entrepreneurs and Their Communities• Extension Disaster Education Network• Extension Wildfire Information Network• Families, Food & Fitness• Family Caregiving• Financial Crisis Issues• Financial Security For All• Food Safety• Freshwater Aquaculture

• Goat Industry• Home Energy• Horse Quest• Imported Fire Ants• Just In Time Parenting• Land Use Planning• Livestock & Poultry Environmental Learning

Centers• Map@Syst• Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network• Pesticide Environmental Stewardship• Pork Information• Rangelands• Sustainable Ag Energy• Sustainable Marine Fisheries• Urban Integrated Pest Management• Wildlife Damage Management• Wood Energy• Youth SET for Life• eOrganic

What is eXtension?

• Communities of Practice (CoP) work together to provide the ‘best of the best’ information

• All based in research and science• Personalized to the state of residence

http://www.extension.org/

Personalization

How can it help me?

• Information on a variety of subjects at your fingertips

• Information is up-to-date• 24-hour availability from any Internet

connection• Real time action on important issues

Horse Quest

• More than 50 experts across the country– Professional extension staff

• Extension Horse Specialists• County Faculty & Staff Members

– Teaching & Research Faculty– Veterinarians

• All material posted peer reviewed• Website: http://www.extension.org/horses

What can it offer me?

• Ask an Expert• Informational

Articles• Learning Lessons• Instructional Videos

• Glossary of Terms• Calendar of Events• Online Web Casts• Certificate Courses

Horse Quest• Breeds• Diseases • Ethics• Exercise and Performance• Facilities• Feeding Management• Feeds

• Health • Hoof Care• Management• Nutrition• Reproduction & Breeding• Selection and Use• Training and Behavior

FAQ’s• Frequently asked questions• Database of over 700 questions

– More than 95 % of visitors find answer in database

• Ask a question• Referred to specialist for direct answer for

your specific need• Peer reviewed before addition to database

Informational Articles

Learning Lessons

• Self-studies for clientele• At your own pace• Effectiveness

– Users believe their knowledge increases– They are ‘Very Likely’ to recommend to others

Learning Lessons Offered

• Horse Owner Survival• Understanding Bits for Horses• Basic Horse Care & Management• Introduction to Horses & Horse Activities• Equine Pasture Management• Feeding a Horse• Horse Ownership Considerations

Learning Lessons Offered

• Understanding Horse Coat Color• How to Body Condition Score Horses• Selecting the Right Horse• Costs of Horse Ownership• Evaluating Your Prospective New Horse• Horse Adult Leader Training and Educational

Resource (HALTER)

Instructional Videos

• Large range of topics– Safety– Showing– Training & Behavior– Selection & Use

• Also available on You Tube– http://www.youtube.com/user/eXHorses

Lunging Techniques - Monte Schaffer

Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms - Bosal

News and Events

• Something new is happening everyday

• News & events for local, state, and national levels

Online Chats and Web Casts

• Scheduled throughout year• Interactions directly with eXtension experts• News and Events for information• Transcripts available on eXtension

2009 Web Cast ScheduleDate Eastern

TimePresenter Topic

1/13/09 7:00pm Dr. Jenifer Nadeau Introduction to Environmentally Friendly Horse Management

2/10/09 7:00pm Dr. Dave Freeman Pasture Management for Horse Acreages

3/10/08 7:00pm Dr. Ann Swinker Horse Manure: A Renewable Resource

April 2009 7:00pm Dr. Bridgett McIntosh Countermeasures for Equine Laminitis: Carbohydrate Profiles in Feeds and Forages

5/12/09 7:00pm Dr. Mark Russell Feeding Management in a Time of Rising Feed Prices

2009 Web Cast ScheduleDate Eastern

TimePresenter Topic

9/22/09 7:00pm Dr. Holly Spooner Bits and Bitting

10/13/09 7:00pm Dr. Krishona Martinson Optimizing Hay and Feeding Storage

10/21/09 1:00pm Dr. Stephanie Valberg, DVM

Applications for Equine Genetics

10/21/09 7:00pm Dr. Jenifer Nadeau On the Trail Ride – Best Practices

11/24/09 7:00pm Dr. Kathy Anderson Why Won’t My Mare Get Pregnant?

Certificate Courses

• Michigan State University’s My Horse University– http://www.myhorseuniversity.com– Fee (10% off with eXtension code (HQ1))

• Horse Adult Leader Training and Educational Resources (HALTER)

Website Address:

www.myhorseuniversity.com

HALTER Levels

• Level 1– Horse Power: Positive Youth Development & Horses– Horse Owner Survival– Basic Horse Care & Management

• Level 2– Introduction to Horses and Horse Activities – Learning Styles and Riding Instruction– Ages and Stages for working with Youth and horses– Bits and Bitting

Positive Youth Development Forum

What’s next?

• New Content:– Hay Learning Lesson– The Unwanted Horse– Training– Equine Business Management

• Youth Interface– AQHA Partnership utilizing the JMH Curriculum

How Do I Register?

Website: http://www.extension.org/horses

How Do I Register?

Website: http://www.extension.org/users/new

Take Home Message

• Excellent online learning opportunities• Reliable, up-to-date resource • User-friendly• Easy access to equine experts

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Questions?