New course at Baylor focuses on All Things Equine

By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

Heidi Marcum, with the Environmental Studies department at Baylor University, will teach the continuing education course, All Things Equine, at Baylor from Oct. 2-23. She poses her beautiful Quarter Horse, Gwen, who she rescued. Heidi raises horses on two farms just outside of Waco. -- Photo by Mindy Poehl

Sept. 30, 2004 - Are you interested in horses? Have you ever wondered where you can buy a well-trained horse for your family? Do you need to know where to board your horse? Do you need to find a good horse trainer or find someone to teach you riding lessons? Do you want to breed your horse or buy a show horse?

All Things Equine, the first equine course ever offered at Baylor University (BU), can give valuable knowledge about horses and horse resources available in the McLennan County area.

This continuing education course will begin Oct. 2 and continues each Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., through Oct. 23. The course will be taught by Heidi Marcum, with the Department of Environmental Studies at BU. Marcum has trained and raised horses on her two farms for the past 25 years.

"This is an opportunity for people who have horses, to get to know equine related professionals in the area," Marcum said.

Each Saturday, the class will take field trips and Marcum will take the students to farms throughout the county. The class will be small and very hands on.

"We will visit boarding facilities, breeding facilities, attend riding lessons and visit different places that sell horses," Marcum said. "I will help expose them to what's available."

All Things Equine is for people from those who make a living with horses to those people who only own one horse.

"The reason I'm doing this is because there are so many people in McLennan County who know a lot about horses and there are people who'd like to know more. I am bridging those two groups together," Marcum explained.

Marcum has a list of well established people in the horse industry, who will speak to the class. The top dressage trainer in the county will open its facilities. Breeders of top stallions, Arabians and Quarter Horses will speak to the class. And, Marcum even set up a day visiting miniature harness racing horses, in which the students can drive the cart.

"Established horse professionals are willing to take the time out and help the people in this class," Marcum said. "Everyone has been wonderful and extremely gracious. No one has turned me down."

Marcum encourages people to join the class and take the field trips because they offer many learning opportunities.

"We'll have a great time. This course will give people the opportunity to get the most out of their relationship with horses," Marcum said. "McLennan County is a great place for horses and I want people to know all of the equine opportunities that surround them."