The equine section of the TAMU Department of Animal Science serves the Texas equine industry by providing teaching, research and Extension activities to horse owners and students. Texas is home for more than 1 million horses, which accounts for nearly 15% of all horses nationwide. Texas leads the nation in number of registered American Quarter Horses, American Paint Horses, Appaloosa Horses and American Miniature Horses.
The equine undergraduate and graduate program at Texas A&M features educational resources on all components of the Texas horse industry, including production, industry and research. Students and faculty have access to state of the art facilities in equine science research and activities including the TAMU Horse Center and Freeman Arena. Undergraduate animal science majors can specialize in equine science by taking a variety of courses on equine care, management, evaluation, behavior, and nutrition. Texas A&M’s graduate equine program is one of the leading programs of its type, and both master’s and doctorate degrees are granted. Our Extension horse specialists work to serve more than 950,000 Texans who are horse industry participants, and the more than 289,000 Texas horse owners. Through 4-H and adult educational programs and workshops, the Extension horse specialists provide research-based information to anyone interested in equine science. Current equine research at Texas A&M focuses on equine nutrition and physiology.
Summer horsemanship schools are another popular program of the equine section. Each summer, talented students from the TAMU equine program travel across the state to teach young people about horsemanship.Several students interested in horses participate in extracurricular activities such as Horseman’s Association, Rodeo Club, horse judging, and the Equestrian Team, a TAMU Varsity Sport for women.Additionally, students in the equine program have access to the TAMU Horse Center, Freeman Arena, Pearce Pavilion and the Kleberg Center. These facilities allow students to gain both in-the-classroom and out-of-the-classroom experiences.
The equine science program at Texas A&M University is committed to providing the educational needs of horse enthusiasts, and educating the future horse industry professionals.For more information on the equine science section at Texas A&M University, contact the Equine Science office at 979-845-7731.
