For the fifth year, Dr. Martha Vogelsang, senior lecturer in equine science, has coordinated an “Equestrian Experience” for engineering students from Texas A&M Qatar participating in the Spring Leadership Exchange sponsored by the Department of Student Activities.  These young people, almost all from middle eastern countries, spend a week at Texas A&M-College Station in leadership development activities. At the request of a former coordinator of this program, a “Texas Night” was planned in 2014 which included information on horses and barbeque with the opportunity to experience both.  With time constraints, the program has become horses, cowboys and roping, using the facilities and horses owned by the Department of Animal Science.  On the afternoon of March 7, Vogelsang, with the assistance of the Texas A&M Stock Horse Team, TAMU Horsemen’s Association and undergraduate teaching assistants for ANSC 311, demonstrated some riding and stock horse event basics, how to “throw a loop” and then had the visitors each mount up and “enjoy the ride.” Supervisors of the Leadership Exchange group say that this is the highlight of the week as many of these college students have never before ridden horses.

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For more information regarding news from the Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, please contact Maggie Tucker at maggie.tucker@tamu.edu or (979) 845-1542.