Horse owners, caregivers learn treatment
SLIPPERY ROCK — For Liz McMeekin and Laurie Fletcher, owning and riding horses involves as much — and sometimes more — work than pleasure.
Both women own family farms in Mars and Beaver County, respectively, and have been horseback riding since they were young, a pastime that is both therapeutic and fun, McMeekin said.
It was the care of horses that brought the two to Storm Harbor Equestrian Center at Slippery Rock University’s campus on Saturday, April 13.
The workshop on equine first aid and emergency care was attended by other horse owners and caregivers and sponsored by the Penn State Extension. It also featured a live demonstration in the barn featuring four horses — Murphy, Midas, Max and Merry Legs — on how to check a horse’s vital signs.
Instructors for the workshop included Penn State Extension equine experts Bethany Bickel, assistant professor of equine science Danielle Smarsh and equine educator Olivia Watson.
Afterward, in a classroom, attendees learned how to bandage a horse’s leg on a dummy and wrap it for protective support.
“It’s very surprising how quickly wounds can appear or debris get in the way,” Bickel told attendees.
Applying pressure through protective wrapping can help horses that have been inactive for a period of time, leading to symptoms of swelling and impaired circulation, said Molly Friend, a graduate student at Penn State who assisted with the workshop.
Symptoms of “stocking up” depend on the horse but can set in as quickly as overnight, she told one attendee.
Saturday afternoon, workshop attendees also received a kit of first aid supplies including height tape, a stethoscope, thermometer, gauze, a vital sign checklist, hoof pick and more.
Natalie Hornstein, an SRU student worker at the equestrian center, said learning first aid could help horse owners recognize and monitor healthy vitals for their animals.
Hornstein, a recreation therapy student, started horseback riding eight months ago, after taking a course at the equestrian center. She started working at the equine-facilitated therapy program shortly afterward.
“I had no horse experience coming in here,” said Hornstein, a junior originally from Conneaut Lake. “I just really found a love and passion for it.”
Hornstein said she finds therapeutic benefits to working with horses, something she said might draw others to horseback riding or taking care of the animals.
“It’s just a sense of serenity and calmness,” she said. “It’s really almost an indescribable feeling.”
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Theresa Pearce, left, practices using a weight tape on a horse at Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock with the aid of Olivia Watson during a Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Gary Gray practices finding a horse's heartbeat during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Attendees of an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock practice finding a horse's heartbeat on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Theresa Pearce practices measuring the height of a horse during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Theresa Pearce practices using a weight tape on a horse during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Theresa Pearce checks for fat on a horse during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Theresa Pearce practices using a weight tape on a horse during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Lynne Jones, left, and Theresa Pearce check for fat on a horse during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Pam Katinsky practices finding a horse's heartbeat during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Theresa Pearce practices using a weight tape on a horse during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Lynne Jones, left, and Theresa Pearce check for fat on a horse during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Pam Katinsky practices finding a horse's heartbeat during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Theresa Pearce practices measuring the height of a horse during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
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Pam Katinsky practices finding a horse's heartbeat during an Equine First Aid Workshop offered by Penn State Extension at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (4/13/2024)
