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OUR EQUINE PROGRAM

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Horses have been an integral part of American agriculture from the early pioneer days of homesteading through the establishment of large operations, such as Heart’s Delight Farm. The term horsepower used to describe modern farming equipment harkens to when horses were vital to working the land and for transportation. While the shift in equine use has moved from necessary to recreational, the equine industry has continued to evolve, and horses remain a steadfast component of agriculture providing jobs in many sectors.

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The iconic barn built in 1906 was modern dairy housing for the milking herd of Heart’s Delight Farm. As the farm progressed to the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, the dairy barn became home to the Equine Program. Miner’s original mission of education, demonstration, and research has centered around the use of America’s earliest registered breed of horses, the Morgan. 

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Working to fulfill the mission of research, education, and outreach, the herd of Morgan Horses is the hub of the wheel of equine activities that take place. Standing several stallions and maintaining a small band of broodmares, Miner Institute strives to produce sound, sane, and typey Heart’s Delight Morgans, but our true product is students. Resident internships for college undergraduates and recent graduates are the keystone of the equine program and the Morgans’ smart, inquisitive, and sensitive nature makes them ideal teaching horses; students learn how to be more observant of themselves, their environment, and the behavior and training of horses.

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Other educational programs that happen at Miner also use the herd, some very hands-on, others more tangential, but just as important. EquiDay, Youth EquiDay, and the Equine Reproduction Workshop are annual events for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Utilizing expertise learned on the farm as well as through industry connections provides timely and useful information for the horse industry.

HORSES, HOUSING, & PURPOSE​

  • Maintain a herd of approximately 25 registered Morgan Horses through breeding, donations, and sales.

  • Members of industry organizations for networking and recognition, including breed groups, the NYS Horse Council, and attendance at horse shows and events.

  • Continue to improve facilities to enhance productivity of the program and demonstrate best management practices.

  • Education, Demonstration, Research and Community Outreach are intertwined


EDUCATION AND DEMONSTRATION FOR COLLEGE UNDERGRADS

  • Summer Experience in Equine Management

  • Participate in the instruction of classes at UVM

 

ADULTS

  • EquiDay- free and open to the public annual seminar and trade show

  • Miner/UVM Equine Reproduction Workshop- intensive 2-day course

  • Consultations- via phone or in person answering questions or providing guidance in management, training, or breeding situations

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CLINICS

  • In-house staff - host workshops/seminars on management and training

  • Industry Expertise - clinics for horse owners and professionals

  • Publication of “The Stable Sheet” newsletter

  • Internship program


YOUTH

  • Youth EquiDay - free and open to the public annual activity for kids

  • Teach at 4-H events, host youth groups for mini-seminars, tours and clinics


RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION

  • SEEM and Summer Experience in Agricultural Research projects

  • Collaboration with UVM on stallion semen characteristics, preservation techniques, and fertility evaluation


COMMUNITY OUTREACH

  • Mare and stallion station services offered 

  • “Open” barn

  • Demonstration at various festivals, exhibitions, etc.

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