Equine Facilities
Due to strict requirements for biosecurity, we cannot allow visitors to our animal facilities without special permission.
Please call or write before you plan a trip or if you have questions about our farms and facilities:
- AskDAS@psu.edu
- 814-863-3665
- FAX: 814-863-6042
Penn State's Equine Facilities include two horse barns with approximately 35 stalls, an indoor arena, a round pen, and paddocks and pastures. There is also a breeding shed and lab for semen collection and artificial insemination which are incorporated into the production program as well as teaching and research. Most equine facilities are located within walking distance of most major buildings on the main campus. Currently Penn State does not board horses for students. However, there are several area stables that offer boarding services.
The facilities are used extensively for teaching, with several classes having weekly laboratory or hands-on sessions at the horse barns. Some courses taught include foot care, routine preventive care procedures, breeding management practices, aging and assessing body condition scores. Research at the facilities has been conducted on intensive early handling of foals, characteristics of late gestation mares, group concentrate feeding behavior, and contraception for mares.
We maintain a herd of approximately 40 registered Quarter Horses. Stallions and mares are maintained, bred, the mares foaled out, and the young horses raised until they are two years old when most of them are sold. The current herd sires have produced several successful show and pleasure horses. All horses are used extensively in a number of classes and in numerous other activities including the training of horse judging teams.
In addition to the Quarter Horses, there is also a herd of mixed-breed ponies which are a free-running, pasture breeding harem group. They have been used in teaching labs, student research projects, and faculty research in reproductive physiology and behavior.
