Equine Sciences
CSU’s equine sciences is one of the leading programs in the nation for community engagement, outreach, service and life-long learning.
Through strong partnerships with communities across the state and leading equine companies, CSU is preparing tomorrow’s leaders with an industry-oriented, science-based education that prepares them for careers in a $122 Billion equine industry.
Temple Grandin Equine Center
New Facility Opens at CSU Fort Collins’ Foothills Campus in January 2021
- Serves as the research hub for equine assisted services and undergraduate and graduate education and training.
- Three professional healthcare partners utilize 15 TGEC horses to serve 100 equine-assisted services appointments per week.
- Since 2015, has raised more than $11 million in development investment.
New facility opens at CSU Spur Campus in Denver in January 2022
- Since January 6th, 14,800 people have visited the Temple Grandin Equine Center at CSU Spur Vida building
- 13 professional healthcare providers currently partner with TGEC at Spur utilizing 15 horses under CSU Equine Science care.
- Number of EAS appointments grew from 45 a week at opening to 190 a week in eight months.
Community Partnership Serving at Risk Youth at TGEC Spur
- In its fourth year serving over 100 youth through equine-facilitated psychotherapy services, including 8 to 10 high-risk students from Denver’s Bruce Randolph School every week.
- In 2022, TGEC assigned a graduate research assistant to the program. The student’s master’s thesis project created a logic model advancing the science of equine-facilitated psychotherapy that can be duplicated across programs globally.
CSU EAS Scientists Testify Before the Colorado House of Representatives and Senate Resulting in Landmark Colorado Legislation
- In July 2022, Colorado House Bill 22-1068 passed unanimously and was signed into law requiring Colorado Medicaid to reimburse physical, occupational and speech therapies utilizing horses.
- The landmark law makes Colorado one of the first states to support equine-assisted therapy with Medicaid financing, opening the potential for a growing equine-assisted health and welfare industry.
- CSU scientist Dr. Caiti Peters and TGEC Director Adam Daurio presented science-based evidence to State Representatives and Senators regarding recent study results in support of the efficacy of equine-assisted therapy.
CSU Temple Grandin Equine Center Scientists Publish Groundbreaking Research in the Journal of Autism and Development Disorders
- CSU Temple Grandin Equine Center has swiftly become the trusted research institution and responsive partner of the healthcare community in addressing the public interest in delivering sound data and services supporting the use of horses in enhancing the quality of life for people of all ages suffering from a vast array of debilitating conditions.
- Dr. Caiti Peters published the first randomized control trial of occupational therapy incorporating horses for youth with autism in the Journal of Autism and Development disorders, marking the first time a high-impact scientific peer reviewed journal has published animal-assisted therapy research.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Sponsors CSU Equine Science Rescue Horse Training and Re-homing Program
Equine-assisted services are professional services that incorporate horses to promote human well-being and fall into three broad categories.
The American Horse Council
Projects over 200,000 unwanted horses in the United States are held in public or private rescues. Social changes resulting in the banning of horse slaughter in the United States has attributed to precipitous growth of the unwanted horse population.
CSU is the First University
In the country to offer a unique experiential learning program to undergraduate students studying the behavior of unwanted rescue horses, identifying training methods that bond at-risk horses to humans, and organizing an adoption program to find homes and new occupations for horses.
30 Horses Per Year
Are provided to CSU by a local horse rescue. Care of the horses is funded by ASPCA. Nearly 140 students have been trained in equine behavior and rehabilitation of rescued horses.
7 Horses
Have been successfully adopted into EAS programs at TGEC and elsewhere and approximately 85% of all horses participating in the CSU program have been successfully adopted.
Nearly $800,000
In grants from ASPCA and private donations support the program.
Legends of Ranching Program
Student Colt Training Program Sets Record High Prices
- Spring Legends of Ranching Sale attracted over 400 guest bidders. Bidders admired the renowned pedigrees of high-quality Quarter Horses provided by some of the most recognized ranches in the country and trained by CSU students.
- The sale set a record-high average price of $11,830 on 21 young two-year old colts.
- The top-selling horse brought in $30,000.
Equine Network, the Largest Equine Industry Media Company in the U.S., Coached the Legends of Ranching Sales/Event Planning Class
- Students generated nearly 600,000 unique social media marketing impressions drawing attention to CSU Colt training program.
Recruiting World-Class Talent
Three Faculty Positions
Will enhance research initiatives and reengage state-wide stakeholders in support of youth development, industry outreach and recruitment in both rural areas and the urban corridor.
New Horse Judging Team Coach
Will bring back the experiential learning program to CSU, which has traditionally been a leader in the training of team members who pursue industry leadership positions within the $122 Billion equine Industry.
A Legends of Ranching Coordinator
And Industry Outreach position is drawing interest from leading equine scientists with diverse research interest.
Equine Reproductive Physiologist
A global search for an Equine Reproductive Physiologist with a research, teaching and outreach component will bring new collaborative support to the CVBMS Equine Reproductive Laboratory.