Most majors have some kind of requirement to fulfill by senior year. Equine Science majors may have one of the most interesting, or at least most hands-on, experiences of all the majors. All equine majors have to take EQSC 301 in which they are required to spend 15 nights, from 7 p.m. to about 5 a.m. foalwatching at a farm, Success Acres, Inc. Foalwatching is when a mare is in labor and must be watched around the clock to make sure everything is normal. Five of the 15 nights must be during winter quarter and the students must witness at least one birth. Success Acres, Inc. is a standardbred breeding farm located approximately 25 minutes from Otterbein. It foals 80 mares a year. Maria Calderone, professor of equine science, began the Otterbein relationship with Success Acres 23 years ago. Calderone was informed at the end of last week that Success Acres, Inc, will no longer be operating after December, 2008. "The department of equine science has already started its search for another breeding facility to provide the incredible experiences previous students have received," said Calderone. Student responsibilities include feeding, watering, checking mares, foaling and neonatal care procedures, as directed by the supervisors. Some also help train and shoe the horses. Senior equine major and supervisor Kate Ryan said, "It's a pretty big business." Calderone said the mares must be watched because if a problem arises it has to be attended to immediately in order to save the mare's or foal's life. The students do not get paid for foalwatching. Supervisors and coordinators are paid seven dollars an hour. Senior equine major Lauren Adam does not mind working on the farm for free. "I think it's a really valuable experience for us so I'm just glad we get to have the experience," she said. Junior equine major and coordinator for Success Acres, Shannon Friel said, "There are normally not a lot of problems with students because they are actually interested in what they are doing. I personally never ever had a problem doing foalwatch as a student." Both Ryan and Friel do not think students should be paid because it is a learning experience. "To help bring a life in the world is an awesome experience; it's a payment in itself," said Friel. t&c;
15 nights of foaling
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