The Department of Animal Science at ISU proudly maintains the historic horse barns located on campus. The horse barns provide students with the opportunity to learn and work in a hands-on setting. The historic barns house two student apartments, an office, reproduction lab, equine treadmill, and classroom. The university maintains a herd of Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred broodmares which are used
for teaching and demonstrations for ISU students, youth, and the public. In addition, the university offers breeding services to the public. The foals produced by the farm are sold privately or in breed specific public auctions. Weanlings and yearlings are always available for sale. In 2004, the American Quarter Horse Association recognized ISU with the Legacy Award for breeding Quarter Horses for 50 consecutive years. In recent years, Iowa State students have prepared young western pleasure and huntseat prospects for sale at the Reichert Celebration, the AQHA World Sale, and the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. In 2007, Iowa State produced its first stakes winning Thoroughbred, Bravo Cyclone, who won the Iowa Stallion Futurity in a stakes-record time of 1 minute 10.99 seconds. In 2010, the Thoroughbred mare, She’s Better Loud, who was raised at Iowa State, earned the title Three Yr Old Filly of the Year at the ITBOA banquet. She was generously returned to Iowa State and was one of many quality Thoroughbred mares in the herd. More recently, Demidanu was the 2021 -2 year old Iowa Bred filly of the year. Quarter horse and paint foals raised at the farm are also successful. Not only are there some great horses showing in the aged events with their youth and amateur owners, here are some recent highlights. Somethintotweetabout was APHA World Ch/NBBA Ch Am 2 yr old in Hand Trail in 2021. Doctor Fabulous and Just A Day Away both earned top 10 non-pro hunter longe line placings at the 2022 All American Quarter Horse Congress. You Had Me at Cowgirl earned the 2022 APHA PAC World Champion title. In 2023 Offshore Dreaming became an APHA Bronze Champion Am Yearling Longe Line/World Ch Int Longe Liner. Iowa State students gain valuable experience in the general care, breeding, foaling, early training, and marketing of the university’s horses.
