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CSU Equine Sciences

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CSU Equine Sciences

CSU, where passion gallops with knowledge. Bridging science and horsemanship for a vibrant future.

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08/31/2026

How well does AI actually know horses?

A new study from CSU Department of Animal Sciences put three artificial intelligence platforms to the test, asking 40 questions across general horse care, facilities management, nutrition, genetics, and reproduction. Responses were evaluated for accuracy, relevance, thoroughness, and source quality.

The results were a good reminder that AI can be a useful tool—but it isn’t an equine expert.

ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot were more accurate than ExtensionBot, while ChatGPT produced the most thorough answers. However, performance declined as questions became more complex, and reproduction questions received the lowest accuracy scores of any equine topic tested.

The takeaway: AI has tremendous potential for quickly accessing equine information, but it works best as a tool - not a replacement for Equine Extension specialists, veterinarians, scientists, or other trusted experts. Knowing when to question an AI-generated answer may be just as important as knowing how to ask the question.

Congratulations to undergraduate researcher Sonya Aldworth-Yang and mentor Dr. Devan Catalano on this timely work published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science!

08/29/2026

Interested in joining the CSU Equestrian Team?

Whether you ride Hunt Seat or Western, come meet the team, learn more about what they do, and find out how to get involved! All experience levels and all majors are welcome.

Check out the upcoming info meetings and open house below, and join the CSU Equestrian community! 🐏💚💛

08/27/2026

New research from CSU Equine Sciences!

Regu-Mate is commonly used in both performance horses and broodmares, but we still have a lot to learn about how reproductive hormones may affect the immune system.

In this CSU Equine Sciences study led by undergraduate researcher Carmen Kapadia, mares receiving Regu-Mate had a lower antibody response following vaccination compared with untreated mares - raising practical questions about when we vaccinate mares that are receiving Regu-Mate, particularly when strong immunity is needed by a specific time.

This could be relevant for performance mares being vaccinated ahead of travel, competition, or increased disease exposure, as well as broodmares receiving vaccines during pregnancy to help provide protection to their foals through colostrum.

Our results don’t suggest that mares on Regu-Mate shouldn’t be vaccinated. Instead, they highlight that timing may matter and that reproductive management and vaccination schedules shouldn’t necessarily be considered independently!

Research like this helps us move toward more informed, practical management of both performance horses and broodmares.

Congrats to Carmen and team, and Go Rams! 🐏

08/24/2026

New research from Colorado State University is taking a closer look at the welfare of horses working in equine-assisted services (EAS).

Published in Animals, CSU researchers Jéssica Carvalho Seabra, Tanja Hess, Tessa Finnestead, and Temple Grandin evaluated EAS horses using a comprehensive approach that included behavioral observations, blood-based physiological measures, health status, and 24-hour time budgets.

One of the most encouraging findings: horses showed no difference in the frequency of pain- and stress-related behaviors when ridden by individuals with physical impairments compared with able-bodied riders.

Conducted at CSU’s Temple Grandin Equine Center, this work emphasizes the importance of evaluating the whole horse - behavior, health, management, environment, and rest - to support the horses that make equine-assisted services possible.

Congratulations to the CSU research team on this important contribution to equine welfare science!

Read it here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/16/10/1434

08/21/2026

A special day for CSU Equine Sciences!

Congratulations to Madeline Bone, Lexi Branch, and Yangchen Rotto, who were officially coated at the CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences incoming DVM ceremony today!

All three are proud CSU Equine Sciences graduates, and it is incredibly exciting to see them take this next step toward becoming veterinarians. From Equine Sciences students to future DVMs - we can’t wait to see where their careers take them.

Congratulations, Madeline, Lexi, and Yangchen! We are so proud to have you representing CSU Equine Sciences in your future veterinary professions!

08/20/2026

Another great example of practical equine research coming out of CSU Equine Sciences!

A new study by undergraduate researcher Brynne Murphy and Dr. Devan Catalano asked a simple question that comes up frequently in horse management: Does it matter whether horses are offered salt as a block or loose in a pan?

Sixteen horses were offered both loose white salt and compressed white salt blocks over four 7-day periods. While horses tended to consume more loose salt (41 g/day) than block salt (32 g/day), salt form did not significantly affect intake. What mattered much more was the individual horse - daily consumption ranged from just 2 g to 135 g.

Perhaps the most important finding for horse owners: 9 of the 16 horses did not voluntarily consume enough salt to meet their sodium requirements, even after accounting for sodium provided by their regular diet. Water intake was similarly highly individual and was not affected by whether salt was offered loose or as a block.

The takeaway? Providing free-choice salt does not necessarily mean a horse is consuming enough. Knowing your individual horse, workload, and diet is important - and for horses that do not voluntarily consume adequate salt, adding the appropriate amount directly to the daily ration may be the more reliable approach.

We are especially proud that this work was conducted by an undergraduate student, highlighting the important role undergraduate research plays within CSU Equine Sciences. Giving students the opportunity to take an applied question from study design and data collection all the way through presentation and publication is an important part of training the next generation of equine scientists.

Congratulations to the authors on a great publication and a project with information horse owners can put into practice immediately!

08/17/2026

Exciting new research from CSU Equine Sciences is highlighting the potential for horses to support social-emotional learning in youth!

Published in the Journal of Experiential Education, the study evaluated Changing Leads, an 8-week equine-assisted social-emotional learning program delivered through a partnership with Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center. Thirty-one middle school students from six schools participated in the randomized, waitlist-controlled study.

Following participation in the program, both parents and teachers reported significant improvements in students’ overall social-emotional competencies. Improvements included skills such as social awareness, self-management, relationship skills, decision-making, and optimistic thinking. Importantly, teachers were masked to the purpose of the study, providing an additional measure of the program’s impact beyond parent-reported outcomes.

These preliminary findings provide promising evidence that equine-assisted learning can be a valuable targeted resource for students who may need additional social-emotional support beyond traditional school-based programming.
Congratulations to lead author Sarah Matlock and the entire collaborative team from CSU Department of Animal Sciences, the CSU-School of Education, the Temple Grandin Equine Center, CSU Department of Occupational Therapy, and Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center on this important contribution to the growing science behind equine-assisted services!

08/14/2026

Interested in riding and competing in college? The CSU Western IHSA Team is welcoming new members of all experience levels - no horse ownership required!

Interest meetings are August 31 and September 3 at 7 PM in Wagar 133. A great way to get involved, meet fellow equestrians, and represent CSU.

Go Rams! 🐏

08/12/2026

New research from CSU Equine Sciences is now available open access for a limited time!

A recent study led by Dr. Carleigh Fedorka and Dr. Kate Kiger evaluated the short-term effects of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy in horses with naturally occurring osteoarthritis of the distal tarsal joints. First author was equine sciences undergraduate research fellow Isla Wilson!

The study found that a single 30-minute PEMF treatment resulted in a transient reduction in flexion-induced lameness one hour after treatment. Researchers also observed a transient decrease in circulating inflammationc suggesting that PEMF administered locally may act broadly in the body.

Interestingly, these changes were not accompanied by improvements in objective gait asymmetry. Together, the findings provide new insight into how PEMF therapy may influence clinical pain responses and inflammation in horses with osteoarthritis, while also highlighting the need for continued research into its effects and applications in equine athletes.

This work represents a collaboration across disciplines at CSU, bringing together expertise in equine sports medicine, inflammation, and cytokine biology to better understand therapeutic approaches for maintaining equine health and performance!

The full article is open access for a limited time and available to read now:

https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1nbEF2dbxquZtK

07/08/2026

In the Fedorka Lab, mentoring the next generation of women in STEM is at the heart of everything. Through hands-on research, clinical experiences and individualized mentorship, students gain the confidence and skills to become future scientists, veterinarians and industry leaders.

Supporting the next generation of women in science is central to the lab’s mission — and as it turns out, shaping the future of science is even better when horses are involved 🐎

Watch the full-length video here ➡️ col.st/kyf5a
Learn more about our equine science program ➡️ col.st/fthh3

Colorado State University
CSU Department of Animal Sciences

Address

735 S Overland Trl
Fort Collins, CO
80523

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+19704918373

Website

https://catalog.colostate.edu/general-catalog/colleges/agricultural-sciences/animal-sciences/equine-science-major/#requi

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