Belinda Arden, left, and Rebecca Maple, show off a new foal to Arden's twins, Bret and Brianna Arden. Arden and Maple are both members of the Henderson County Horse Committee, which is hosting a mare and foal management course in Athens on Jan. 27. (Courtesy photo by Paula Sue Swope)

A daylong mare and foal management program with Texas A&M experts for $30 is a bargain, said a Henderson County horse manager.

"(Fees for) very similar programs are often $150 to $200," said Paula Swope, member of the Henderson County Horse Committee, which is associated with Texas Cooperative Extension in Henderson County. "We just wanted to meet basic expenses."

The "Mare and Foal Management Program" will be held at Trinity Valley Community College on Jan. 27.

The committee scheduled the program on a Saturday to make it easier for horse owners from surrounding counties to attend, she said. Program topics will include feeding the broodmare, body condition scoring, weight estimation and reproductive management of the broodmare. Another part of the program will be on creep-feeding versus meal-feeding of foals, prior to weaning, Swope said.

"There may be a discussion on feeding broodmares roughage, particularly in light of compromised hay supplies, and opportunities for use of processed roughage," Swope said.

Swope said she felt lucky that her committee, with help from the Extension office in her county, arranged for two well-known horse experts to give presentations.

One will be Dr. Pete Gibbs, Extension horse specialist. Gibb's specialty is equine nutrition and physiology, and he has a reputation of working closely with county-based Extension programs and 4-H clubs, Swope said.

The other expert, Dr. Dennis Sigler, is a professor with the university's department of animal science and coordinates the equine exercise science curriculum.

"Time permitting, we may try and place some emphasis on exercise systems for weanlings and yearlings," she said.

To keep costs low, the registration fee will only cover the course and educational materials. Participants will be responsible for their own lunch and refreshments, Swope said.

To register, call the Trinity Valley Community College continuing education department at 903-675-6212.

"We need everyone to register early to see if the class is going to make," she said. "The deadline is the Wednesday (Jan. 25) before the class meets.

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