Horse management sophomore Dylan Burguard was a part of the breeding and foaling process.

“I actually really love the breeding components of my job,” Burguard said. “This summer I got to help with heat detection in the mares’ ... breeding and I was there for almost all (births of the 10 horses).”

Before Burguard’s experience in the horse management program, she fell in love with horses after riding her neighbor’s horse at five-years-old. Burguard pursued her passion for horses throughout high school and later got involved with her county’s mounted police and horse rescue unit.

Horse management freshman Tatia Heleski experienced the birth of her own horse.

“My favorite part was definitely watching her try to stand for the first time,” Heleski said. “Their legs are almost the full length they will be as adults when they are born so they have a very difficult time getting their legs where they need to be and fall over themselves a lot.”

Although Heleski has been surrounded by horses her whole life, she temporarily stabled her dream of pursuing a career in horse management. After enduring a psychology major for three years, Heleski’s mom finally let her go back to her passion: horses.

After foals are born, they go through extensive training to prepare them for showing and riding.

“I love getting them used to something new and seeing their first reactions before anyone else has influenced them,” Burguard said. “Most of the training we (do) in class is teaching them to lead, give to pressure getting them used to being brushed and handled, getting them comfortable leading without their moms and allowing them to see and experience different places around the farm.”

To be a part of the training process, students can choose between receiving a full four-year bachelor’s degree in animal science with a equine emphasis or a two-year horse management certificate.

“The two-year certificate horse management program is a technical program that is mostly geared toward a young person who wants to have some college experience and some (science)-based, hands-on opportunities with horses,” Hitzler said.

“They will have more of a skill set to enter the job market to be a horse manger, horse farm breeding manager, assistant trainers — that sort of thing.”

An MSU graduate herself, Hitzler worked at the MSU Teaching and Research Center while working on her animal science degree. In 1989 she was offered to be manager of the farm and has been there since.

“Whether it’s halter breaking the foals, whether it’s starting the horses on their saddle, introducing clippers (or) giving them their first bath — I actually like to teach students how to handle and train horses,” Hitzler said.