SOUTH DAKOTA EQUINE PROGRAMS

South Dakota State University

is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and offers a B.S. in Animal Science in which students may take equine specific courses (or beef or swine, for example) and a Minor in Equine Science. The Minor in Equine Science only began at SDSU in 2005 and has quickly added courses and grown.

Course work includes: Introduction to Horse Management, Equine Health and Diseases, Fundamental Equine Nutrition, Stable Management, Reproduction Management, Light Saddle Horses (Basic English and Western Riding), Yearling Halter Training, Trimming, Shoeing, and Introduction to Draft Horses. The Univesity currently maintains a herd of approximately fifty Quarter Horses plus a team of Belgian Draft Horses for student training.

As a land-grant university, SDSU is home to the USDA Extension 4-H Program. SDSU is in the process of revitalizing the South Dakota 4-H Horse Program. The Horse Program Extension Page contains publications about horses, club information, links to events and other information.

SDSU offers a Women's Equestrian Team that competes intercollegiately in Hunt Seat and Western. To see the support that SDSU gives to this Equestrian Team and to learn more about the program, see the 36-page Media Guide. The team is based at the $3.6 Million Dollar, climate-controlled DeHaan Equestrian Center. The Facility is being designed for the Equestrian Team to grow to sixty (60) members. The University also offers a competitive, co-ed Rodeo Team.

Black Hills State University is located in Spearfish, South Dakota. The University does not have an equine degree program, but does offer a competitive Rodeo Team. The Rodeo Team is based at Seven Down Arena located in Spearfish, S.D. The Indoor Arena is 100 x 195 and seats 2,650. The Outdoor Arena is 100 x 300.

Northern State University is located in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The University does not have an equine degree program, but does offer a competitive Rodeo Club.