Local youth get a glimpse of equine and dairy careers during 4-H camp held at Morrisville State College

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MORRISVILLE, NY–– Morrisville State College recently hosted its annual two-day 4-H Equine and Dairy Camp. As expected, the event attracted many of the local youth ranging from ages 13-19. 

The camp featured a slew of choices for equine and dairy participants. Dairy topics included calf, heifer and cow management along with reproduction. The equine topics included Western, English, Racing and Draft/Driving. Morrisville faculty and other industry professionals facilitated the hands-on experience. 

Roisin Alexis, 14, from Hopewell Junction, wants to be an equine veterinarian and develop prosthetic legs for horses. 

“This experience is great because if this is what you want to do when you go to college, this camp gives you a feel of how it’s going to be,” Alexis said.

Alexis indicated that she learned the importance of being careful when dealing with horses, especially when in the round pen. “The round pen is a circle and if the horse is uncomfortable for any reason, its only option is to come right at you,” she said.

“I enjoy conducting the 4-H events because it’s a very good opportunity to get a lot of youth, who will eventually be applying for college, into our wonderful facility,” said Serafina Gagliardi, MSC’s instructional support assistant at the western barn. “This camp showcases our phenomenal horse herd and allows the kids to decide what aspect of the industry they want to go into.”

The sessions, which were fairly low stress and relatable, reviewed basic horsemanship and pattern work. Instructors wanted the participants to grasp the scoring system.

“Lines need to be straight, circles need to be round, and transitions need to be executed at a certain point,” Gagliardi said.

Amanda Thrasher, 13, a Tamarac Middle School student from Rensselaer County, wants to major in equine economics. Thrasher, who received a horse of her own when she was 10, stated that the camp taught her the importance of safety. She now knows how to appoach a green horse to jumping. 

“It’s incredible that Morrisville gives kids the opportunity to enjoy equine and meet other kids who enjoy it as well,” Thrasher said. “Morrisville will definitely be one of my options when it’s time for me to attend college.”

Julie Corey, a breaking and training instructor at MSC, specified that one of her goals was to educate the participants on the fundamentals of showing patterns and horsemanship. She also hoped to help the participants gain more confidence at whatever level they are at. 

“Anytime you have a university that interacts with the community, it enhances a bond,” Corey said. “I like to get the community involved and let them know what the college has to offer.”

Morrisville State’s curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs. 

The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges 2016 issue and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2016 Best Colleges rankings.