FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
SIDELINES JUNE 2013 97
The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Western Team
Photo by Erin Hermes
Saint Mary-
of-the-Woods
equine
facility.
Photo by
Marguerite
Frazier
Marguerite
Frazier
with her
Thoroughbred
mare Northern
Dust (Dusty).
e
Education – Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
By Marguerite Frazier
Choosing a college was one of the most frightening decisions
of my life, thus far. There were so many factors to consider – how
far from home was I going to go? How was I going to pay for
it? Who would my roommate be? And most importantly, what did
their equine program look like?
I searched long and hard and found Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
College (SMWC), in Terre Haute, Indiana, the oldest Catholic
Women’s college in the United States, and one that offers a
Bachelors of Science in Equine Studies.
Students can bring their own horses to live on campus, but if
you choose to leave yours at home, as I did, you will still have
plenty of hands-on time. Those enrolled in a Stable Management
class (a requirement for all equine majors) will be put in charge
of caring for a horse every semester – from cleaning their stall to
caring for their injuries – a diffcult, but rewarding task.
“The main reason I came to SMWC is for the horses. I love
the bond I have with my [Stable Management] horse, Ruby, and
I feel like she is always listening. She’s become one of my best
friends,” said Shelby Turner, a sophomore Mathematics major
with an Equine minor.
Even if you choose not to study in the equine program, you still
have opportunities to interact with the horses on campus. Both
the Hunt Seat and Western team are open to all students, not
just those in the equine program. Erin Hermes, a freshman on the
Western team said, “The team really accepts you and it’s a lot of
fun. Between going to shows, working home shows, and even just
cleaning the barn, we always have a fun time!”
The Hunt Seat and Western teams are part of the Intercollegiate
Horse Show Association and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods offers
three equine degrees: Equine Business Management, Equine
Training and Handling and Equine Studies. They also have a
newly instated Equine Assisted Therapy minor. Classes in the
equine program are taught by experienced equine professionals
from the ground up. Students learn skills from how to prepare a
horse for a sale, to how to trim a hoof, to the ins-and-out of equine
nutrition.
One of the most notable classes at SMWC is their Training
and Handling I class, required for all equine majors. In this
class, students will pair up to train a virtually untouched yearling.
Students work with the horse from the beginning, from haltering
the horse for the frst time to loading in a trailer.
As I enter my senior year of college I am thrilled to say that
I have never been more sure of my decision to study at Saint
Mary-of-the-Woods. If you are looking to expand your knowledge
of horses while making life-long friends (both two-legged and four-
legged!), visit SMWC’s website at www.smwc.edu today!
About the writer: Marguerite Frazier is a junior at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
College, studying Equine Business Management. She worked as a wrangler and
camp counselor for several years, and hopes to manage an equine summer camp
program or retrain horses after graduation.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College:
A Rewarding Experience