Equine Reproduction Short Course

[ThreeDays]

For those of you considering attending one of these short courses and not sure if the experience will be worth it - I want to highly encourage you to attend the next course that is offered in your area.

This course is of huge benefit to any breeder who has either been in the business for 20yrs or a young breeder just starting out.

The clinic is packed full of current information and relevant research helping to debunk myths and aid breeders in making better decisions for their horses and pocketbooks.

I recently attended the 2 day short course here in Virginia and hope that more breeders take advantage of this great opportunity to learn more about their mares, stallions and breeding management practices.

I give it a **** review!

Link - http://www.equine-reproduction.com/courses/courses.shtml

[Sonesta]

Yes, you really ought to go. I hear from Kathy that they may not do the course tour anymore, as they are getting so busy at their repro facility. So, jump on the chance! It might well be the best money you will ever spend.

[Home Again Farm]

Another double thumbs up for Kathy and Jos's seminars. I have attended several. Always something new to learn. :yes:

[acottongim]

I third it! As a younger breeder I found the info learned to be invaluable. Jos and Kathy jammed packed info into 2 very long, very informative days. Put it this way - even sitting in a classroom for over 8 hours (and I am very ADD type) I never got bored.

[aspenlucas]

I wish there was one in my area. :(

[Equine Reproduction]

Ahhh shucks! Thanks for saying such nice things! It really is nice to hear that everyone gets so much out of the courses. We really do try! And, I promise your checks are all in the mail <smile>....

And Threedays, I'm STILL trying to thaw out my feet from Saturday night! Brrrr...that was just brutal!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com

[Ladybug Hill]

I want to thank Kathy and Jos for their energy. They did a great job at the Virginia course. I am not sure how Jos can talk nonstop for so long! It was never boring to me. He would give a lot of technical info and then intersperse with stories/experiences which kept it interesting. Also the pictures and the "props" were great! Some of this was a review for me and some was completely new. I think any breeder--mare or stallion owner--would benefit from this. It gives you a good understanding of the whole picture. I hope to put some of this into practice soon.

I just wish it had not been so darn cold!!!! LOL

[Philliab]

I second everything Ladybug Hill said! I also attended this past weekend's course in Harrisonburg, VA and had a wonderful time. I learned a lot and enjoyed every second of it. And I can't wait to try some of this stuff out!

Thank you Kathy and Jos for offering these courses and coming to VA. And thank you also to Chris and Patti for everything you did to get this course in VA and for the use of Power and Goldie during the wet lab.

If you have not attended one of Equine Reproduction's short courses and have the chance to, it is well worth any drive to get to one.

[Windswept Stable]

Oh it was so much fun! Thanks so much to Kathy and Jos....... and to everyone that attended. It was wonderful meeting everyone!

Sorry that the weather was so miserably cold!!! I guess it could have been worse if there was snow, or ice involved.

The class was great. My brain still hurts from processing all the great information. I learned so much -- I think the sponge part of my brain might be too old and dried up! The class was great -- so much new info and also re-inforced so many things that Ladybug taught me.

I never saw Ladybug and Power hop onto their trailers so fast!! They must have been freezing too!!

[Philliab]

[QUOTE=Windswept Stable;3817014]I think the sponge part of my brain might be too old and dried up! QUOTE]

Patti you just reminded me that I will never be able to look at a kitchen sponge in the same innocent light again thanks to Kathy and Jos. :lol:

[Windswept Stable]

[QUOTE=Windswept Stable;3817014]I think the sponge part of my brain might be too old and dried up! QUOTE]

Patti you just reminded me that I will never be able to look at a kitchen sponge in the same innocent light again thanks to Kathy and Jos. :lol:

Ha Ha... .Yeah... me too..was thinking in the same terms! I guess you just never know what will do the trick til you try.

[back in the saddle]

Will there be a clinic in Atlanta any time soon?

[Equine Reproduction]

Will there be a clinic in Atlanta any time soon?

No, unfortunately not. We're cutting back on the number of courses we will be doing in the future and the Atlanta area isn't on the list of an area that we will be returning to. Sorry...

Glad all of you enjoyed the course this last weekend, despite the cold. I'm sure everyone that hasn't attended one of the courses is scratching their heads wondering what the heck we do with sponges <smile>....

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com

[acottongim]

So Kathy - just admit it, you just bring the cold weather with you whereever you go right??? LOL. Last year in Atlanta it was SNOWING when they did the course.

sponges (snort)... LMAO

[Equine Reproduction]

So Kathy - just admit it, you just bring the cold weather with you whereever you go right??? LOL. Last year in Atlanta it was SNOWING when they did the course.

sponges (snort)... LMAO

<sigh>...Yes...we admit it. It's always our fault. We brought freezing temps to Florida before heading up to Virginia with the cold. This weekend we're scheduled in Rock Falls, Illinois so we're wondering what kind of weather to drag with us <grin>. Right now, it's a nice, comfortable 33 degrees here in Virginia. I'm SURE we can do colder than that for Illinois <lol>...

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com

[ThreeDays]

Hey Kathy -

What is covered in the 3 day class that isn't covered in the 2 day? Are you able to go into more detail and Q&A?

Are their any clinics you offer that give more in depth wet lab portions allowing more time to learn about ultrasound and/or obtaining cultures?

Have you ever offered or considered offering an extensive wet lab private or group class?

I don't think I'll ever want to be completely independent of my vets but I work a lot with frozen semen and we've been doing culture, cytology, etc on the foal heat along with uterine lavage to help clear post foaling edema and fluid so that we can breed on the following heat.

I'm hoping to one day get comfortable enough to do some of the post foaling stuff with my mare's like lavage and maybe even collect the culture samples since we work within the veterinary world and have no problems dropping off samples to a lab.

Any advise on where I (and others) can get the extra needed hands on experience?

If you're not already offering it - I know I'd be interested in paying for the extra time even if that means I have to travel to one of the farms you base out of.

Thanks again for a great learning opportunity. I'm telling all of my friends about it!

[Equine Reproduction]

Hey Kathy -

What is covered in the 3 day class that isn't covered in the 2 day? Are you able to go into more detail and Q&A?

The lecture portion of the 2 and 3 day courses are the same. The main difference is an extensive wet lab at the 3 day courses. At the 3 day courses, attendees learn how to, amongst other things, do their own cytologies on mare swabs, how to do their own inseminations and how to pull culture swabs. We do some extensive ultrasounding and explain exactly what attendees are looking at so that they can identify things while looking over their vet's shoulder <smile>.

Are their any clinics you offer that give more in depth wet lab portions allowing more time to learn about ultrasound and/or obtaining cultures?

See above. We absolutely do not teach how to palpate or ultrasound, but we do teach attendees what they are looking at on the ultrasound.

Have you ever offered or considered offering an extensive wet lab private or group class

We have done both. We are periodically hired to do private training at breeding farms.

I don't think I'll ever want to be completely independent of my vets but I work a lot with frozen semen and we've been doing culture, cytology, etc on the foal heat along with uterine lavage to help clear post foaling edema and fluid so that we can breed on the following heat.

You absolutely will need your veterinarian. The courses are not meant as a replacement but as a way to help explain what your vet is doing, improve on what is being done and to help breeders to know if more needs to be done. It's tough for vets to stay abreast of everything in equine reproduction ESPECIALLY if they are a multi species practice and ESPECIALLY if they don't specialize in equine reproduction. Realistically, it is usually a very small part of most veterinarians practices. So, the courses are meant to help mare owners both to understand what their vets are doing and to help mare owners assist vets in perhaps expanding on what they are doing. Make sense?

I'm hoping to one day get comfortable enough to do some of the post foaling stuff with my mare's like lavage and maybe even collect the culture samples since we work within the veterinary world and have no problems dropping off samples to a lab.

Any advise on where I (and others) can get the extra needed hands on experience?

If you're not already offering it - I know I'd be interested in paying for the extra time even if that means I have to travel to one of the farms you base out of.

Thanks again for a great learning opportunity. I'm telling all of my friends about it!

We generally do the courses and teaching during the off breeding season. During breeding season, we're running flat out managing our own facility in Oklahoma. And, as has been noted, we are reaching a point that we will be cutting back on the number of courses we will be doing. We will probably continue with the three day courses that are held in conjunction with the universities, but many (most?) of the two day courses will probably be eliminated.

We do have two three day courses scheduled this spring - one at Cal Poly (Pomona, CA) in February and one at the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, Arkansas) in March. Both are great facilities. We are also holding a course at Cal Poly on embryo transfers and yes, it is a hands on course. It is limited to 8 enrollees, however.

Hope that helps!

Kathy St.Martin
Equine Reproduction Short Courses
http://www.equine-reproduction.com