For the Love of the Horse: A History of the Alfred University Equestrian Program

Abstract

My book covers every aspect of the AU equestrian program, from its roots to the various competitive and educational opportunities it offers today. I could easily have focused on just the classes, the teams, or even the horses themselves and created a more in-depth examination of just one of these aspects of the program, but I chose to create more of an overview of all of them so that readers could get an idea of the massive scope of our current program. Most universities, especially those as small as AU, would not attempt to offer multiple disciplines of riding, two equestrian minors, and two varsity equestrian teams under the umbrella of one program. While we may not be one of the most intensive equestrian education programs in the country or have multi-national championship-winning equestrian teams, the AU equestrian program offers something for just about everyone, a feature that not only sets it apart from most other equestrian colleges but also falls in line with Alfred University's emphasis on diversity and variety in its educational and extracurricular offerings.