September 14, 2006

Horse center to host riding skills workshop

by K.C. Jaehnig

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Horse owners can learn new riding skills in a daylong workshop that begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Horse Center, 2194 Union Hill Road.

For trainer Mark W. Schwarm, an SIUC graduate, respect and communication play key roles in working with horses, whether they are work animals, racehorses or dressage athletes. He regularly shares his techniques with students and with industry and ranch clients in workshops that also focus on helping riders solve specific problems they may be having with their own horses.

The workshop costs $60 for those attending with their horses, which must have proof of negative Coggins test results. Workshop auditors will pay $15. The workshop does not include lunch, though participants may bring sack lunches and lawn chairs.

For planning purposes, organizers would like to know how many horse-and-rider combinations to expect. To sign up or for more information, call Stephanie Speiser at 618/453-1773 or e-mail her at sspeiser@siu.edu.

Serving others is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint the University is following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.