Sabbatical Leave Report

My goals were to contact and/or visit other schools and facilities in order to increase articulations and examine similarities and differences between programs. I also wanted to determine current trends and developments in the equine industry, particularly from teaching and job placement perspectives. I wanted to investigate therapeutic riding since I had received many inquiries about such opportunities, both from students and community members. I also wanted to work with horses, attend shows, workshops and seminars to update my practical and academic expertise. When it was practical, I attended events within reasonable driving distance and grouped visits. I also worked with the Illinois Occupational Skill Standards group as Product Developer (writer) to produce the Illinois Beef Production Skill Standards. I was able to spend 5 to 10 hours a week working with my own horses or those of Parkland College, increasing their well-being and polishing my skills. I visited several farms, and a list is provided below. I have included a listing of the shows, workshops, seminars and other major events I attended, sometimes with a brief explanation when it might not be self-explanatory. They include a variety of breeds and activities, as does the coursework in our programs.