Equine Science Spotlight: Sarah Harrison 

(Dec.3, 2022) -  Fresno State equine science senior Sarah Harrison is looking ahead to semester's end with extra anticipation as she nears graduation this month.

The Irvine native is balancing her animal science classes with an equally busy schedule as a Fresno State Quarter Horse Unit student assistant. In recent years, she has helped with nearly every area of animal care and training and facility operation at the quarter horse unit, which has provided a wide variety of professional skills.

Student assistants not only work with horses 24/7 of all ages and experience (and related classes), but also assist with the feeding and nutritional needs of other horses at our Student Horse Center and varsity equestrian team facility. 

Learn more about what attracted to our campus programs and what's ahead in this recent interview.

Q: Talk about why you chose Fresno State, and how you selected the animal and equine science degree areas?

“I chose to attend Fresno State because of the school's emphasis on agriculture and all of the programs that it provides. There are not many agriculture opportunities in my hometown, so I wanted to go to a school where I could not only get lots of hands-on experience, but also make connections with people in the industry I'm interested in. I've always wanted to work with animals, and out of all the species that I've worked with, horses remain my favorite, which led me to pursue a career in the equine industry.” 

 

Q: Which faculty members and classes have had the biggest impact on you while at Fresno State?

“Some of the classes that have had the biggest influence on me were horse production taught by Jason Contreras and animal reproduction with Dr. Randy Perry. I have always had an interest in breeding and raising young animals, and these two classes helped me determine that area was something that I wanted to focus on in the future as I learned about that side of the industry in detail. I also learned a lot from Dr. Fabio Iared(’s animal reproductive and farm animal anatomy classes) and all the work he does at the quarter horse unit.”

 

Q: Talk about which campus farm units you have worked at, and how skills you have learned that you can apply to your career.

“As a student assistant at the Fresno State Quarter Horse Unit, my initial main responsibility was feeding, and I also helped with other tasks at the unit such as herd health. I now serve as the facilities manager, and a big part of that is to drag and maintain arenas as well as to irrigate and mow pastures. Outside of that, I also feed and help exercise horses when needed, as well as help out during the foaling season.”

“Working at the unit has greatly helped me prepare for my career path in horse care and providing proper nutrition. I have also gained experience in other general farm tasks and equipment operation (such as tractors) that I had not had before coming to Fresno State.”

Q: What was you and/or your family’s background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State?

“Though I've been riding horses for several years before I came to Fresno State, my parents have never owned livestock. My mother grew up in a farming community in Germany and helped farmers in her area, and my grandmother on my mother's side grew up on a farm in Bischoffen, Germany that had been in her family for several generations. Both of my grandparents on my father's side were raised on farms, my grandmother from a farm in Iowa where they grew corn and soybeans, while my grandfather's family owned horses in Illinois and farmed the land.”

 

Q: What's your potential next career step after graduation?

“I plan on returning to my family in Southern California, and I may pursue graduate school in the future. I first plan on working full-time and am actively applying for equine and livestock industry positions. Ideally, I would love to work at an equine breeding facility but at the moment will be happy to get any entry level position in the field.”