University of Findlay Western Equestrian Program

Home
United States
Findlay, OH
University of Findlay Western Equestrian Program

Call Directions Website

In the two- and four-year program, students begin as freshmen learning the basics of horse body position, showmanship and horsemanship.
(210)

The University of Findlay offers a western training program that offers students the chance to try all different aspects of the western horse, such as cutting, reining, western riding, western pleasure, showmanship, and trail, riding 5 days a week The University of Findlay offers a western training program that can be completed as a four-year bachelor of science degree, a two-year associate degrees or a minor. During their time spent at Findlay, students in the program learn all different aspects of the western horse, such as cutting, reining, western riding, western pleasure, showmanship, and trail. Sophomore year is colt breaking, where a student takes an unbroke horse from the beginning of the semester to the end. Junior and Senior year include a variety of disciplines, from lead changing to Hunter Under Saddle to more colt breaking to Cutting… you name it! Students are at the barn five days a week, and ride every day. Each semester culminates in a week-long finals that is run like a horse show: UF brings in outside alumni judges; classes are placed, and students wear proper show attire, all while being graded! During their time at Findlay, students have classroom classes that explore all areas of the equine world. These classes include Judging, Nutrition, Reproduction, Marketing, Software Applications, Preventative Medicine, Equine Law, and many more. They use these classes to supplement their learning at the farm, where outside instructors, demonstrations, and alumni come to present other aspects of the equine industry. The Western Farm holds an annual Spring Horse Sale at the end of April! This year the sale is held Saturday, April 30, 2022. Horses sold include senior class projects: Futurity Colts. These two- year- old prospects have been broken out by the senior class, ending in a Pleasure Futurity class the day before the sale. Other sale horses include trail horses, show horses, cow/ranch horses, and well broke lesson horses. For questions about admissions, contact Bryant Fox or Leah Ely:
Undergraduate Admissions Counselor
Equestrian Studies Programs
The University of Findlay
1000 North Main Street
Findlay OH 45840
419-434-4644
[email protected]
[email protected]

11/02/2026

To wrap up our week of Congress conversations, Dr. Tod Beckett of UF's Board of Trustees shares what 50 years of UF Western Equestrian means and what's ahead at the Grand Anniversary Weekend, April 30 to May 2, 2027. The farms open Friday, the Hall of Fame Induction Gala and Country Concert are Saturday, and we'll send everyone off with Sunrise Cowboy Church on Sunday.
Save the date and learn more at findlay.edu/equestrian50 🧡

11/02/2026

Sarah Ranker '17 studied Western Equestrian and marketing at UF, and today she's the equine support lead for . Proof that a career with horses isn't only in the saddle!
A big thank you to Kalmbach Feeds, a Quarter Horse sponsor of our 50th anniversary. 🧡
findlay.edu/equestrian50

10/30/2026

We are wishing everyone a fun, safe Halloween weekend from the UF Western Equestrian Program!

10/29/2026

Elizabeth Yoder ‘16 is a Western Equestrian grad and a Congress winner! We caught up with her at the show to hear about that win and how her time at UF helped get her there.
Celebrating 50 years of UF Western Equestrian 🧡 findlay.edu/equestrian50

10/29/2026

Tammy Lickliter '84 came through UF's Western Equestrian Program in its early years, and Congress was the perfect place to catch up. Hear what's stayed with her more than 40 years later.
Celebrating 50 years of UF Western Equestrian 🧡 findlay.edu/equestrian50

10/29/2026

🌟 Donor Highlight: Lynn Child 🌟
For decades, Lynn Child has given the University of Findlay's equestrian program something you can't put a price on: her land.
The Child family's property became the foundation of our English Equestrian Farm — and Lynn still opens up her pastures for university horses today, at no cost, simply because she believes in what this program means for our students.
"The university uses my property... and they just use it at no cost," Lynn shares. "I still continue to give to them on that basis."
A UF Board of Trustees member since 2000, Lynn has watched the equestrian program grow into one of the most respected in the country. But what moves her most isn't the accolades — it's the students.
"Students are now enjoying the property, and learning about equestrian and vet as well... that's pretty phenomenal. Truly phenomenal. So that just makes me happy, makes me smile."
Thank you, Lynn, for your generosity and your family's lasting legacy.

10/29/2026

Senior Addison Schliesser represented UF as a Congress Queen candidate this year! We talked with her about why she chose UF and what it's like to be in the Western program the year it turns 50.
Celebrating 50 years of UF Western Equestrian 🧡 findlay.edu/equestrian50

10/26/2026

Jessica Daniels '08 took what she learned in UF's arena and now passes it on as a YEDA coach and riding instructor. We caught up with her at Congress to talk about her path from Findlay and what she loves about coaching young riders.
Celebrating 50 years of UF Western Equestrian 🧡 findlay.edu/equestrian50

10/22/2026

Fifty years of growth leaves a trail — sometimes in the form of new barns, new disciplines, and new dreams that rise from the ones that came before. The English program didn’t begin with its own space. It began inside the Western barn, sharing aisles, arenas, and a belief that horsemanship, at its core, is one legacy with many branches.

From that shared foundation, the English barn emerged — not as a separate story, but as the next chapter. A new home, a new discipline, a new opportunity for students to grow… all rooted in the vision that started in the Western barn decades ago..

10/15/2026

🌟 Sponsor Highlight: Visit Findlay 🌟
If you've ever grabbed a recommendation for where to eat downtown, found an event on the community calendar, or helped a visiting family figure out what to do in town — chances are Visit Findlay had something to do with it.
As Findlay's convention and visitors bureau, Visit Findlay works year-round to bring people to our community and make sure they fall in love with it once they're here — from local dining and shopping to festivals, fairs, and everything in between.
This year, that mission brought them to our barn. Visit Findlay has stepped up as a proud sponsor of the University of Findlay Equestrian Program's 50th anniversary celebration — because they know this program isn't just something the university is proud of. It's something that puts Findlay on the map.
For 50 years, our equestrian program has drawn families, alumni, and visitors from across the country to this town. That's exactly the kind of story Visit Findlay exists to tell.
Thank you, Visit Findlay, for showing up for our community and for this milestone. Here's to the partnerships that make Findlay a place worth visiting — and a place worth calling home. 🐴🎉

Address

14700 State Route 68
Findlay, OH
45840

Telephone

+14194344656

Website

https://www.findlay.edu/sciences/equestrianstudies/western-equestrian

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when University of Findlay Western Equestrian Program posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.