Horse Center Provides Opportunities for Students and Community The Horse Center at West Texas A&M University is often one of the first parts of campus many visitors and students see when heading to campus. Built in 1979, the WTAMU Horse Center is located on 80 acres just north of the campus and offers numerous research and teaching opportunities for students and faculty. The WTAMU Horse Center hosts many events throughout the year.
The facility is the primary training place for many departmental teams.
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“Due to its location on the highway and its presence in the Canyon community, the Horse Center offers a first impression of West Texas A&M University for many visitors to the Canyon area,” said John Pipkin, director of the equine program and professor of animal science. The facilities feature modern classrooms and laboratories, a 200-feet-by-105-feet indoor arena, two lighted outdoor arenas, a round pen, a Hitchcock pen and 20 stalls used for boarding students’ horses. These facilities offer training experience for undergraduate and graduate students working in the horse industry and related agribusiness areas. The Horse Center is also used for practice and training for
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many different University teams and classes. The facility offers students hands-on experience in the equine industry. Students have access to the University’s herd of 50 western and hunter horses. The Horse Center also offers employment opportunities for undergradate and graduate students. “The Horse Center is a critical facility as the training place for the Equestrian Team, Horse Judging Team and Stock Horse Team, as well as numerous animal science classes,” Pipkin said. “It’s crucial for teaching research and providing for the needs of the Equine Program, Department of Agricultural Sciences and the University.” The Horse Center also hosts many horse-related events including clinics, seminars, judging contests, and Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Western and Hunter shows. The Randall County Livestock Show is held at the facility, as well as weekly 4-H horse practices, FFA judging practices and community open horse shows.