Equine Nutrition Short Course

The Equine Nutrition Short Course provides science-based, unbiased nutrition information to equine owners, business operators, industry professionals, and enthusiasts alike. The 9-week course includes fundamental nutrition knowledge for horses, ponies, mules, and donkeys. Beginning with fundamental nutrition concepts and building through nutrient requirements and specific needs for equine classes, this course will empower participants to make informed nutrition decisions for any equid!

2025 Equine Nutrition Short Course

Online Sessions and Classroom

Each session will be held live on each date, but live participation is not required for course completion. All sessions will be recorded and posted in an online classroom. Recorded sessions, resources and the Question/Answer stream will be available on each topic for access throughout the program. Participants will have access to all resources in the online classroom for 1 year, including recorded sessions.

The 2025 Equine Nutrition Short Course tentative webinar schedule is included below. The instructors may adjust the course schedule as needed during the program to accommodate guest speaker schedules. Webinars will be recorded.

All sessions run from 7:00-8:30pm Eastern time.

September 2: Course Welcome & Overview; Equine Digestive Tract
September 9: Body Weight, Body & Muscle Condition; Nutrients and Requirements
September 16: Feed Types; Reading the Feed Tag; Interpreting Forage Tests
September 23: Supplements
September 30: Growing, Breeding, and Lactating Equids
October 7: Feeding Athletic Equids
October 14: Metabolic Conditions and Overweight Equids
October 21: Senior & Starved Horses
October 28: Current Issues and Topics in Equine Nutrition

Three Question and Answer sessions will also be hosted to help answer participant questions on topic areas. Each Q&A session will be recorded.

All Q&A sessions run from 12-1:30pm Eastern time.

September 18: Questions from webinars 1-3
October 9: Questions from webinars 4-6
October 23: Questions from webinars 7-8

Meet the Coordinators

Dr. Jennie Ivey holds a B.S. from Rutgers University, a M.S. and Ph.D. from West Virginia University, in equine nutrition and physiology, and is currently pursuing a M.S. in Communications from the University of Tennessee. Her research focuses on equine nutrition and welfare, specifically assessing emaciated equid physiology, refeeding, and metabolic function. Additionally, she studies public perception of management practices, carcass disposal and skeleton recovery. Dr. Ivey joined the University of Tennessee faculty in 2015 and has created 4 fee-based programs, 4 new undergraduate and 2 graduate courses, a new internationally accessed website. She has authored or co-authored 48 Extension publications, 11 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and delivered over 320 Extension talks on equine nutrition and management. Dr. Ivey has mentored 6 M.S. students, 3 USDA Scientific Exchange Fellows, 1 junior faculty member, and has served as the direct supervisor for 28 interns and researchers. Her nationally recognized equine Extension program is supported by over $800,000 in funding support. Dr. Ivey serves on the two Committees for the Equine Science Society, and as the Eastern National 4-H Horse Round-Up Hippology Committee Chair.

Learn more about Dr. Ivey

Madeline is currently pursuing her MS in equine nutrition under Dr. Ivey’s mentorship. Madeline’s research evaluates metabolic and genetic differences between emaciated and moderately conditioned horses to better understand how to refeed and recover starved horses.

Registration Information

Open to all individuals over 15 years of age. Tennessee residence is not required for registration.

Registration Cost:

Early Bird Registration: $175 per person, open until August 13, 2025

Late Registration: $200 per person, open from August 14-September 10, 2025

Attendance is required in order to successfully complete the Equine Nutrition Short Course and receive incentive materials. Sessions will be recorded and posted along with activities to earn attendance credit if unable to attend sessions live. A minimum of 25 participants is required to hold the course.

The cost per person is NON-REFUNDABLE. The program fee includes access to all sessions and the online classrooms, one forage test, a certificate, and additional incentive materials.