An equine dentist at Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine at work floating a horse's teeth.

By fostering strong social and educational connections around a shared passion for horses, the initiative aims to the strengthen the pipeline for future equine veterinarians and industry professionals.
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“We’ve got so many fantastic equine activities going on all over campus, and we felt that we could make even more significant advances by having these different communities working together,” said Mandi de Mestre, Cornell Equine’s inaugural director as well as the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine and director of the Baker Institute for Animal Health.

“What makes us unique is that we’re a cross-campus collaboration – and one that reaches even beyond the university through Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), which gives us a connection straight to the everyday horse owner.”

The initiative builds on Cornell’s legacy of innovative scientific research and comprehensive infrastructure for the study and care of horses. The university’s state-of-the-art facilities include the Cornell University Hospital for Animals in Ithaca, Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists on Long Island and a large veterinary diagnostic center serving horses worldwide.

The recently remodeled Cornell Equine Park, established in 1973, serves as a hands-on learning lab for veterinary students and researchers on all things equine. In addition, Cornell University Athletics offers two varsity-level competitive equine sports, housing the women’s equestrian and the men’s and women’s polo teams in the Oxley Equestrian Center.

Cornell Equine’s wide-ranging steering committee hopes these strengths will form the foundation of a vibrant horse-centered community that builds awareness of equine activities on campus and enriches the experience of students working and competing with horses. By fostering strong social and educational connections around a shared passion for horses, the initiative aims to the strengthen the pipeline for future equine veterinarians and industry professionals – critical in a field facing workforce shortages.

“Beyond attracting talent, we want to actively mentor individuals throughout different stages of their careers in the equine industry and highlight the rewarding nature of supporting horse health,” de Mestre explained. This summer, for example, a project through CCE will pair equine-interested high school students with Cornell faculty mentors. As Cornell Equine grows, de Mestre envisions expanding mentorship opportunities for high school and undergraduate students and offering additional educational programming.

Cornell Equine will also serve as a hub for multidisciplinary collaborations that uphold the university’s track record of groundbreaking discoveries in equine health, including a pivotal role in sequencing the whole horse genome. Much of this work has been supported by the Harry M. Zweig Memorial Fund for Equine Research. The internal grants program continues to seed ongoing research on such topics as metabolic disease and infectious diseases – many with implications for human health.

“We are also exploring ways to collaborate with the equine community to address new questions and advance our understanding through an open, two-way dialogue,” said Lindsay Goodale, lecturer in animal science in CALS and a member of the Cornell Equine steering committee.

In one direction, that means listening to horse owners, veterinarians and other stakeholders to better understand and address their questions and concerns. In the other, Cornell Equine will help researchers actively communicate their evidence-based knowledge to the public through newsletters, seminars and symposia.

“Cornell has a deep-rooted tradition of excellence in equine research, education and clinical care,” said Lorin D. Warnick, the Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine. “With Cornell Equine, we are investing in the future – building a stronger community, advancing equine well-being and supporting the professionals who dedicate their lives to these animals.”

Support to help launch and sustain Cornell Equine has been provided by generous donors. The program invites others interested in investing in our ongoing clinical, research and engagement efforts to contact Dr. Mandi de Mestre (amm43@cornell.edu) or Alison Smith, director of development (ars1@cornell.edu).

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Press release by Len Johnson