Barbaro may be the nation's most-talked-about equine rehabilitation case, but he certainly is not the only one and, while it may seem like grasping at straws to think of any good that could be derived from the Derby winner's breakdown, there is one encouraging initiative in upstate New York that is truly inspiring.

At Morrisville State College, a group of equine science students are ever more dedicated to the old art and new science of equine rehabilitation. Luckily, the students are enrolled at MSC where the nation's first equine science degree will soon be introduced with a concentration in equine rehab and physiology. In addition, the College plans, and is raising funds, to build a new state-of-the-art equine rehabilitation center. Located near Cornell, its renowned veterinary school and several lay up facilities, which are often filled to capacity, the administrators and educators at the SUNY college were too often aware of the shortage of appropriate space and know-how in equine rehabilitation.

"As all colleges should and try to, we are simply responding to industry needs," remarks James Hastie, executive director of the Morrisville College Foundation.

Barbaro

While the sleek and swift thoroughbred Barbaro's heartbreaking injuries and road to recovery may provide essential inspiration to future practitioners of equine rehab in New York, Morrisville's equine program uses quite a different type of horse to bring attention to its program: a team of Belgians. That's right, the six-horse Belgian hitch that has delighted ever-increasing crowds and national media at the "Christmas in Middleburg" parade for the past three years comes from the equine experts and students at Morrisville. Shortly after Dr. Sheila Johnson was invited to give a commencement speech at the college early in this century, Johnson became one of the school's benefactors.

In 2002, Johnson donated $1 million to Morrisville State College for the creation of the Sheila Johnson Institute, whose mission is to provide support for diversity and character-building initiatives at the college. She continues to be an active supporter of the college, serves on the Morrisville College Foundation board, and was the one to encourage the school to send its charming hitch down to Middleburg to take part in the annual Christmas festivities.

Driver Scott Seymour welcomed Dr. Johnson to his side on many of the early Christmas in Middleburg parade rides.

Two Million Horses

With two million horses within an eight-hour drive, MSC is not just geographically well situated to address that need but historically and academically well ahead of the curve as well. The College's equine program started decades ago and, since its inception, has provided equine rehabilitation services. During the decades that followed the school built a stellar reputation for turning out competent and caring equine science graduates.

"And... they are a very caring bunch," says Hastie. "We still get notes from alumni asking how a horse is doing."

In addition to Morrisville State College's ties to Middleburg, the institution is no stranger to being in the forefront of equine science education. It was the first college in New York to offer a four-year equine science degree and the first in the nation to offer a four-year racing management degree. Currently over 300 students and 400 horses call the Equine Science department home. Its facilities operate as a working equine business offering breeding, training, and raising horses for sale. According to Hastie, the school runs the fourteenth-largest yearling sale in the United States.

Eager Students

Today, the school has plenty of eager students, a full staff of qualified academics including four Ph.D.'s, and 400 horses.

"It's not like getting involved with a start up," Hastie emphasizes.

With this impeccable foundation and a comprehensive plan in place the only missing piece, as often is the case, is funding. The plan requires that Morrisville College Foundation raise $5 million by June of this year to make the dream a reality.

Thanks to a generous and much-acclaimed donation from Empire Racing, over a million of that has been committed. When The Foundation reaches its goal, in donations and pledges, which must occur by June 2007, it will proceed with the groundbreaking.

Every Horseman's Dream

The realization of this plan will create every horseman's dream rehabilitation center.

"We will be able to offer the same services offered by KESMARC (Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Center), but for 48 percent lower cost," claims Hastie.

The lower price considers a discount that is based on a competitive-bid process that allows the school to purchase hay, bedding, feed and other essentials at significantly lower prices.

Once completed, the Morrisville rehab center will feature a swimming pool; a well-loved, low impact approach to rebuilding horse strength during rehab; a Eurociser (basically a high-tech version of the old stand-by, the hot walker); an Aquaciser (or underwater treadmill); and a hyperbaric chamber (an oxygen chamber that is used in conjunction with other therapies to speed healing by forcing oxygen into diseased or damaged areas.)

Once the facility is funded, the groundbreaking will take place immediately and the new facility will be up and running in eight months. At that point, the college will begin recruiting students for its proposed Baccalaureate in Equine Rehabilitation and Physiology.

According to Hastie, when the idea was first conceived, they did an informal poll of current students and found that 95 percent were interested in the degree. Why the overwhelming desire to rehab horses?

"It may be because of Barbaro," concedes Hastie.

For more information on Morrisville State College, their equine degrees, or their plans for the new equine rehabilitation center please see http://www.morrisville.edu/equinerehab.