Hands-on Learning Leads to Careers with Horses and Cattle
By Crystal Anderson
Nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Quincy, California is a small community college with an impressive horse and cattle program. At Feather River College students can earn an associate degree or certificate in Agriculture or Equine Studies with a focus in horse training, ranch, rodeo, or pack skills.
New to Feather River College is the Equine and Ranch Management Bachelor Degree Program. This unique program combines courses in animal production, business, and resource management to prepare students for careers as ranch managers, entrepreneurs, and agriculture industry professionals.
At Feather River College, students have many hands-on learning opportunities. They can handle newborn foals, start horses under saddle, brand and vaccinate calves, learn to weld and irrigate, pack with mules, acquire veterinary care techniques, and intern with some of the nation’s leaders in the horse and cattle industries. Other highlights include a champion intercollegiate rodeo team, ranch versatility horse show team, annual production horse sale, as well as Angus cattle and American Quarter Horse breeding programs.
The annual production horse sale is held the third Saturday in May and features horses that were raised and trained by students. With opportunities to work with some of the nation’s leading industry professionals, the opportunities at Feather River College are limitless. The atmosphere is perfect for the dedicated student who wants to ride, rope, and learn about ranch management while improving their skills for a future in the beef cattle and horse worlds.
For more information, visit www.frc.edu or call 530-283-0202 to set up a campus tour.
Published September 2018 Issue
Owner/Publisher Karen’s lifelong love of horses began at a very early age when she wore out a couple of rocking horses before convincing her parents to get her the real thing. That ill-tempered bay gelding, Brandy, was a challenge for the young horsewoman, but it drove her ambition to become a horse trainer. After attending Canyonview Equestrian College’s Horsemanship Program, Karen realized she needed work that was a little more lucrative than training, so she took a job with Customs Brokerage to pay the bills. There, she discovered an affinity for computers and a talent for creating informative, entertaining newsletters. The Northwest Horse Source began as such a letter in December 1995, with a distribution of 1000 copies for its 12 black and white pages. Now 29 years later, it’s an online magazine and website with a reach of over 10,000 per month and growing! Not bad for the results of one woman’s dream to work with horses!
Today, Karen remains involved with every aspect of the magazine and treasures the community of thousands who share a common passion.
