Advocating for the Underdog through Education in Equine Welfare

Imagine if a dedication to the underdogs became a life mission. Meet Stacey Iverson, one of OpenEd’s Equine Studies Online students. Stacey is currently completing the Certificate in Equine Welfare–a program that challenges students' perspectives with six unique courses.

In her words, Stacey challenges the perspective “if something breaks, throw it away and get one that works.” An incident involving an older horse named Henry, who had previously undergone Kissing Spine Surgery, particularly moved her. It was during a pivotal conversation about Henry's future that Stacey realized her deep commitment to providing lifetime care for horses, countering the common practice of discarding older, less active horses. She says, “when you commit to a horse, you commit for life.”

Stacey's professional journey includes a significant period in international wildlife conservation, particularly focusing on animals in Africa, before pivoting to animal welfare. Since the early 2000s, she has been actively involved with organizations like the Redwings Horse Sanctuary, dedicating her efforts to senior horse rescue. Stacey’s philosophy is clear, “people say ‘you are so nice to take in these old horses’. But to me, I couldn’t do anything else. To me it's not like there's a choice. It has to be done. I feel like we can all do something.”

Stacey decided to bring her passion back to school in her 50s by enrolling in the Equine Welfare Certificate program at the University of Guelph. She finds the program welcoming to students of all ages, praising the supportive and flexible approach of the instructors. “Everyone has been so understanding, so flexible, so supportive and non-judgmental,” she says. “If you feel like you want to do this, but you're not sure if you can fit it in, you can fit it in”, she advises prospective students.

Stacey’s advice for well-informed equine care: “Question everything. Question what you are doing from validated science and evidence-based sources.” She notes that there is so much tradition when working with horses, but things have changed and not one horse is the same. In the courses, evaluation of management practices uses an evidence-based foundation to recognize equine welfare issues.

A course that stands out for Stacey is the Global Perspectives on Equid Welfare, which expanded her understanding of international welfare issues, reinforcing the need for evidence-based practices in horse management. Not only is the information from class material so applicable for Stacey, but the community that comes from this program provides additional value. “I feel like every aspect of my horse's care and wellbeing has been affected in a positive way by these courses, and it's urged me to just keep trying new things and questioning what I'm doing.”

Her plan for the future involves starting a not-for-profit business to promote the idea that you can help “at least one more horse”. “So many horses end up in rescues, neglected, or worse because there was no plan to help these horses,” emphasizes Stacey. “We have to make plans for our horses.”

Stacey suggests some ideas on how you can help make a difference in a senior horse’s life: “Take one more horse into your stable, and if that's not possible, volunteer, brush your neighbour’s old horse and take them for a walk, donate money, clean a stall for a week, educate yourself and help a friend.” Just like Stacey, you too can make a significant difference in the lives of horses.