• Plight of wild horses shown during OSU halftime. (Stillwater)
• Falconers hope for more land to expand hunting opportunity. (Woodward)
• Georgia mascot Uga VII dies. (Georgia)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Farmers hope state warms to alpacas. (statewide)
• Suspect accused of choking police dog. (Oklahoma City)
• Hawgs for Hounds to raise funds for rescued boxer dogs. (Del City)
• Xtreme Bulls Tour replacing rodeo. (Oklahoma City)
• Mom of baby killed by puppy nears end of juvenile probation. (Tulsa)
• Watershed pollution trial starts. (Tulsa)

And check out this cool video from Remington Park:

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Cool off a hot dog with a big pool. (Midwest City)
• Racetrack purchase may spark ventures. (Oklahoma City)
• Sale to bring upgrades for Remington Park. (Oklahoma City)
• Parading in Arcadia. (page 3d)
• Pet adoption drive gets support. (nationwide)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Animal behavior takes on emaning in artist’s paintings. (Oklahoma City)
• Farming fish gains approval. (Louisiana)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Strutting on the catwalk. (Yukon)
• Obedience class set. (Oklahoma City, page 1d)
• Pet Tales: Boxer for his birthday. (Edmond)
• Bark Busters looking for bite. (Oklahoma City)
• State farmers, ranchers eligible for assistance. (statewide)
• Miniature horses delight nursing home residents. (Colorado)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Zoo approves updates to children’s exhibit. (Oklahoma City)
• Horse care course set. (Oklahoma City)
• Hunters, anglers among targets of new ministries. (statewide)
• Equestrian designer joins firm. (Missouri)
• Raising chickens at home a real coop. (Oregon)
• Blog: A Special Canary Department. (Oklahoma City, The Archivist)

 And for the stuff that was only photos …

• Fire department’s dogs get chance to show their stuff. (Oklahoma City, page 11a, Saturday)

• Canadian County Fair ends today. (El Reno, page 1d, Saturday)

And go here to see cute pictures of dogs swimming in a Norman pool.

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Neighbor saves boy from dogs. (Noble)
• Getting a glimpse of nature. (Norman)
• Zebra mussel gains ground in Oklahoma. (Lake Texoma)
• Couple start family with injured pooch. (Tulsa)
• Work begins on vets’ clinic. (Colorado)
• Debate focuses on value of autism service dogs. (Illinois)
• A dog’s holiday. (Monday, page 1c, nationwide)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

Learning to care for a horse is no easy undertaking.

A whole lot goes into the care and maintenance of these animals,” stated Ray Ridlen, Agriculture Educator for the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service. “Anyone who undertakes the task of caring for one needs to know the challenges that must be faced.”

To help Oklahoma City area residents become more knowledgeable about the care and training of horses, the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service will offer a seven-week “Horse Short Course” this September and October.

Classes will begin on Thursday, September 10, at the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service in Oklahoma City from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will continue on each Thursday evening until October 22.

“We’ve set the program up so that the average horse owner or someone who is thinking about getting a horse can learn quite a bit about the management and care of their charges,” commented Ridlen, who will serve as one of the instructors for the course. “Some of the state’s foremost experts in equine topics will be speaking during this course.”

Dr. David Freeman, an OSU Extension Equine Specialist, will begin the course by talking about the basics of horse ownership and care. This includes an overview about the current horse industry, an assessment of production and use goals, and identification of operating expenses.

Other specialists teaching the course include Dr. Gene Parker, Area Animal Quality and Health Specialist, Dr. Justin Talley, OSU Extension Entomology Specialist, and Sherman Grubb, Creek County Extension Educator.

“We’ve set the course up so that each week the horse enthusiasts can learn quite a bit on a different subject,” Ridlen stated. “This program has been done in other places throughout the state and has proven to be a great help to horse owners.”

Nutrition, feeding management, pasture, fencing, forage production, pest control, breeding specifics, and even behavior principals for training are also courses that will be addressed in the seminar.

In addition to the in-class course work, participants will also visit a successful horse training operation in Yukon, OK, as they learn more about training principals from local breeder John Lethem.

“There shouldn’t be a dull moment in these seminar courses,” Ridlen stressed. “This should be the single-most informative class horse lovers could take to find out what they need to know about the care and management of horse stock.”

Horse ownership is not required for the course, since it has also been designed to help people to plan for a horse they plan to own in the future.

The seminar will be limited to the first 30 people and a pre-registration fee of $30 is required. For more information about the seminar, contact the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Center at 713-1125.

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Youths take the reins at Quarter Horse event. (Oklahoma City)
• Catching hope: Burned children get a chance at fun at firefighters’ camp. (Pryor)
• Tips offered to avoid insect stings. (nationwide, page 2c, Monday)
• Lost dog found after nine years. (Australia, page 13a, Sunday)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Therapy dog goes on his final round. (Oklahoma City)
• Pelican collision getting new look. (Oklahoma City)
• Police arrest 19 in canary fighting. (Connecticut)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll