Mustangs and the Wild West 

Course Description

Mustangs and the Wild West and its companion course Inside Equus (BI 195) comprise a classroom and field-based introduction to equine physiology and behavior and their adaptation to domestication. Students will travel to Nevada and California over spring break to observe wild horses at liberty in the wild and in confinement and assess rangeland conditions. The ethical, ecological, and economic aspects of wild horse management on range lands will also be discussed and students will meet rangeland specialists, wild horse specialists, trainers, and advocates to hear different points of view. Observations will be documented and used in a formal presentation at the end of the semester. 

Learning Goals

Students enrolled in the Mustangs and the Wild West travel seminar: 

1) Will provide students the opportunity to study the behavior of feral horses both at liberty on the range and in confinement. The contrast of feral and domestic horses provides a unique set of comparisons and controls for the study of animal behavior. Students will use this information to distinguish between behavior that is evolutionary vs. adapted to domestication and environment. Horses form social groups and hierarchies which involve multiple behavioral interactions to maintain. Students will also be introduced to the horses' role in the ecology of the rangelands and the policy decisions made to manage their presence in this environment.

2) Students will be able to design an experiment to answer a specific research question and interpret the resutls. 

3) Students will be able to critically read and evaluate both the lay and, with support, the scientific literature.

4) Students will be able to organize experimental data and/or information from the literature and their research into, arguments supporting evidence based conclusions and decisions, presented orally or in writing. 

For a sample itinerary of the Mustangs and the Wild West travel seminar, please click here. 

Important Information

Prerequisite: Students accepted to the Mustangs and the Wild West travel seminar should plan to enroll in BI 195 Inside Equus: Biology of the Horse.  But, if a student has taken BI 316 Animal Behavior (or BI 195 in the past), they may be eligible for participation in the travel seminar. Students with other interests and specific backgrounds (ecology, environmental studies, history) may register after interview and approval by the instructor. 

Credits: TX100 is a one credit travel seminar. 

Program Fee: The anticipated fee for the travel seminar is $3,000 (subject to fluctuation). This includes airfare from Albany to Reno, most meals, accommodations (double occupancy), activities and ground transportation, Skidmore faculty on site, and the support of OCSE.  The fee does not include personal expenses. Financial aid is available for eligible students. Please see the OCSE travel seminar financial policy page for additional information. 

Meals and Housing: The program fee includes program housing in double rooms at hotels or guesthouses for the duration of the program. Breakfast is included at most hotels, and there will be group lunches and dinners throughout the program. More specific information about meals and housing will be communicated to students upon acceptance. 

Flights: Roundtrip airfare is included in the program fee. 

Application Process: Students are required to apply for Travel Seminars through the MyOCSE portal.  The deadline for applications is October 15, 208.  Applications will then be reviewed and students will be notified of acceptance before spring 2019 registration.  Students will then be required to register for BI 195 (unless prior approval from the faculty director is received).

If you have any questions about Mustangs and the Wild West, please stop by the OCSE office (Starbuck 202) or speak directly with Professor Elaine Larsen.