Marion County, Fla., is known as the Horse Capital of the World, so many of its students have small connections to the equine industry. In 2016, North Marion High School FFA advisor Lori Jones sought to bridge this gap by partnering with Bobby Jones Equine, a local horse breeder, to establish the North Marion Equine Program.
“My students helped me write a grant to start the program by putting horse-safe fencing on the school’s Land Lab,” Lori Jones says. “My husband, Bobby, donated two Thoroughbred mares to start the breeding program.”
Through the program, North Marion High School FFA members breed and raise two Thoroughbred foals each year, which they then prepare to sell. Discover how these members are gaining valuable experiences while discovering career pathways.
All Things Equine
Horses are an important part of many FFA members’ and alums’ lives. Check out the Locust Trace Agriscience Center’s Agribusiness Equine Studies Program in Lexington, Ky., then watch and learn about Ohio FFA Alumna Chelsey Keiser’s career path as a female jockey.
