Effectiveness of Webinars as Educational Tools to Address Horse Industry Issues

A series of six webinars was developed and presented as part of an eXtension HorseQuest/My Horse University online educational program funded by the USA Equestrian Trust. The webinars addressed topics consistent with the goal of improving equine health and management practices through dissemination to horse owners of relevant research findings on current horse industry issues. The webinars were presented and recorded and then archived to both eXtension.org/horses and myhorseuniversity.com. Data from a voluntary postwebinar survey showed that a viable tool was successfully created and used to disseminate current research-based information to the industry

Reach Versus Impact: Comparing Webinars and Online Short Courses for Educational Outcomes

Our multistate group of state horse specialists produced and evaluated impacts from six webinars and online short courses (webinar plus additional content) addressing current industry issues: pasture-associated laminitis, equine herpesvirus-1, disaster preparedness, sales fraud, rescues/rehoming, and manure management. We identified no differences in perceived knowledge gained from webinars or short courses; however, results suggest that participation in short courses versus live webinars may be more useful for making positive management decisions. Short course participants also reported greater potential for cost savings as a result of completing the education. On the basis of the study, we offer recommendations for developing effective online Extension education programs