Extension Horses, Inc. experts act fast to create online resources to assist the horse industry during COVID-19.
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting stay-at-home directives, adopted out of necessity to protect human health, introduced significant challenges for horse owners and small equine businesses. Restricted access, and in many cases closure of barns, resulted in a multitude of questions and concerns within the equine community which needed to be addressed rapidly. Extension Horses, Inc. (EH) coordinated the development and delivery of a variety of educational resources utilizing a combination of online formats and dissemination through social media and EH member contact lists. A series of infographics, webinars, and podcasts (three in each category) were created to provide guidance on essential care of horses, emergency preparedness, financial assistance, legal concerns, and biosecurity during the crucial, initial weeks of the pandemic (March to April 2020). Web conferencing technology (Zoom) was used to facilitate discussion and task delegation among EH members and to conduct and record webinars and podcasts. Podcasts were hosted on Buzzsprout and infographics were created using Adobe InDesign. Live webinar participants were invited to participate in several polls during the webinar and were sent a brief survey to complete at the end of the webinar series. Analytics for all educational resources combined demonstrated a 32-d total direct reach of 135,563. Most live webinar participants identified themselves as horse owners and small equine business owners (55%). The majority of live webinar participants indicated the information was useful (99%), and they would utilize the resources they had learned about (80%). Survey respondents reported that Facebook, email, and word of mouth were key ways in which they learned about the webinars. The same survey found that the web-platform was an effective method to receive information (85% high satisfaction) and respondents were highly likely to recommend future EH webinars to others (88%). The three infographics had a total Facebook reach of 131,765, the webinars had 3,522 total views, and the three podcasts had 276 total downloads. The rapid response of EH and quick turnaround of products allowed a large online audience to receive vital information for coping with COVID-19. Having the established EH network, already familiar with virtual education, was a big asset in this effort. This can serve as a model for cooperative extension to utilize in future collaborative responses to industry issues.
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.
Publication Date: 2020-06-25 PubMed ID: 32728659PubMed Central: PMC7337838DOI: 10.1093/tas/txaa085Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article discusses the role of Extension Horses, Inc. in developing online resources to help horse owners and small equine businesses navigate through the challenges brought by COVID-19. The content was widely disseminated and received positively by the target audience.
Challenges to the Equine Industry and Response of Extension Horses, Inc.
- The COVID-19 pandemic led to many difficulties for horse owners and small equine businesses, due to strict lockdowns and the closure of barns. This situation created multiple concerns that needed to be addressed urgently.
- As a response, Extension Horses, Inc. (EH) facilitated the creation and distribution of several online educational resources. These materials were shared across various social media platforms and directly to members of EH.
Creation and Distribution of Resources
- EH developed a series of infographics, webinars, and podcasts to address the most pressing issues, including the care of horses under these circumstances, emergency readiness, financial aid, legal issues, and biosecurity.
- Online platforms like Zoom were used for team communication, and to conduct and record webinars and podcasts. Buzzsprout served as the hosting site for podcasts, while Adobe InDesign was used to design infographics.
- EH employed an interactive approach for live webinar participants who were invited to take part in different polls and complete a survey at the end of the webinar. These tactics aimed to engage the audience and gather their feedback.
Evaluation of Success
- Analytics indicated a 32-day total direct reach of 135,563 individuals and depicted that most of the webinar attendees were horse and small equine business owners.
- Feedback showed that 99% found the information useful and 80% would use the resources learned. Facebook, email, and word of mouth became the primary channels where attendees learned about the webinars.
- The data collected reflected a high level of satisfaction with the online platform, with 85% of respondents indicating high satisfaction and 88% stating they would recommend future webinars to others.
- The three infographics reached 131,765 people on Facebook, the webinars had a total of 3,522 views, and the three podcasts were downloaded 276 times. These significant numbers demonstrate the success and effectiveness of EH’s rapid response.
Long-Term Implications
- EH’s efficient response and the swift creation of materials enabled a broad online audience to access critical information for managing the effects of COVID-19 on equine care.
- The existing EH network, already proficient with virtual education, played a significant role in this initiative. This successful strategy can be used as a guide for cooperative extension to address similar industry issues in the future.
Cite This Article
APA
Greene EA, Hein W, Wickens CL, Smarsh DN.
(2020).
Extension Horses, Inc. experts act fast to create online resources to assist the horse industry during COVID-19.
Transl Anim Sci, 4(3), txaa085.
https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaa085 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University of Arizona, School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tucson, AZ.
- Oregon State University, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, 4-H Youth Development, Corvallis, OR.
- University of Florida, Department of Animal Sciences, Gainesville, FL.
- Pennsylvania State University, Department of Animal Science, University Park, PA.
References
This article includes 14 references
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- Morrison A, Bump K, Hiney K, Wickens C. Defining essential equine care during a pandemic.. Published on March 31, 2020.
- Morrison A, Bump K, Hiney K, Wickens C. FAQs on essential equine activities during a pandemic.. Published on April 1, 2020.
- Morrison A, Hiney K, Bump K, Wickens C. Developing a personal preparedness plan.. Extension Horses, Inc Published on April 2, 2020.
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Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Thompson JM, Kibler ML, Ivey JLZ. Financial strain of COVID-19 and its impact on willingness-to-pay for equine care. J Anim Sci 2023 Jan 3;101.
- Ward AB, Stephen K, Argo CM, Harris PA, Watson CA, Neacsu M, Russell W, Grove-White DH, Morrison PK. COVID-19 impacts equine welfare: Policy implications for laminitis and obesity. PLoS One 2021;16(5):e0252340.
- Lamm KW, Randall NL, Fluharty FL. Critical issues facing the animal and food industry: a Delphi analysis. Transl Anim Sci 2021 Jan;5(1):txaa213.
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