On Saturday, Oct. 26, the Horse Club at SDSU put on their annual petting zoo for elementary school students and their families from Brookings, Elkton, Volga and Arlington, S.D.
Dr. Carmen Paulson of the SDSU horse unit said that 290 kids attended. Those who attended were also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate.
Horse club president, Alyssa Launsbach, said that, “All of the food is going to the Brookings County food pantry. We give the free-will cash donations to the Brookings humane society.”
Dr. Paulson said that $182.21 was donated for the humane society. An official amount for the pounds in food donated will be received at a later time. Dr. Paulson said that the amount of food donated filled the back of her truck bed.
The petting zoo featured sheep, goats, cattle, miniature and full-sized donkeys, and draft horses.
Unique to the petting zoo this year were two miniature horses brought by the horse club prexy council officer Mackenzie Steinbrecher and her mother Katie Steinbrecher.
The kids got a wristband at the door, and then had the freedom to roam and play. Many different stations and activities were there for kids to participate in besides the petting zoo.
College students volunteered to supervise and help children at each station and activity.
One area had been set up where kids could learn barrel patterns by racing around 5-gallon buckets with a stick horse.
An indoor arena was also set up to give the kids horse rides. First, college students helped each kid pick out a helmet that fit properly. Then Dr. Paulson taught each kid how to properly mount the horse.
College students guided each horse around the arena as the kids rode, and another student would walk alongside the horse and kid for added safety. The students then taught each kid to properly dismount from the horse.
Yet another area was set up where kids could learn proper roping techniques. The Jackrabbit Stampede Ambassador, Kenzie Carlson, volunteered to help run this station. “I’ve been around horses for a long time,” Carlson said, “and anything I can do to promote horses or the western lifestyle, I’ll try to. I want to help where I can.”
Launsbach said, “My favorite part about our petting zoo is getting to see the excitement on kid’s faces when they get to experience being around animals.”
Carlson said she enjoyed helping out with the event. “It makes me so happy to see the community support in the college,” Carlson said.
9-year-old Cole Birman from Elkton said that his favorite activity was roping.
Another attendee, Addeline Steinle, said that she really enjoyed petting the donkeys. As she was standing in line for the horse rides with her siblings, Addeline said, “I really want to go ride on a horse. We all absolutely love riding horse. Once we’re done with school, we are going to go to a horse camp – maybe.”
Addeline’s dad, Dylan Steinle, said that it was his first time bringing his family to the horse club petting zoo. He had pointed at his wife and said, “It was her idea,” to bring the kids. His wife said the kids received information about the petting zoo at school. Dylan said he would definitely bring them again because his kids are “crazy about horses.”
Ezra Baggett, a 7-year-old from Brookings said that his favorite part of the day was, “trying to rope,” and that the animal he was most excited to see was a cat.
Thankfully, the horse unit barn cat named Cheddar made an appearance.
Ezra’s mom, Ashlyn Baggett, said she’d never been to the horse club petting zoo before. “This is the first time I’ve heard about it.”
Dr. Paulson said they have put on the petting zoo since 2007, and that they have had it every year since, with the exception of 2023.
Launsbach said she feels the petting zoo is super important for several reasons. “It sparks an interest in agriculture in our community, and it allows us to give back to the community.”
