Cal Poly Pomona Arabian Horse Expert Speaks at International Conference

A Cal Poly Pomona staff member spoke at an international conference in Australia about Arabian horses.

Cindy Reich oversees the breeding and management of the herd at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center on campus and is an internationally renowned expert on Arabian horse (conformation) as well as breeding.

She was invited to speak the World Arabian Horse Organization’s biennial conference in January about practical new techniques in foaling practices and foal care from birth to weaning. Reich was the only speaker at the conference from North America.

“The conference is held every two years at different places around the globe. Two years ago, it was held in Bahrain,” Reich said. “In two years’ time, it will be in Lebanon.  It was a great opportunity to share a lot of the procedures we use here at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center with an international Arabian horse audience.  Representing both Cal Poly Pomona and the historic W.K. Kellogg program was a huge honor and a lot of attendees were familiar with our breeding program and were asking lots of questions. Particularly the contingent from England.”

The response to the presentation was excellent, and several representatives from countries such as Saudi Arabia and England asked Reich whether she would consider speaking to their Arabian horse organizations in the future.

After the presentation, Reich taught attendees how to use the Madigan Foal Squeeze technique to help foals suffering from neonatal maladjustment syndrome – where they are detached, unresponsive, fail to recognize their own mothers and may have trouble nursing.

She also had hands-on sessions on how to use a colostrometer – a device for determining the quality of a mare’s milk before feeding a foal – and how to use a foal ambu-bag to help the newborns breathe. 

“No one had ever conducted a ‘hands-on’ lab at the convention,” Reich said. “We had a life-sized plush foal and everyone had a chance to do resuscitation procedures and the squeeze technique. It proved to be extremely popular.”

In addition to the presentation, Reich also judged the Australian East Coast Championship Arabian horse show, then went on to New Zealand to judge the New Zealand Arabian National Championship show, and conduct a seminar on evaluating conformation of the Arabian horse.