More than 350 horse enthusiasts–from hobbyists to breeders–are expected to gather Saturday, Oct. 13 at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), to rub noses with equine experts from throughout the nation during Horse Day 2012.

The event, a UC Davis tradition for three decades, offers participants many hands-on opportunities. It will begin at 8 a.m. with registration and a welcome assembly in the Main Arena of UC Davis’ Cole Facility on La Rue Road. Participants will then depart to nearby venues for instructional sessions and demonstrations.

Topics for the day will include horse nutrition, emergency care, dentistry, shoeing, genetics, and body conditioning. Some of the most interactive opportunities will include draft-horse harnessing and driving, dissection of the gastrointestinal tract, and scoring of horses’ body condition. Other lively sessions will include a mustang show, demonstration of horse rescue and emergency care, and a therapeutic shoeing presentation.

Speakers for the day will be from UC Davis’ animal science department and School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Texas A&M University, Michigan State University, University of Kentucky, and the local equine community