The first step towards construction of a Michigan State University facility devoted to the care of the nation’s performance horse population was taken Friday, Dec. 11, when the university’s Board of Trustees hired an architect/engineer for the project.

The Board approved the appointment of Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. of Ada, Mich., to begin designing the Equine Performance Center, an 18,000-square-foot building that will house much of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s equine care and research.

“This building will have dual functions,” said Hilary M. Clayton, DVM, a professor of large animal clinical sciences who is coordinating the project. “It will be used for clinical purposes as well as for research and will allow these two functions to be fully integrated. Basically, it will let us serve our clientele better.”

Among the building’s many features will be an indoor riding arena. This will allow veterinarians to better diagnose problems in performance horses