Kelly Gross, assistant director of Storm Harbor Equestrian Center at Slippery Rock University, brushes Max, one the center's many horses. According to Slippery Rock University's website, Storm Harbor Equestrian Center provides weekly Equine Assisted Activities for people of all ages with cognitive, physical, emotional and social disabilities.

Learning the ins and outs of feeding, boarding and caring for a horse might not be as daunting as breaking in a wild mustang, but it's plenty challenging in its own right.

But a handful of area residents who own horses, work with them on a regular basis or are in equine-related businesses say that plenty of sources are available to help answer just about any question a horse owner — or prospective owner — might have.

The question of proper nutrition alone requires a great deal of thought and research, said Donna Zang, a lifelong horse owner who worked as an educator with the Penn State Cooperative Extension for more than 38 years.

“Knowing how to feed a horse is such a broad, complex question,” said Zang, who still volunteers for the Cooperative Extension and remains involved with the 4-H program at the state level. “They have unique nutritional needs. It's not a one-size-fits-all kind of feeding program.”

Rather, proper nutritional care is based on a number of factors, including usage, size and age, said Cody Stephenson, the manager at Butler Agway on Evans City Road.

“There are different disciplines, and we'd need to know the activity level before we recommended a certain type of food,” Stephenson said.

A portion of this story is shared with you as a digital media exclusive. To read the full story and support our local, independent newsroom, please subscribe online. or