Western Kentucky University / A / Charles Anderson

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS! This is the worst class I have taken in college. Dr. Anderson may know about animal nutrition but he does a horrible job trying to "teach." He basically comes to class and talks the whole time, occasionally scribbles hard to follow drawings, and sometimes has a confusing powerpoint to go along with it. Not only is the class not structured well (you only have 2 exam grades and then a cumulative final, so good luck getting a decent grade for the semester) but he is one of the most demeaning and annoying professors I have come across. He picks on students to answer questions during class, but no answer is ever good enough or up to his standards and he will continue to pick on that student for the remainder of the class period and semester. I wish someone had told me not to take this class, because it is obviously not worth the trouble it caused.

A fun and interesting class (actually 330/331, lecture and lab, but same grade given for both), with field trips and hands-on work with the horses. Not that study time isn't needed (especially in the areas of genetics and reproduction, IMO), but the practical experience was the highlight of the class for me. We skipped from one subject to another a lot, but weather and availability of guest lecturers and field trip locations had a significant impact on organization. If you have an interest in equines, take this class.

A good introductory course to this subject. By necessity it can scarcely touch on the various nutrition groups and their uses by ruminants and monogastrics, but does provide useful knowledge. It would be nice to have more detailed follow-up courses available, e.g., vitamin and mineral nutrition, carbohydrate nutrition, etc. Dr. A. may not be the most PC person in the world (see an earlier comment), but he is a knowledgeable, interesting and engaging lecturer.

This was definitely the worst course I have ever taken in the Ag. Dept. This class was one of only 2 B's I've ever gotten in that department (I'm an agriculture major). Dr. Anderson is a terrible teacher. He does not teach in an organized manner at all. For example, one day you might talk about lipid metabolism in non-ruminants, and the next day you might talk about the structure of proteins. In addition to being totally unorganized, he's also sexist. I cannot count the number of times he talked about the "ignorant housewife" that was trying to buy feed for her horses. This was very offensive to someone who grew up with horses and was raised by a single mom. And to top it all off, he graded every one of my exams wrong. He never posted the grades. So I have no idea if he recorded them correctly (i.e. fixed his mistakes). Unfortunately he's the only person that teaches this class, so for now there's really no other option. If you don't have to take it, I would try to get out of it.

Dr. Anderson is generally a good guy, but when he loses his patience with you when you're riding, his good demeanor usually goes out the window. Only take this class if you are willing to put up with constant criticism and being busted out if you're doing wrong in front of the entire class. It's not like it's terribly embarrassing, but if you aren't usually the one to enjoy such, then I don't recommend this course.

Newbies can succeed in this class, just as long as you are willing to put in the physical and mental stamina to stick in there. I withdrew because I had too hard of a schedule during the semester to worry about this class all the time. It got to the point of being a bit ridiculous at times as well, but if you are an animal lover and you want a good workout for a P.E. credit, I would recommend this course to you. For those who aren't hardcore about it, then I suggest something easier!

The midterm and final consists of Dr. Anderson showing you a pattern you must replicate on your horse (such as a Figure 8 for example). He then video records your performance while the rest of the class watches. If you have stage fright/public performance anxiety, then I suggest you stay away from this course! Good luck!

This is the best way to take care of the pesky Phisical Education requirement. Don't get me wrong, it's not like you jst sit there and let the horse do all the work, but the class is really fun! It's set up for people who don't know anything about horses, so don't worry if you have little or no experience. One of two people teach the course eith Dr. Anderson or a grad student, Ashley (although I think this may be her last year). Both of them really know their stuff and you'll learn a lot. You spend just about every session riding, but you do have to have a couple lecture days. Riding is a lot more work than it looks like, so don't expect to get by without being a little sore every once in a while. All of the university horses are great, and the class moves slow enough to let everyone keep up. However, if you do have a little bit more riding experience it can seem a little slow at times.

You have a bunch of quizes and a written final, but they're pretty easy as long as you pay atention in class. Nearly all of your grade is based on improvement, so it's a pretty good class. I had a lot of fun in there.

Also if you take this class, ask about the equestrian team here at Western.

Happy trails!

This is the coolest class ever!!! I have been riding for awile, but its also great for those who haven't ever ridden. My class was actually taught by a grad student named Ashley Montford and I would definately reccommend taking it from her instead of Anderson himself. You get to ride pretty much every meeting except for like two times. Its great and I would highly suggest anyone take it, regardless of experience!

He is extremly boring and his tests are so precise that it makes you sick. Too bad he's the only one you can take for this class!

This is an awesome class for the PE requirement. Dr. Anderson is very thorough and patient, and will explain until you understand. The whole course, except for one or two sessions, is spent on horseback so it's really a lot of fun. Expect to learn a lot, and don't take this class if you're lazy!

In this class there is a lot of quality information that Dr. Charles Anderson will cover not only is it very important that you attend class but he does not take attendance but he knows if go or not. Not difficult if you prepare for the exams. The exams are not hard but some of the question can be difficult only if you are not prepared. He is well rounded to the horse nutrition, industry and training he does no what he is talking about just a great professor

Dr. Anderson does a very good job teaching this course. He discusses the type and quality of equipment, types of horses and stock seat and english seat riding techniques. The majority of the class is actual riding. Don't take the course if you're not willing to work or if you are not in at least moderate physical condition. Highly recommended for those who want to learn how to take care of and ride a horse.