A meeting with Director of Sidi Thabet School of Veterinary Medicine

We were very excited to have a meeting this morning (September 11) with Dr.  Samir Ben Romdhane, director of the Sidi Thabet School of Veterinary Medicine (Tunisia's only veterinary school). It is located about 40 minutes from Tunis.
As we approached the school, there was a hint of the presence of horses in the area by local artwork.

 This sculpture highlighting a horse is at the entrance to the school.

We were warmly greeted by the director who enjoyed seeing alumni Jaber and hearing what he had been doing at University of California, Davis. We told him about our project and the progress we'd made so far. The director told us about some of the new activities at the school and we made an plan to return the next day for a full tour and to meet with faculty to discuss collaborations. (take a look at the english hunt scene in the painting on the wall)

Tricia, Dr. Samir Ben Romdhane, and Jaber

Before we left Sidi Thabet, we drove a few minutes down the road to the National Foundation for the Improvement of the Horses Breed ( http://www.fnarc.nat.tn ). It is a public institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. Private horse owners bring their horses here for breeding; some of the breeds represented are arabians and thoroughbreds. FNARC also has a mission to participate in the promotion of equestrian sports and tourism.

The walls of the buildings were enhanced with beautiful horse paintings

Artistic blue gates mark the entrance to the stables

The studs munch on alfalfa hay...

while the mommas and babies mingle in the paddocks

We didn't see any donkeys here but the well cared for horses certainly looked healthy and content.