In Hungary, at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Budapest, first-year students were in for a unique surprise during their animal anatomy class. Instead of traditional models and diagrams, two full-grown horses were brought into the lecture hall to provide a hands-on learning experience. Dr. Péter Sótonyi, the university’s rector, utilized one of the horses to visually demonstrate the location of bones, organs, and muscles by drawing on its body with chalk.
Sótonyi emphasized the importance of the students’ first encounter with animal anatomy being with a living creature rather than a carcass. He has been using this unconventional teaching method for approximately 25 years, believing that it allows students to interact more intimately with the subject matter compared to studying from textbooks and charts. According to Sótonyi, horses were chosen for their intelligence and noble nature, making them ideal for this educational role.
The horses, provided annually by the Budapest Police, remained calm throughout the lecture and received treats like sugar cubes for their cooperation. To enhance the learning experience, Sótonyi not only marked the horse’s body but also compared it to pieces from a model horse skeleton. Halfway through the lesson, he demonstrated the oral structure by reaching into one of the horse’s mouths, receiving a playful nip in return, which amused the students.
The students, including 19-year-old Noémi Tamaska, expressed appreciation for the live horse demonstration as a valuable tool for understanding and retaining information. Tamaska highlighted the benefit of observing the skeletal system on a living animal, making it easier to comprehend for those who are visually oriented. The engaging lecture left the aspiring veterinarians excited and inspired by the hands-on experience they had just encountered.
