Organic chemistry will never teach you how to ride a horse.
However, 21-year-old Lauren Weber, a UF junior, gets life experience that she won't get sitting in her chemistry class.
Weber, who wants to become a veterinarian, is one of 39 individuals enrolled in horsemanship, a leisure course offered by the Reitz Union Office of Student Activities. The course teaches trail riding, horse care and communication, according to the leisure courses Web site.
"I need the experience with horses for my veterinary career," Weber said. "I thought this would be a great way to meet people who were interested in horses, too."
All leisure courses are non-credit classes, open to the public and range in cost depending on the length of the class and the materials needed, said Julie English, a UF program assistant and leisure course coordinator. UF students and alumni are offered a discounted price and classes generally meet once a week.
UF offers about 100 leisure classes with about 1,500 people who register each year, English said. The more popular lessons are ceramics, tennis and guitar.
Offbeat classes, such as acupuncture, are also available, according to the course Web site. In the dream exploration class, participants talk about their dreams and try to interpret them.
Suggestions for new classes and people interested in teaching them are always welcome, the Web site states. While some instructors are professionals, others are amateurs, including students and non-students. Instructors are paid an hourly wage in a lump sum at the end of the session.
