For Dr. Victoria Bailey, coming to Missouri State University felt like a natural fit.

This fall, she joined the faculty of the School of Agricultural Science and Conservation within the Darr College of Agriculture as an assistant professor.

When she saw the job posting, Bailey felt the position was written for her. That feeling only grew when she toured campus and saw how much Missouri State faculty and staff care about their students.

She hopes to bring her equine research to the classroom and community. Her goal is to become involved with the local horse industry and help students apply what they learn.

That desire to teach and find answers has driven Bailey throughout her own education.

“I felt I could do more … I want to know how things work and why,” Bailey said.

Where it all began

Bailey grew up in Woodruff, South Carolina, with a love for horses. As a child, she looked forward to being old enough to ride them herself.

As she got older, that passion became part of her work. In high school, Bailey trained horses and taught riding lessons to children ages 5-17.

While attending Clemson University, she developed an interest in reproductive physiology. There, she earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 2017.

For one year, Bailey worked as an assistant broodmare manager in Aiken, South Carolina. She cared for foals from birth until they were 2 years old, trying to make each foal the “friendliest little thing” possible.

Her work with horses and interest in reproductive physiology led her back to school.

“I knew I wanted to work with horses while also teaching and doing research,” she said.

Developing her expertise

Bailey earned her PhD in equine reproductive physiology from Louisiana State University in 2024. Her research focused on the seasonality of reproduction in horses.

Horses reproduce less during the winter when cold temperatures and limited food can make it harder for foals to survive. Today, foals can be raised in barns, allowing breeders to extend the breeding season.

Bailey wanted to understand what happens in a horse’s brain to control those seasonal changes.

She studied the interaction between kisspeptin and prolactin in the brain. Kisspeptin plays a role in puberty and reproductive function, while prolactin controls lactation and changes seasonally in horses.

Bailey shared a fun fact about kisspeptin: Researchers discovered the hormone in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and named it after Hershey’s Kisses.

With her PhD in hand, Bailey became a postdoctoral researcher at Michigan State University from 2024-26. She studied women’s health, pregnancy and preeclampsia (a pregnancy complication) using mouse models.

At Missouri State, she hopes to continue researching equine reproduction. Her research could help breeders improve the health of horses and foals.

Bailey summed up the goal simply.

“More babies, but better babies.”

Bringing research into the classroom

She chose a career in higher education to combine her love for teaching and research.

On campus, Bailey will teach reproductive physiology, equine reproduction, animal breeding and equine evaluation. She likes to call the last one “horse judging.”

“I’m most excited to teach equine reproduction in the spring because it’s so hands-on,” she said. “Students will help with foaling, stallion collection and rebreeding mares.”

She plans to use real-life stories, pictures and videos to make lessons relatable and easy to remember. She wants students to gain a strong foundation and then apply what they learn.

She also wants students to take part in her research. In the coming years, she plans to establish a research laboratory that engages undergraduate and master’s students in hands-on research experiences. They will lead projects, collect data from horses, analyze their findings and help write manuscripts for scientific journals.

For Bailey, the opportunity brings together what she loves most.

“What’s better than talking about horses?” she said.

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