Eagle Feather Riding
CAN YOU??
Over the course of their years at Eagle Feather Riding, our teens work on and develop a wide variety of horsemanship abilities. The goals are categorized into a variety of areas, as detailed below; all are important. It is expected that all EFR Teens are comfortable and accomplished in these areas so they will be safe and successful as we engage in a variety of off-site adventures which take the students to a new level of riding and challenge them further. These include:
* "Load and Go s"
* Mountiain Day Rides
* Badlands Summer Adventure 2009
To ensure the safety and success of all students, the checklists below form the basis for:
* self- evaluation by the student
* assessment and decision making by EFR
* ongoing instruction based on identified needs
Many of our teens also enjoy working as copilots for less experienced riders in summer camps, as well as over the course of the year. Having a strong knowledge in all areas of horsemanship gives them confidence for teaching and sharing their abilities. The assistance of our teens is highly valued by EFR - and our young riders love them!!
The following is a list, in the form of questions, which details many things we want our teens to know and be able to do.
Horsemanship
1. Care of Horse and Tack
Grooming
Why is grooming important?
What is the purpose of each of the brushes/tools? Show how to use each one.
Can you run your hands down your horses legs? Can you touch his mouth, nose, face and ears?
Can you touch him all over his body? Can you go under his belly?
Why is it important to work on this touching?
Hoof Care
What are the parts of the hoof?
Can you pick up each of your horse's feet at any time? At the post, in the field?
Can you clean them?
What strategies can you use if he won't give you his foot?
Would you recognize a problem with his foot? How?
Halters and Tying
Why is it important to take care of and put things away carefully?
Can you put on a rope halter?
Can you fasten a rope halter so you can ride with it?
Can you tie a quick release knot? Why is this an important knot?
Can you tie this knot so smart horses can't untie it?
Blanket Use
When do we need to blanket our horse?
Can you put on a blanket, using the proper procedure?
What is the proper procedure for removal?
How do we care for blankets?
Bareback Pads and Saddles
Can you put on and remove a bareback pad/saddle?
How do you care for it?
How do you prepare a horse for putting one on?
After you remove it, what can you do for the horse's comfort?
2. Ground Work
Can you give at least three reasons why ground work generally is important?
Leading
How do you hold the rope when you are leading? Why?
Where do you walk when you lead?
Can you get your horse to walk off easily with you?
How many different strategies can you use if your horse won't walk off with you? For
example if he is intent on eating.
How far you lead your horse independently? Can you walk him to the feed building? To
the lower water fountain? Down the Cowboy Trail?
How can you work on developing this trust and independence with your horse?
Stopping
How do you ask your horse to stop?
Does he stop when you stop?
Can you walk and stop 3 times varying the distance each time.
Yielding to You
Can you get your horse to:
Lower his head? How far will he lower it?
Give to the far side?
Yield his hind end?
Back up?
Noisemakers and Toys
Can your horse drag something behind him?
Can you wave a flag over your horse's head?
Can you walk your horse under a rope, or tarp?
Can you rub a plastic bag, scrunched up, all over your horse?
Can you walk your horse over a tarp, over the sponge squares?
Can you put a hula hoop over your horse's head?
Can you put a rope around his legs? Under his tail? Around his hindend?
Can you use a noisemaker close to him?
Can you walk your horse over bridges. logs, etc.?
Can you walk easily and smoothly through a labyrinth, over pick up sticks?
3. Riding Skills
What is the Release Principal? Describe it and give an example of how it pertains to stopping,
Posture/Position/Balance
What is the proper position for holding your reins/rope? Why is this important?
Describe at least 3 aspects of body position which are important?
Describe how you sit for good balance on your horse?
Can you ride like an airplane? Like a helicopter?
Can you do YMCA?
Can you do Around the World?
Mounting and Dismounting
Can you mount your horse in 3 different places?
In 3 different ways?
From both sides?
Can you mount by yourself?
Why is all of this important?
Starting out and Stopping
Can you move your horse when he is eating? What are strategies for doing this?
How do you ask your horse to move forward? What is the lightest way you can do it? What can you do if he won't start out?
What is the series of things you do in order to ask your horse to stop?
At what stage does he usually stop?
What can you do if he won't stop?
Turning/ Side Passes
What is the series of things you do in order to ask your horse for a turn?
At what stage does he usually stop?
What can you do if your horse won't turn?
Can you successfully ask your horse to do a side pass to each side?
Can you do a walking circle?
Can you do a pivot?
Can you flex your horse's neck when you are on his back?
Backing Up
How do you ask your horse to back up?
Can you back him up 2 steps, 5 steps?
Can you back up releasing each step of the way?
Tempo
Can you speed up your horse's pace? How?
Can you slow down your horse's pace? How?
How do you wind down your horse, if he is "wound up"?
Trotting
What can you think about to trot comfortably on your horse?
Can you control your horse's trot? Can you start him trotting? Can you stop him when he is trotting?
Can you keep him from trotting? How?
Can you control the speed and energy of your horse's trot?
Loping
What can you think about to lope comfortably on your horse? Up a hill? On the flats?
Can you start him loping? Can you stop him when he is loping?
Can you keep him from loping? How?
Can you control the speed and energy of your horse's lope?
Hills/Distractions/Noise/Obstacles
Can your horse drag something behind him?
Can you wave something over your horse's head?
Can you walk your horse under a rope, or tarp?
Can you walk your horse over a tarp, over the sponge squares?
Can you use a noisemaker close to him? Can you rub scrunched plastic on him?
Can you walk your horse over bridges. logs, etc.?
Can you go up and down "hills" on the Cowboy Trail with good technique? What do you need to think about?
Can you ride your horse over all the bridges, logs?
Can you ride your horse on a course you are given to follow?
Can you list 4 different kinds of terrain you might ride through, and describe what might be important for you to think about? (e.g. marsh).
Safety
What do you do if someone calls out "Fire on the Prairie"?
Why is it important?
Can you do Fire on the Prairie from a walk? From a trot?
Demonstrate what you would do if your horse was running away, and you were on his back.
Footfall
Can you feel where your horse's front feet are without looking?
Can you feel where your horse's back feet are without looking?
Can you count your horse's footsteps?
4. Horse Knowledge
Body Language
Name as many equine non-verbal body cues as you can?
What are important signs you need to watch for when you are riding?
What can you do if your horse pins his ears at another horse?
What can you do if your horse seems spooky?
Treats
Why do you choose to give your horse treats or not give treats your horse?
If you treat your horse, when is it the best time?
What kinds of treats are best?
How do you give a treat safely?
Gaits
Can you show how a horse's feet moves when he walks?
Can you look at your horse's feet when he is standing still and be able to tell which foot he will move first?
How do your horse's feet move when he trots?
How do your horses feet move when he lopes?
5.Safety
Can you describe 5 good safety rules for riding and working around horses?
6. Going Off-Site
Trail Riding Etiquette/Safety
Describe at least 5 examples of good trail riding etiquette/safety.
Trailer Loading/Cleanup/Trailer Etiquette
What do you need to do to get ready you and your horse ready for a "load and go"?
What can you do to help get the trailers ready - both in going and returning?
What do you do if your horse doesn't want to load?
What would be good for you to bring along on a Load and Go?
What are jobs needing to be done when we return to EFR?
Describe 2 additional things which are examples of Trailer Etiquette?
