Colorado State 4-H Competitive Trail Riding Horse Project

1. Colorado State 4-H Competitive Trail Riding Horse Project

2. The Competitive Trail Riding Program will be a new part of the existing Horse Project

3. The Core Concepts stressed: *Safe Horsemanship *Trail Riding Skills*Leadership *Ethical Development*Personal Responsibility*Family Involvement*Lifetime Recreational Skills

4. Helping youth develop life skillsWhich life skills can be taught and practiced in Competitive Trail Riding?

5. How does the public utilize their horses • Recreational riding • Trail riding • Hobby to share with families • The majority of horse owners do not show their horses.

6. Who can participate? How can you be involved? 4-H Members – Participate in the pilot, clinics, competition, read the curriculum, do the project. Parents- Read the curriculum with youth, ride with them, help them develop a conditioning program. Leaders – read the curriculum, put together mini-clinics, organize group rides. Agents- read the curriculum, organize ride practices or competitions, identify resource people.

7. Horse • Any breed of horse, pony, mule or donkey may be used. • Must be sound enough to be ridden for 1-2 hrs 5 days a week. • Have basic training • Stand tied • Load in trailer • Be under control at the walk and trot • Stay calm on trail rides, with and without other horses

8. Tack and Attire • Riding Helmet, sturdy boots/shoes with heels • Saddle- any style should fit horse and rider light weight is preferable • Bridle- any style, that offers the rider the control they require, and allows a halter to be worn underneath.

9. Riding Skills • Level 1 • Control at walk, trot and canter • Ability to mount unaided • Ability to saddle and bridle horse

10. Time Commitment • A basic conditioning program requires 8 weeks. • Riding 1-2 hours 4 days a week. • Longer rides once each week. • Developing a conditioning program with the competition date in mind.

11. Goals we hope participants will achieve: • Horsemanship skills for outside the arena • Learn how to take their horse’s vital signs. • Basic care techniques • Keep a records of conditioning training • Develop a conditioning program • Certification in Red Cross First Aid program • Develop Equine first aid • Make you and your horse into a team. • Develop a relationship and trust with your horse

12. Record Book • Use the current Horse/Livestock record book. • There will be a supplement to the record book consisting of a conditioning record. • Minimum of 8 weeks • Including pulse, respiration and time for cardio- recovery • Distance traveled and time ridden each session

13. Scheduled Events • Work on this project pilot will start in the fall of 2007, after state fair • Clinic dates and locations for the pilot are: • 1/26/08 Introductory Clinic, Urban Farm, Denver, CO • 2/9/08 Introductory Clinic, Saddle Ridge Farm, Loveland, CO • 3/5/08 Introductory Clinic, Garfield County Fairgrounds, Rifle CO • 2/23/08 Action Clinic, Urban Farm, Denver, CO • 3/15/08 Action Clinic, Last Resort Equestrian Center, Wellington, CO • 4/13/08 Action Clinic, Garfield County Fairgronuds, Rifle CO • First competition rides are scheduled for Spring of 2008. The dates will be announced by October 1, 2007

14. Spin off projects! • Back country horsemanship and expansion of wilderness education • MAU Mounted Assistance Unit/Crowd Control • SAR: Search and Rescue/evidence maintenance and first responder education • Orienteering and use of GPS (Geo-caching) • Packing/Hunting

15. Summary • Teach Safe Horsemanship for Trail Riding • Practice Leadership • Family Interactive FUN! • Responsibility • Ethics • Lifetime Recreational Skills