Course Syllabus

AGBS 1700 Western Riding Skills I

Course Description

The objective of this class is to allow students to practice and further develop their horsemanship skills. This course is designed to cover principles of basic horsemanship and will include some of the principles of schooling/training horses that are already broke to ride. An understanding of horse behavior and safe conduct around horses are central to the course. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of riding, handling, and grooming, as well as becoming familiar with the parts of the horse. Students have the opportunity for hands-on application of these principles by actually riding and schooling horses during this course. Topics presented will include horsemanship skills, equine behavior, equine psychology, and how this knowledge can produce and present a willing, useful horse. Goals will be set for each student-horse pair, and efforts will be made to reach these goals. Students must have or arrange for their own horse.

Justification

The horse industry is a very large and important part of our national, state, and local economies and rural heritage. Utah's horse industry is diverse, involving agriculture, business, sport, entertainment, and recreation, and ranks in the top 10 states for number of horses per capita. Growth in the industry has created a demand for qualified personnel in all of its related fields. Snow College is strategically centered with a significant demand from current and future students to provide equine educational opportunities. This class meets the criteria for students to obtain a certificate in Equine Management that will be offered through the Business and Applied Technologies Division. Similar courses are currently taught at SUU and USU. This class allows students to meet their educational goals of a certification and/or an AAS degree in Equine Management.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Understand and implement good, sound, and safe practices around horses.
2. Identify and care for equipment and tack and demonstrate proper saddling and tacking of the horse.
3. Demonstrate the understanding that horsemanship is a precise skill that involves subtle communication between horse and rider.
   
   
4. Identify proper/improper riding position in themselves and others.
   
   
5. Identify the basic parts of the horse, assess the health and general care of a horse, and address problems when they arise.
6. Gain a greater appreciation of what can be expected from a well-trained horse and demonstrate training techniques that can be used to produce such an animal.

Course Content

The skills and concepts covered include topics such as:* Outlining, stressing, and practicing safe horse-handling skills.* Providing the opportunity to identify, handle, use, and care for a variety of tack and equipment.* Providing a foundation for students to understand and practice basic maneuvers used in riding and training horses, including proper use of aids.* Introducing various training styles, as well as proper/improper riding position.* Providing a study of equine behaviors, body postures, and herd social structure and its relationship to behavioral modification.