All Around Buckle Program Proposal

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All Around Buckle Program Proposal
Gem/Boise Counties 4-H Horse Project
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What is the All Around Buckle Program?

• Program focuses on individual members
  development
• Emphasis on safety and education, not
  competition!
• Planned progression of knowledge and horse
  handling and riding skills
• 4-H member evaluated and completes one level
  before advancing to next level

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What is the All Around Buckle Program?

• Optional!
• EVERY youth can participate
• Youth may share horses

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Objectives of Program

• Develop life skills in youth
• Promote cooperation and teamwork
• Develop equine knowledge, horsemanship safety
  skills
• Recognize individual member accomplishment
  achievement of goals
• Educate youth, volunteers, parents

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Why are we doing this?

• Enhance teamwork amongst youth and clubs
• Key component of 4-H Horse Safety Program and
  Risk Assessment
• Create a safe learning environment
• Mitigate risk for our youth

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Program Requirements

• Components
• Participation in Educational Contests
• Equine Knowledge, Horse Handling and Horsemanship
• 4 Levels
• Written exam and horsemanship skill tests for
  each level
• Recognition and Award for completion of each level

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Level 1

• ALL members MUST start at Level 1
• Emphasizes basic, correct and safe handling and
  riding
• Beginners
• Walk-trot only
• Examples
• Catch, halter, lead, tie, bridle, saddle
• Stop, start, turn, circle
• Emergency dismount

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Level 2

• Builds a solid foundation of handling and
  horsemanship skills
• Introduces use of proper aids
• Introduces canter or lope and proper aids
• Examples
• Showmanship skills, bathing, clipping, etc.
• Control of horse at canter or lope
• Transitions - upward and downward
• Begin lateral movements leg yield, sidepass

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Level 3

• Uses foundation skills to learn intermediate
  horsemanship skills
• Rider expected to be balanced while using aids
  and maintaining an even pace
• More advanced control and confidence
• Examples
• Lunge horse
• Turns on forehand, hindquarter
• More lateral movements shoulder in, etc.
• Counter canter

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Level 4

• Advanced
• Balanced horse and rider
• Exhibit calmness, rhythm, suppleness,
  coordination
• Examples
• Understands trailer safety
• Lengthening and shortening of gaits
• 360 degree turns hindquarter, forequarter
• Flying lead changes

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Getting Started...

• OPTIONAL!
• County-wide
• Could be used by
• Individual members
• Project
• Club

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Next Steps

• Identify volunteer committee to plan and
  implement program
• Identify at least 3 volunteers for testing
• Identify one volunteer to coordinate records

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Examiner Training

• Level 1 - 2 Examiners
• Screened 4-H volunteer
• Attend certification training (consistency in
  evaluation)
• Demonstrate ability to evaluate skills
• Approved by Horse Leaders Association

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Level 1 - 2 Testing

• 3 volunteers required for every test
• Mix volunteers from different clubs
• County sets testing dates minimum of two test
  dates a year

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Examiner Training

• Level 3 - 4 Examiners
• Screened 4-H volunteer
• Attend certification training
• Demonstrate ability to evaluate skills
• Must be approved by Horse Leaders Association
• Level 3 4 Examiners will train Level 1 2
  Examiners

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Level 3 - 4 Testing

• 3 volunteers required for every test
• Mix volunteers from different counties
• County sets testing dates minimum of two test
  dates a year

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County Implementation

• Committee meet to develop county plan
• Develop financial plan to support program
• Need consensus on what is successful skill
  completion
• Set testing date(s) for Level 1, 2, and 3
• Allow at least 6 - 8 weeks from introduction to
  first testing

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Introduce Members

• Distribute Program Brochure
• Member Packet
• Information sheet
• Member Skill Sheets
• Reference list
• Attend educational activities, clinics, riding
  events, Fair

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How do 4-H members learn skills?

• Practice skills at home
• Local club meetings
• Clinics, practice sessions, mock testing
• Member, adult demonstrations
• Use reference materials

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Tips for success.

• Progression through these skills will vary for
  every horse and rider
• No set time limits
• Evaluations will be friendly informative
• No one fails!
• Just need to practice and retest

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Awards

• Important to recognize member accomplishments!
• Need to establish awards for completion of each
  level
• Examples
• Level 1 T-shirt
• Level 2 Sweatshirt
• Level 3 Fleece Vest
• Level 4 Belt Buckle

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In Summary.

• Program focuses on member development, not
  competition!
• Emphasizes safety
• Enhances existing projects
• Ties into existing skills and project requirements

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BACK-UP Slides
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Level 1 Written ExamExamples of Questions

• What is the average temperature for a horse?
• What does BPM stand for?
• What is the normal BPM for a horse at rest?
• How many beats in a walk? trot? lope/canter?
• When grooming a horse where should you start?
• What is a normal gestation period for a horse?
• Name 10 breeds of horses
• Please label the horses body parts
• Name these saddle parts (have a picture of an
  english and western saddle with arrows and
  numbers)
• Name these bridle parts (have a picture of an
  english and western bridle with arrows and
  numbers)
• When judging a horse name three desirable traits.
• Define pigeoned toed
• Define colic

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Categories for Written Exam Questions

• Potential categories, but not limited to

• Safety
• Stable Management
• Nutrition
• Grooming
• Anatomy
• Breeds
• Health

• Events
• Judging
• Vocabulary
• Veterinary Care
• Equipment
• Shoeing