VA STATE 4 H HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS PROGRAM WHAT

VA STATE 4 -H HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS PROGRAM

WHAT IS THE HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS PROGRAM? • PROGRESSION OF HORSE HANDLING AND RIDING SKILLS • LEVELS 1 THROUGH 4 TO BE COMPLETED IN SUCCESSION • EMPHASIS ON SAFETY AND EDUCATION NOT COMPETITION • OPEN TO ALL BUT REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION AT THE STATE SHOW

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES • DEVELOP HORSEMANSHIP KNOWLEDGE AND SAFETY SKILLS • EDUCATE 4 -H YOUTH VOLUNTEERS AND PARENTS • PROMOTE EDUCATION AND SKILL OVER COMPETITION • DEVELOP LIFE SKILLS IN YOUTH

WHY IS VA 4 -H INITIATING THIS PROGRAM? • TO SECURE A UNIVERSAL LEVEL OF COMPETENCE AND SAFETY • ALLOW AN OPTION FOR ACHIEVEMENT THAT ISN’T BASED ON SHOWING

LEVEL 1 • ALL MUST START AT LEVEL 1 WITH EACH NEW PROJECT ANIMAL • EMPHASIS ON BASIC CORRECT, SAFE HANDLING/RIDING • BEGINNING HANDLING/RIDING – WALK TROT ONLY • MUST RETAKE ENTIRE TEST IF NOT SUCESSFUL ON ANY PART.

LEVEL 2 • BUILDING SOLID FOUNDATION OF HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS • REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION AT STATE SHOW • INTRODUCES CANTER AND EMPHASIS CONTROL OF PACE AND PROPER USE OF AIDS • CAN RETEST ON ANY INDIVIDUAL SKILL

LEVEL 3 • INTERMEDIATE HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS • BALANCED HORSE AND RIDER

LEVEL 4 • ADVANCED HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS • EMPHASIS ON BALANCE, SUPPLENESS, COORDINATION • WELL ROUNDED HORSEMAN

GETTING STARTED • REQUIREMENTS: – CERTIFIED 4 -H AGENTS/VOLUNTEERS TO ACT AS HOST AND EXAMINERS – APROPRIATE FACILITY – 4 -H YOUTH PREPARED TO TEST

EXAMINER TRAINING LEVELS 1 AND 2 • MUST BE A SCREENED 4 -H VOLUNTEER • LEVEL 3 AND 4 EXAMINERS WILL BE APPOINTED BY STATE COMMITTEE AND TRAIN LEVEL 1 AND 2 EXAMINERS • DEMONSTRATE ABILITY TO EVALUATE SKILLS

EXAMINER TRAINING LEVELS 3 AND 4 • ATTEND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM • MUST BE APPROVED BY STATE COMMITTEE • DEMONSTRATE ABILITY TO EVALUATE SKILLS

FACILITY REQUIREMENTS • SAFE AREA TO RIDE IN A GROUP THAT IS LARGE ENOUGH TO PERFORM REQUIRED TESTS • STALL TO PERFORM GROUND TESTS • ENOUGH SPACE TO SAFELY HANDLE AMOUNT OF TEST TAKERS • AREA TO SAFELY TURNOUT NEW HORSES

PREPARATION FOR EVALUATION • LEARN AND PRACTICE TEST REQUIREMENTS – LOCAL CLUB MEETINGS – PRACTICE SKILLS AT HOME – ATTEND CLINICS, MOCK TESTING, PRACTICE SESSIONS – WATCH DEMONSTRATIONS – USE REFERENCE MATERIALS

TIPS FOR SUCCESS • PROGRESSION VARIES FOR EACH HORSE/RIDER COMBINATION • SET NO TIME LIMITS FOR LEARNING NEW TESTS • KEEP EVALUATION POSITIVE AND INFORMATIVE • NO ONE “FAILS”- JUST NEED TO PRACTICE AND RETEST

IN SUMMARY • PROGRAM FOCUSES ON SKILL DEVELOPMENT, NOT COMPETITION • SAFETY IS PRIORITY • ENHANCES EXISTING PROJECTS

PILOT PROGRAM

PILOT PROGRAM • DESIGNATED TESTERS FROM EACH DISTRICT • TEST ROUGHLY 50 4 -H MEMBERS PER DISTRICT • GET FEEDBACK ON THE PROGRAM FROM EVALUATORS AND 4 -H MEMBERS • MAKE NECESSARY REVISIONS TO PROGRAM PRIOR TO TAGET IMPLEMENTATION FOR 2012 STATE SHOW

TRIAL EVALUATION • WHAT WE DID • HOW IT WENT • 4 -H TESTER FEEDBACK • EVALUATOR FEEDBACK • WHERE TO GO FROM HERE

WHAT WE DID • TWO DESIGNATED EVALUATORS • ONE HOST TO KEEP TEST MOVING • 6 4 -H MEMBERS TESTED LEVELS 1 AND 2 (FOR EVALUATION PURPOSES) • UNMOUNTED PART TOOK PLACE AT THE BARN FIRST (SKIPPED BATHING DUE TO EXTREME COLD TEMPS) • MOUNTED PORTION IN RING • HAD 4 -HERS AND EVALUATORS FILL OUT EVALUATION OF PROGRAM

HOW IT WENT • WHOLE PROCESS TOOK ALMOST 3 HOURS (INC. EVALUATION) • GROUNDWORK TOOK LONGEST TIME • RIDING WENT SMOOTHLY AND QUICKLY • DID NOT TELL RIDERS IF THEY PASSED-EVALUATING THE PROCESS, NOT THE RIDERS

4 -H MEMBER FEEDBACK • MOST FELT THEY HAD ADEQUATE TIME TO PERFORM TESTS • ALL FELT LEVEL 1 WAS APPROPRIATE • FELT LEVEL 2 WAS APPROPRIATE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO REQUIRED SKILLS • FELT THE EVALUATORS WERE SUPPORTIVE AND HELPFUL • SUGGESTED MORE EVALUATORS IF MORE TESTERS TO TAKE LESS TIME

EVALUATOR FEEDBACK • THOUGHT LEVEL 1 WAS APROPRIATE • THOUGHT SOME SKILLS IN LEVEL 2 WERE NOT PROGRESSIVE • WANT SOME STANDARDS FOR WHAT IS PASS VS. RETEST –DO THEY PASS IF THEY JUST DO THE SKILL OR SHOULD THEY DO IT WELL? • WANTED A SCRIBE-HARD TO OBSERVE ALL KIDS AND WRITE COMMENTS

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE • MAKE CHANGES TO TESTS BEFORE CONTINUING PILOT PROGRAM • CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE PROCESS • WRITE A “HOW TO” GUIDE FOR 4 -H MEMBERS AND EVALUATORS IN ORDER TO HAVE A STANDARD OF QUALITY? • OTHER SUGGESTIONS.