OVERVIEW
The Draft Horse Program is a unique opportunity to apply creative solutions to present day sustainability challenges. There are very few programs like it in the country. Our flagship course, Introduction to Draft Horses, is designed to train new drivers in the unique care of the draft horse, proper harnessing and hitching techniques, safely driving a single or pair of horses. Subsequent coursework strives to develop skilled and knowledgeable teamsters, and cultivates creative thinking about finding jobs for horses, particularly through environmentally friendly or organic industries. Advanced topics, such as adding horsepower, equipment repair, logging, and farming with horses are studied.
LEVEL 1: INTRODUCTION TO DRAFT HORSES
Course Description:
This course will train participants in sustainable horsemanship with draft horses. Sustainable horsemanship is more than just buying eco-friendly products for the barn or composting manure (though these are great). Sustainable horsemanship means working with horses in a sustainable way, taking into consideration the horse population as a whole (for instance, seeking to address issues of “unwanted horses”) and seeking to use the “green” alternative energy of real horsepower whenever possible. This program teaches students the basics of draft horse husbandry before moving on to teach them skills in working with horses in harness, both on the road and on the farm, working with rescued horses, draft horse training, practical problem solving, and farming with horses. At all levels, safety for horse and handler and the overall well-being of the horse are stressed above all else.
The course will prepare the student to care for draft horses, properly fit harness and hitch a horse or a team to a vehicle, and safely drive the horse or horses both on the road and on the farm. Students completing the course will be prepared, with adequate apprenticeship hours, to be licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a Carriage Operator. The course prepares the student for owning a draft horse, driving for a commercial carriage company, giving hay rides in a hay wagon, or being able to skillfully handle experienced farm horses.
This course will meet once a week for 3 hours with a limited enrollment of 8 students per section. It will also require additional practice at the Blue Star Equiculture farm or on campus (a Massachusetts Carriage Operator’s Licensing requires 80 hours of hands-on time). Students may wish to take the exam for a Carriage Operator’s License (optional).
Course Topics:
- Draft Horse Care
- Feeding requirements of the draft horse
- Grooming
- Farrier care – the importance of hoof care and teaching your horse to pick his feet up
- Dental care
- Diseases more likely to affect draft horses
- First aid – taking vital signs, wound care, colic, when to call a vet
- Harness parts and harness care
- Proper harnessing of the draft horse
- Driving Safety
- Hitching
- Driving
LEVEL 2: ADVANCED DRAFT HORSES
Course Description:
This course will expand on skills learned in Intro to Draft Horses and encourage students to think creatively about horsepower in contemporary society. Students will learn how to use basic implements, such as plows, harrows, etc and will be exposed to a variety of professionals in horse-powered fields. Harness and equipment repair and maintenance will be covered, and students will construct and utilize a basic stone boat. Building on knowledge learned in part one, students will work with larger hitches, learning when and why more horsepower is applicable and the intricacies involved in hitching larger teams. There will be a capstone collaborative portion of the course that addresses the need for jobs for work horses today, requiring students to find ways to employ horses either on campus or in the community. This course will meet once a week for 3 hours with 8 students maximum.
Prerequisites: Intro to Draft Horses
Course Topics:
- Creatively employing draft horse power in contemporary society
- Adding Horsepower
- Harness Repair
- Equipment/Shop
- Building, repair, restoration, and maintenance projects as needed.
- Horsepower in the woods – Offsite Farm Visits
- Special Projects: Implement Exploration
- Horse powered projects around the Hadley and South Deerfield Farms as needed.