This course developed from numerous requests from home schooled students.  They wanted the chance to be around horses as part of their school curriculum and their parents wanted a good education opportunity.

A 20 week course running from October to March was created, where students come to the farm for two hours once a week and are split into groups according to age. 

It consists of half an hour of each of the following:

• An education class on a particular topic, such as feeding or grooming where they listen and participate verbally.
• A practical class based upon the week’s topic, such as learning to weigh grain or measure the height of a horse.
• Parent supervised barn work such as stall cleaning or tack cleaning.
• Riding under our instruction.

We start the course with learning how to safely handle and be around horses and build their knowledge and confidence through supervised practical work.  There is a lot of emphasis on the “why” as well as the “how”.

Registration for the 2011/12 course will begin in August but please feel free to ask questions at any time.  Space will be limited and we cannot offer any discount for any late registering students. 

Course prices and registration form.

The novice course will run again and plus an intermediate program for graduates for our novice program.

See the course outline below for the list of topics covered.

Home School Course Outline

This is a 2 hour class run for 20 weeks typically from 1pm to 3pm.

The 2 hour classes are split into 4 sessions comprising:

• 30 minutes horse management instruction
• 30 minutes related activity
• 30 minutes riding instruction
• 30 minutes parent supervised barn jobs

Block 1 – Pony Care 101 – Safety and getting started

Week 1 – How to be in a barn, how to be around ponies, what to wear.
Week 2 – How to identify a pony – colors, basic markings, parts of a pony and tack
Week 3 – Grooming
Week 4 – Tacking up, untacking and putting the tack away
Week 5 – Review and quiz

Block 2 – Pony Care 102 – Basic pony care

Week 6 – What to feed.  Horse vocabulary
Week 7 – How to feed – basic feeding rules
Week 8 – Daily routine for stall and pasture kept ponies
Week 9 – How to catch a pony and what is a safe stall and pasture
Week 10 – Review and quiz

Block 3 – Pony Care 201 – Finding out more

Week 11 – More parts of a pony and tack.  Types of bits
Week 12 – Independent tacking up and tack fitting
Week 13 – Describing a pony – markings, height, breeds and more colors
Week 14 – Farrier care and tools
Week 15 – Review and quiz

Block 4 – Pony Care 202 – Expanding your knowledge

Week 16 – Protective boots and an introduction to bandaging
Week 17 – More feeding rules and what can go wrong
Week 18 – Signs of a healthy pony and when to call the vet
Week 19 – Basic first aid
Week 20 – Review and quiz

Small group horsemanagement class

A continuation of the topic of the week with a Kaizen Farm teacher.

Riding

Instruction from one of our Kaizen Farm teachers.  Content will vary according to the progress of the riders.

Parent supervised barn jobs

These are the jobs that have to be done regularly around a barn and are to allow the children to experience the fun of taking care of animals.

Possible barn jobs include but not necessarily restricted to:

• Stall cleaning
• Tack cleaning
• Cleaning grooming kits
• Cleaning water buckets
• Cleaning feed buckets
• Raking up hay
• Sweeping the tack room floor
• Picking rocks from arena
• Pulling weeds around barn area