Our Own Council Try - It
Giddy Up and Go 

The Bluegrass state boasts beautiful horse farms.  Begin to learn about the responsibilities of horse sportsmanship. 

 1.  Visit a horse stable or an equine center.  Look in the barn and the horse’s stall.  Look at the equipment that is in the horses stall.  How do people feed the horse and what does he eat?  Give the horse a special treat such as a carrot or an apple or a handful of grain.

2.   What should you wear while you ride a horse?  How does the clothing that you wear keep you safe while you are riding? Look at the special hard hats.  Why do you always wear a hard hat while riding?

3.   Watch someone grooming a horse and then help groom the horse using a brush, currycomb and horse pick.  What does the horse’s coat feel like?  Try to comb the horse’s mane.

4.   What is “tacking up a horse?”  Look at a saddle and discover the difference between a western and English saddle.  The saddle pad protects the saddle from the horses sweat.  What does a girth do?   Watch someone put the bridle on the horse’s head.  Point to the bit and reins.   

5.   The Horse Instructor will show you the correct way to mount and dismount from a horse.  Sit in the saddle and take hold of the reins.  The Instructor will lead you on a short ride in order to get the feel of how the horse moves.

6.   Read a story about horses.  It can be about a famous horse or stories of horse adventures.  Draw a picture of the horse in the story or make a special scrapbook using horse pictures from a magazine.