AN 132 - Horsemanship, Welfare and Ethics

1. demonstrate safe and low-stress restraint and handling of livestock.
2. identify stressors and abnormal behaviour patterns in livestock and implement solutions to alleviate these problems.
3. develop a livestock handling system that incorporates new theories and technologies with relevance to low-stress handling.
4. recognize individuals and organizations that have contributed to livestock handling, welfare and ethics, and describe their role in the industry.
5. communicate effectively with different organized groups in animal welfare.
6. recognize and demonstrate the use of different aids in beginning a horse’s training.
7. identify the different attitudes in western horsemanship and begin to develop a training system that suits their individual physical and mental capabilities.
8. perform all portions of a horsemanship pattern, including circles, leads, rollbacks, spins, pivots, stops, and backups, all with speed control.
9. introduce project horses to cattle work.
10. feed, bed and care for a horse on a long-term, daily basis.
11. work with other individuals to maintain the stable.

Grandin, T (2017). Temple Grandin’s Guide to Working with Farm Animals: Safe, Humane Livestock Handling Practices for the Small Farm. Storey Publishing. 

Grandin, T., & Deesing, M. (2008). Humane livestock handling. Storey Publishing. Print.

Reference Textbook(s):

Grandin, T. (Ed.). (2010). Improving animal welfare: a practical approach. CABI. Print:

Optional Resource Materials:
None

Conduct of Course:
The 42-hour lecture portion of this course is delivered in AN 133, and this course has its own 56 hours of lab. This lab component is conducted in the Equine Centre and used to further develop practical riding competencies which coincide with the skills required to start colts, handle cattle, competently fit, show or sell horses. Planned seminars, field trips or other activities may occur outside of scheduled class times.

The lab involves individual or group work with assigned livestock to complete required tasks. Basic training of a green horse has a large time component to it. Labs are 4 hours per week with lecture within lab time as required. Students are required to keep a notebook and pen in their locker at the arena for note taking. Students must obtain their instructors permission prior to any unsupervised riding. All working of project horses outside of class time must be done with a buddy system for safety reasons, never advancing past what the instructor has directed. The Stable Management portion consists of a regular Monday organizational meeting and daily chore times as directed in the handout, “Horse Unit Policies”. Any deviation from the chore schedule needs to be approved by the instructor. Alteration of the chore schedule for the group should be done as a group at the Monday meetings.

Lab Requirements:

Clothing: Students must wear coveralls in the cattle handling labs. Coveralls are not to be worn in the classrooms. Jeans or riding pants are required in the arena. No sweatpants for riding. Should a student wish to wear a helmet during riding labs they are encouraged to do so.

Footwear: Students must wear washable, steel toe, non-slip footwear in the cattle facility labs. Students not wearing proper footwear are not allowed in labs. Dirty footwear must be cleaned and disinfected when leaving farm facilities and when entering livestock barns. Boot washes are available for this and must be utilized. Students not adhering to basic hygiene regulations may be excused from lab participation. Students must wear appropriate riding boots during riding labs. Instructors reserve the right to approve or reject footwear, stirrups, or the combination of both in order to ensure rider safety.

Extras: Decorative jewelry and related items must not be worn during labs or at any time while working with livestock. Cell phones are not to be used for personal use during labs.

Improper conduct in lab is not tolerated. Students may be asked to leave at the instructor’s discretion.

Attendance

Classroom and laboratory attendance is considered vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports, therefore absenteeism is recorded.

• Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours can be required to withdraw and would then automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade).
• An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor following an in-person meeting. Be sure to contact your instructor and ask what they will require from you as verification for each absence. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential for evening courses, exams or extended field trips. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course:
LECTURE

Unit I -      Safe Handling of Livestock

Unit II -     Animal Behaviour

Unit III -    Low Stress Management

Unit IV -    Managing Animal Movement

Unit V -     Livestock Facilities

Unit VI -    Government Laws and Codes of Practice

Unit VII -  Animal Welfare

LAB

Unit I -      Stable Management Practices and Safety

Unit II -     Horse Psychology

Unit III -    Round Pen and Lunging

Unit IV -   Desensitizing and discipline

Unit V -     Suppling

Unit VI -    Forward motion, stops, backing, rollbacks

Unit VII - Collection and Extension

Unit VIII - Speed Control

Unit IX- Cattle Handling in handling facility
Course Assessments:
Evaluation procedures are outlined below.

Assignments and Projects                   30%

Midterm                                              18%

Lab tests                                              15%

Final Riding Test                                10%

Final Exam (comprehensive)              22%

Stable Management                              5%

TOTAL                                            100%

IMPORTANT

While the weighting of stable management (5%) is relatively low compared to the rest of the course, this should not be taken to be of low priority. Considering that the skill level required to provide nutrition and bedding for a horse and contribute to the condition of the stable is not difficult, failure to meet requirements in the stable management portion requires withdrawal from this course and the student’s horse must vacate the AST Equine stable. Complete details are provided in the handout, “Horse Unit Policies” which students are required to sign.

Lakeland College is committed to the highest academic standards. Students are expected to be familiar with Lakeland College polices related to academic conduct and academic honesty and to abide by these policies. Violations of these policies are considered to be serious and may result in suspension or expulsion from the College.
Course Pass Requirements:
A minimum grade of D (50%) (1.00) is required to pass this course.

Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.

Every effort has been made to ensure that information in this course outline is accurate at the time of publication. Lakeland College reserves the right to change courses if it becomes necessary so that course content remains relevant.

In such cases, the instructor will give students clear and timely notice of changes.

No part of this course outline may be reproduced in any form or resold without written permission from Lakeland College.

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