Equine Program Handbook
Table of Contents Important Phone Numbers.......................................................2 General Information.....................................................................3 Equipment & Facilities.................................................................5 Horse Handling Procedures.......................................................5 Stall Care...........................................................................................7 Chores...............................................................................................8 After-Hours Sick Horse Protocol............................................ 10 Colic Scenario.............................................................................. 11 Respiratory Scenario................................................................. 12
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Black Hawk College Equine Program Ag Center Rules and Procedures Black Hawk College operates under the Equine Liabilities Act, Illinois PWA #89-0111. Under the Equine Activity Liability Act, each participant who engages in an equine activity expressly assumes the risks of engaging in and legal responsibility for injury, loss, or damage to person or property resulting from the risk of equine activities. Black Hawk College endorses and follows the AQHA statement of position regarding animal welfare. All horses and other animals, shall, at all times, be treated humanely and with dignity, respect and compassion.
Important Phone Numbers
Office Phone
Cell
Aaron Callahan, Equine Science Professor.......................... 309-854-1841..... 309-854-2816 Drew Cotton, Associate Professor of Agriculture...........309-854-1842..... 352-339-5207 Rebekah Irish, Equestrian Science Instructor............... 309-854-1838..... 520-247-9376 Sarah Schobert, Horse Science Instructor..................... 309-854-1840..... 540-597-2408 Heather Hochstatter, Facilities Assistant........................ 309-854-1848..... 940-368-4498 Ray Jacobs, Director of Operations.................................. 309-854-1740 Black Hawk College Police Department......................... 309-854-1784 Black Hawk College Maintenance Department.......... 309-854-1748 Black Hawk College Operator............................................ Dial "0" from campus phones
Other Telephone Information
To dial an outside line from an on-campus phone, dial “7.” Local calls only please. Dial “0” for the college operator.
Emergency Information
Black Hawk College Police Department, office............ 309-854-1784 Black Hawk College Police Department, cell phone.... 309-525-0261 Black Hawk College Operator............................................ Dial “0” from campus phones If no answer from the Black Hawk College Police Department and the switchboard is closed, dial “911.”
Veterinarians
Stevens Veterinary Clinic, Galva........................................ 309-932-3434 Miller Veterinary Services, Atkinson................................ 309-936-7622 Kewanee Veterinary Clinic, Kewane................................. 309-852-2252
Farrier Services
John Irvin................................................................................... 309-854-3202 – Resident Farrier Charlie Martin.......................................................................... 309-236-7014
The Ag Center is monitored 24 hours a day by the Black Hawk College Police Department and video surveillance. 2
General Information Safety and Security • There are alarm systems, fire extinguishers and first aid centers throughout the facility. • Please familiarize yourself with the locations of the fire extinguishers and first aid centers. • Keep tack room and classroom doors closed at all times. • You are responsible for your own equipment. Clearly label everything with your name and keep small items (including bridles) locked in your locker. Items that are left unattended will end up in the lost and found. Announcements and Correspondence • There are two whiteboards in Building 6. One board is for staff and the other is for students to leave messages for each other. Please check the board daily for information. When leaving notes, sign your name and keep the correspondence on a professional level. • There is also a whiteboard next to the entryway to the classroom and office area in the Ag Arena. This board is also for staff to leave notices regarding activities in the Ag Center. • All students enrolled in a riding course will be invited to the Canvas course “Equine Barn.” This site will be updated with chore teams, barn announcements and grades that apply to barn responsibilities. General Rules • Students must have all required paperwork completed and on file prior to handling and riding horses in the Ag Center. • Students must abide by all rules and follow instructions of persons employed by the college (instructors, facilities assistant and student workers) to supervise the equine activities in the Ag Center. • As of July 1, 2015, Black Hawk College is a Smoke-Free and Tobacco-Free Environment. This is in response to Senate Bill 2202, the Smoke-Free Campus Act. This legislation prohibits smoking on the campuses of all state-supported colleges and universities. For the purposes of this policy, tobacco is defined to include any lighted or unlighted cigarette (clove, bidis, kreteks), cigars, cigarillos, pipes, hookah products, and any other smoking product. This also includes smokeless, spit or spit-less, dissolvable, or inhaled tobacco products, including but not limited to: dip, chew, snuff or snus, in any form (orbs, sticks, pellet, etc.). Nicotine products not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a smoking cessation product, such as e-cigarettes, are also prohibited. Nicotine products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a smoking cessation product, such as nicotine gum and patches, are allowable. • Dogs or other pets are NOT permitted in the facilities or parking lots. • Student workers will open and close the barn. Chore teams will turn the lights on in the morning and student workers will turn them off after evening chores during the fall semester (no lighting program). Spring semester EQ 266 students will turn lights off in the evening for the lighting program. • No one is permitted to ride, work with horses or clean stalls in the Ag Center outside of Ag Center hours. The only exceptions are for members on the morning chore teams and students participating in extracurricular activities with an instructor, coach or barn worker present. • If you need to check on a sick horse or take a horse on or off campus outside of Ag Center hours, you must prearrange this with the facilities assistant or your riding instructor who will contact the Black Hawk College Police Department and make the arrangements. 3
• Facility upkeep and horse care reflects on you and this program. Be polite, professional and courteous to fellow students and visitors! • Professional attire is mandatory. This includes boots, jeans and appropriate tops. Open-toed shoes are NOT permitted in the barn. Transporting Horses On and Off Campus • Through email or a written note, notify the facilities assistant two days in advance with the dates and times you plan to take your horse off and on campus. If you need to take your horse off campus with short notice (less than two days), notify your riding instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure all paperwork is filed on any horses they bring to campus. Be sure to check with your riding instructor and the facilities assistant before switching horses to make sure the appropriate paperwork and health papers are in place and that you have permission to switch. • The Black Hawk College Police Department must be notified if horses are being transported on or off campus when the barn is closed. • Trailer parking is in the designated area northeast of the Ag Pavilion, Building 5, next to the garage. Trailers must be parked in that small area closely together. There are no exceptions without permission from the Black Hawk College Police Department. • Tack and equipment can only be taken on and off campus during barn hours. • No leading or riding horses off the campus property. • Stalls must be left clean. A deduction from your stall deposit will result if you leave your stall dirty. Students Leaving Campus for the Weekend or Holidays • It is the student’s responsibility to designate another student in the Equine Program to care for their horse. Notify facilities assistant Heather Hochstatter with a written note or by email who is responsible for taking care of your horse while you are away. Also be sure to leave phone numbers where you can be reached and dates that you will be absent from campus. Farrier, Dentistry, Body Workers and Veterinary Services • If you have your own horse, all of these services are your responsibility. You can arrange for these services on your own or you can sign up for these services when the instructors have practitioners come to campus. Please check the class schedule to make sure these services are not conflicting with classes going on in the facilities. All services must be paid for when rendered, and if you sign up and commit ahead of time, you are expected to show up and follow through. • If you have a college horse, facilities assistant Heather Hochstatter will schedule these services. Please visit with her if your college horse loses a shoe or is in need of these services. If you suspect your college horse is sick or lame, notify your riding instructor and Heather. Dentistry • Drew Cotton arranges to have Chenoweth Dentistry on campus one time each semester. The date will be posted with a sign-up sheet for these services.
Equipment & Facilities 4
Equipment & Facilities Equipment Overview: Black Hawk College owns several Western and English saddles that the equine faculty and staff have worked hard to buy or have donated by high-end retailers. Therefore, it is important to not only respect the equipment, but also take proper care of it. We expect that labeled saddles are put on their proper saddle rack and all equipment owned by the school is returned to its proper place. Maintenance: The equine faculty and staff have provided several cleaning products and cleaning agents in the tack room for proper maintenance of the tack. We recommend that you clean your college saddle once a month with the products provided, such as Leather New and conditioning products. We also have sponges and rags in the tack room for your convenience. English bridles and bits should be cleaned after every use, as that is proper industry protocol. Cleaning your tack everyday removes sweat, which causes tack to breakdown more quickly. We also recommend that you clean your Western bridles regularly. Bits should be cleaned with water or mouthwash. Please do not wipe down bits with oils or conditioners used on your leather. Failure to comply: Failure to comply with equipment guidelines will result in college tack no longer being available to you. You will be required to provide your own equipment. Facilities Overview: Black Hawk College has a beautiful and state-of-the-art facility. It needs to be respected and kept in its proper working condition. However, faculty, staff and barn workers are not your personal employees. Any irregular conditions should be reported to either faculty, staff or barn workers immediately. Wheelbarrows, pitchforks, shovels and brooms: A minimum of two of each item should be kept at every cleaning station within the barn. If you return an excessive amount of these items to one station or leave areas with no items, you will be warned and disciplinary action will follow. Excessive is defined as five (5) or more of any of the following items – wheelbarrows, pitchforks, shovels or brooms. In general, please keep cleaning stations balanced. Vacant stalls: Do NOT use vacant stalls for storage. If a horse is tied in a vacant stall, you must clean up after that horse immediately after it returns to its stall. If you leave your horse’s poop in aisles, vacant stalls, etc., disciplinary action will follow or vacant stalls will be padlocked.
Horse Handling Procedures Ag Arena – How to safely utilize the biggest classroom on campus • The Ag Arena is a classroom during the scheduled class times. Please be courteous and quiet when walking through the arena or lab sites while classes are being conducted. • Equine students are allowed to observe classes in the arena and labs. Other guests must get permission from the class instructor to observe classes in the arena. No video recording or photography without prior permission of the class instructor. 5
• Equine students are the only students permitted to ride outside of scheduled class riding time. Anyone else wanting to ride or work with horses must have permission from an equine riding instructor and must file appropriate paperwork with the facilities assistant prior to working or riding horses in the Ag Center. • College-owned horses – Only the students assigned to a college horse are permitted to ride that college horse. Riding instructors may grant permission for students using a college horse to ride a different college horse. • Student-owned horses – The student who owns the horse is the only one to grant permission for others to ride their personal horses. • Students working with and riding horses must wear boots with a SMOOTH SOLE and heel. • The arenas may be used for riding and working with horses outside of class time during designated riding times only. Outside of class time riding must yield to other activities such as judging and horse show team practices as scheduled. • Exercise safety and good judgment at all times while riding and working with horses in the Ag Center. 1. If the arena is crowded, wait for space to open up. 2. Keep horses under control at all times. 3. No riding double or bareback. 4. No horseplay or racing in the arena. 5. No taking equipment out of the storage area for jumping, barrel racing or trail practice without the permission of an instructor. 6. No jumping outside of class unless supervised by an instructor. Riding and Working Outside of the Arenas • When riding outside, riders MUST wear a HELMET and ride with at least one other rider. • Before riding, notify the barn workers or the facilities assistant of your whereabouts. • No riding up to and around Prairie Pointe Apartments. • Students are permitted to hand graze horses around the Ag Center when the ground is dry. Please stay alert and maintain control of your horse. Turn Outs • Horses need to be exercised daily by riding, lunging or limited turn out. • Leg protection is required and bell boots are strongly encouraged. • Some horses may be on a no turn out status due to previous injury. Always check with equine faculty if you are unsure. • No free lunging colts unless you have permission from Aaron Callahan. • Broke horses can be free lunged but be cautious and sensible about it. If in doubt, do not do it. • No turn outs in the indoor arenas. • Horses may be individually turned out in the outdoor arena or round pen if no one is working in the round pen or outdoor arena and you stay outside with the horse. • Turn outs must yield to students wanting to use the outdoor arena or round pen to work with their horse. Tying Horses in Stalls • Horses should be tied short enough that the horse cannot reach around and chew on a stirrup if they are saddled and tied in the stall. Horses should be able to stand comfortably with their head and neck slightly higher than level. • No tying to the doors. 6
• Absolutely no bitting up or tying around horses in their stalls. • All horses need to be untied by chore time in the evening. Tying Horses in Ag Center • All horses will be tacked in the stall. • Only tie horses in designated tying areas where there are tie rings. The only exception is in the Ag Arena with permission of the instructors or during a lab. • Do not tie horses where they can nose, kick or bite other horses. • Do not tie horses in the aisle. Wash Racks • Only tie horses to the rings in the wash racks, and tie them short enough that they cannot get the rope or lead around the faucets. • Please do not wash horses if it is below 50 degrees! • Be sure that all faucets are turned off tightly when you are finished. • Clean up manure, hair and debris right away to prevent the drain from blocking. • Do not leave horses unattended in the wash rack.
Stall Care • Horses must be tied in stalls while cleaning. • At a minimum, stalls must be cleaned daily by 1 p.m. • If you are sharing a college horse, it is your responsibility to share the daily cleaning responsibility, preferably cleaning the stall two times a day for the well-being of the horse and to conserve bedding. • Sweep the alleyway in front of your stall. • Each horse is allotted four (4) bags of shavings per week. If you need more than four bags per week, visit with facilities assistant Heather Hochstatter. She keeps track of the bedding and will decide if you can occasionally have extra. • Stalls must have an appropriate amount of dry bedding at all times. • Do not empty wheelbarrows on the ground and out into the parking area. Stall cleaning tools are stored throughout the Ag Center. When you get the tools out, use them right away and return them clean to the storage area. Also, be sure to dump manure all the way to the front of the manure pit. • Stall cleanliness is your responsibility, and your performance is monitored as part of your grade in your riding class and equine production class for freshmen. You will receive feedback at mid-termand if you need improvement, you will receive a note on your stall. • Stall fronts and walls should be regularly swept and kept cobweb-free. Nothing but halters and lead ropes are to be hung on stall fronts. • Water buckets must remain full throughout the day and need to be monitored and checked several times. Do not just depend on the chore team to water your horse. Water buckets need to be kept clean and full at all times. • No changing stalls without permission from Heather Hochstatter. • No fans, spotlights or any type of electrical devices on or in stalls. • Fill out the name card with specific feeding instructions for your horse. If using a college horse, put your name on the card under student’s name. Please check with Heather Hochstatter or your instructor if you think the horse’s feeding instructions need to be changed. 7
• Stall cards should include:
1. Horse’s name 2. Student’s name and emergency contact number 3. Number of scoops of grain 4. Number of flakes of hay 5. Any notes if the a.m. feeding differs from the p.m. feeding • If your horse requires feed supplements, it is your responsibility to feed them yourself. Do NOT house supplements or grain containers outside the stall front. These items need to be kept in the tack room or feed room. • Stall condition is your responsibility. Closely inspect your stall regularly for safety. If there is a maintenance issue with your stall, notify the facilities assistant immediately. If there is an immediate safety hazard to a horse, move the horse to an empty stall.
Chores Chore Teams • Students in riding or training classes will be assigned to a chore team. • Chore teams consist of four students. Each month there will be a schedule for the chore teams. • Chore teams are required to show up on time, turn the lights on in the morning, check all of the horses’ hay, grain and water, sweep up and make sure all of the stall doors are latched before leaving. • The team foreman will fill out and sign the Chore Team Checklist. • It is your responsibility to work with your teammates and complete the chores. If a member of your team does not show up or if the chores are not completed correctly or on time, the entire team will be penalized. • If you cannot do chores when you are assigned to do them, it is your responsibility to find a substitute for your spot. Students in the Equine Program are the ONLY students eligible to be a substitute for chores! • Chore team performance is part of your grade in your riding class and equine production class. Your dependability and performance on the chore team is utilized in determining your internship placement. • Students failing to show up for chores will receive one warning and additional makeup work. If performance in doing chores and horse care continues to be failing, you will be dropped from the riding class as horse care and welfare is a top priority to this program. • If chores are missed, it is your responsibility to seek out facilities assistant Heather Hochstatter to make up missed chores. Chore Times Morning chores 6 a.m. – Monday-Friday 7 a.m. – Saturday, Sunday and holidays Evening chores 5:30 p.m. Chore Procedures • Drew Cotton will have an orientation/lab with the equine production class. • Read each stall card and follow feeding instructions EXACTLY. • Check each horse as you feed. 8
1. Hay • Chore teams will hay the entire barn before graining any horses. • Check all hay for mold prior to feeding. If in doubt, set the hay aside in the hay room and leave a note for Heather. • Place hay in corner feeder. Always check feeder for old hay and manure before feeding. • The chore team foreman will be held accountable for the quality and quantity of hay fed and will check stall for hay string. 2. Water • All buckets should be clean and full. • Dirty buckets should be dumped out. If you would not drink the water then your horse should not have to drink it. The last thing before leaving is to recheck the water buckets and stall door latches. • Please note on the chore checklist if a horse is off water in the morning. For evening chores, the buckets should be full or close to full before the chore team starts. • During the winter months, remove all ice in buckets before adding more water. This may require hot water from the wash rack. 3. Grain • Check all feed containers prior to adding feed. • If there is grain left in the container, do not add more. Leave a note regarding horses that are off feed. • Return grain carts to the hay room and close the door. 4. Sweeping • Sweep all alleyways, feed areas and tool areas. • Use the small broom along the walls and stall fronts. • Do not sweep debris into the arena, stalls or out the doors. • Do NOT put garbage in the manure pit! Chore Teamwork and Safety Guidelines • Morning chores do not begin until at least two members of the chore team are present. • Do not leave until all chores are finished and the entire team can leave. • Be awake and alert while doing chores. • Approach horses slowly. Keep the stall door closed and make sure the horse is facing you when you enter the stall. • Make sure all stall doors are latched and secured when finished. • Make sure the grain carts are secured in the hay room after evening chores. • If hay or grain supplies seem to be low, notify the facilities assistant that day. • Leave grain carts and hay carts full for the next chore time. • Be proactive. Get to know who is on your team ahead of time. Give them a wakeup call if necessary. • A designated foreman will complete the Chore Team Checklist when you finish the chores. Hay Deliveries • All equine students are required to help unload hay. • Your participation will be recorded and applied to course grades. • If you have a physical condition that prohibits you from assisting, a doctor’s note is required and appropriate chores will be assigned as makeup. 9
Chore Team Substitution Policy • There is a form in Heather Hochstatter’s mailbox that needs to be filled out when any changes are made from the posted schedule. • You and the person you are trading with need to complete one form and sign off that you are agreeing to swap dates or times. • The form must be signed by Heather or a faculty member and turned in no later than 24 hours before the date that is being switched. • Once the form is turned in and the change is official, both of you are now responsible for your new date, and you are not penalized if you sub does not show up – they are. • Once the form is signed by both students and a faculty member or Heather, a change will be made on the official schedule posted in the barn by Heather only. Students are not permitted to make any changes to the schedule themselves. For example: Sarah is scheduled for chores Saturday the 1st, Maggie is scheduled for chores Monday the 3rd. Sarah and Maggie fill out the swap form and turn it in. Maggie is now responsible for chores the 1st, Sarah is responsible for chores the 3rd. Sarah forgets to come to chores on the 3rd. Sarah is marked as missing chores, not Maggie. If you switch and do not turn the form in and your sub misses your date, it is 100% your responsibility and you will be penalized, not your sub – no excuses or exceptions.
After-Hours Sick Horse Protocol 1. Notify the student assigned to the horse. 2. Immediately text Heather Hochstatter at 940-368-4498. • Include: A) horse’s name B) symptoms C) which student was contacted. 3. The student responsible for the horse will be in charge of promptly taking vital signs. • If the student cannot be reached, chore team will take vitals. • Vital signs will be recorded with time and date and placed behind the feed card. • Text Heather the horse’s vital signs. 4. Heather will suggest a plan depending on the severity of the situation. 5. Always attempt to communicate with an equine faculty member before calling a vet. 6. Students are expected to wait for the vet to arrive at the glass entry. Resting vital signs in an adult horse Temperature
Taken rectally
99-101 °F
Respiration
Count nostril flares or rise/fall in flank, listen with stethoscope
10-24 breaths per minute
Pulse Mucous membranes
Take under jaw or inside of knee with stethoscope Gums Listen with stethoscope or press your ear to their side
28-44 beats per minute
Listen with stethoscope or press your ear to their side
Gurgling, gas-like growls, tinkling sounds (fluid), occasional roars
Capillary refill Gut sounds
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Moist, healthy pink color 2-second refill
Common mistakes • Not leaving the thermometer in long enough (false low temperature reading). • Taking vital signs on a nervous horse. A horse’s pulse and respiration rates can increase dramatically if it is nervous. • Allowing the horse to sniff your hand to measure respiration rate. A horse will sniff far more quickly than its regular breathing rates. • Double-counting heartbeats (lub-dub = one beat). • Not regularly practicing on your horse to know what is normal! Veterinarians Stevens Veterinary Clinic, Galva......................................................309-932-3434 Miller Veterinary Services, Atkinson...............................................309-936-7622 Kewanee Veterinary Clinic, Kewanee..............................................309-852-2252
Colic Scenario What is colic? • Any abdominal pain or discomfort. Multiple things can cause it. What clinical signs do colicky horses exhibit? • Flank watching • Kicking at their belly with the hind feet • Rolling • Laying down frequently • Pawing at the ground with their front feet • Restlessness Tips when calling a veterinarian: • Stay calm when calling an office. • The receptionist will ask you many questions in order to triage the case: 1. Who are you and where is your horse located? 2. What clinical signs is your horse currently exhibiting? 3. Have there been any changes in your horse’s lifestyle recently: food, exercise, vaccines, deworming, etc.? 4. What treatments have already been attempted? What you should do while waiting for the veterinarian to arrive: • Walk your horse if you can safely get it out of the stall. Try to keep the horse up and walking. • Do not allow the horse to eat grass or hay. • Monitor for passing of gas or feces. Once the veterinarian has arrived, be prepared to answer some questions: • When did clinical signs start? • What clinical signs are you observing? We realize that you already spoke with the receptionist but they will ask you again. 11
• Did your horse have any recent changes: diet, exercise, etc.? • Have you tried any treatments? If so, what product, how much of that product, how long ago, did it help, etc.? • Any history of previous colic episodes?
Respiratory Scenario What does “respiratory” mean? • Anything pertaining to the lungs, trachea, nostrils, sinuses Respiratory Scenar Tips when calling a veterinarian: • Same as the colic scenario What clinical signs do horses exhibit that have a respiratory issue? • Coughing when exercising – productive cough • Nasal drainage that is not clear • Eye discharge that is not clear • Sweating • Increased breathing rate • Increased breathing effort – abdominal breathing Tips when calling a veterinarian: • Same as the colic scenario What you should do while waiting for the veterinarian to arrive: • Monitor horse in the stall • Reduce exposure to dust Once the veterinarian has arrived, be prepared to answer some questions: • Same questions as the colic scenario
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No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Legal citation: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and its implementing regulation at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 (Title IX). Students should direct inquires to Title IX Coordinator Jana Koch, Black Hawk College, Building 1, Room 377, 6600 34th Ave., Moline, IL 61265. Phone 309-796-5177 or email kochj@bhc.edu. Faculty and staff should direct inquiries to Deputy Title IX Coordinator Stacey Cary at Black Hawk College, Building 1, Human Resources, 6600 34th Ave., Moline, IL 61265, phone 309-796-5225 or email carys@bhc.edu. Black Hawk College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, unfavorable discharge from the military, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, in the recruitment and admission of students, the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, or the operation of its educational programs as specified by State and Federal laws and regulations. The Affirmative Action Officer can be contacted at 309-796-5225 or by email at aaeeo@bhc.edu. Should you need accommodations or this information in an alternative format, please contact Disability Services at 309-796-5900.
EAST CAMPUS