fostertraining

The first USERL Foster Course was a wonderful success! Fosters took advantage of the low price ($25) to learn more about fostering for USERL, equine nutrition, rehabilitation methods, common health concerns with neglected horses and more. The class room portion was at the NCSU Vet School and a training demonstration with Grady Creech of Wakelon Farms was a short distance away at the NCSU Equine Educational Unit.

Instructors included Eric Shupe and Jackie Whitley from Purina, Carolyn Greene (Triangle Foster Coordinator), Will Walls (NC State Director), Jennifer Malpass (Triangle Regional Director), and Grady Creech of Wakelon Farms. Eric Shupe gave an informative presentation about equine nutrition and brought door prizes for participants (halters, supplements,etc).

Two horses were brought to NCSU's Equine Educational Unit for Grady Creech to demonstrate safe handling tips and training methods. Grady also went over a new evaluation method that he and a USERL volunteer, Elizabeth Honeycutt, developed while working with a USERL horse. The evaluation helps determine what the horse knows and doesn't know. Everything from ground handling to under saddle work is broken down into categories and graded upon the horse's ability. We are excited to use this method to more accurately evaluate our horses and better match them with both fosters and adopters.

The next foster training course date has not been decided upon yet. The earliest possible date will be this coming fall.

Jennifer Malpass
Triangle Regional Director

Foster Course participants listen attentively as Grady Creech explains his methods of working with unfamiliar horses.

Classroom training at the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine.

More pics from the Foster Training!

Grady works with "Rachel", a USERL horse up for adoption. He used various "things" to desensitize Rachel and evaluate her ability to withstand the unexpected.

Grady takes "Rachel" through the paces, checking her ability to release to pressure and respond to rein cues.

Grady takes "Franklin", a private rescue, through the same paces. Franklin's different personality and history offered participants an idea of how these methods work on different horses.

Apparently, Franklin had not had any formal training. After some initial resistance to flex to pressure, Grady patiently worked him through the training process. Franklin quickly caught on and worked beautifully, flexing to slight pressure and working well on the bit. A former stallion with little training, Franklin - it turns out - is an easy and willing horse to train.

Franklin did have one bad behavior - he didn't tie, or at least didn't tie when he felt like going somewhere else! Although he didn't show how intense he could be about getting loose, Franklin did demonstrate a small show for us.

Franklin didn't pull again. Participants enjoyed Grady's method to teach tying, as it is safe for both the horse and the humans!

Rachel's biggest problem was trailer loading. She has greatly improved with Grady's guidance the last few times she was moved, but still test a handler when you begin loading her by backing up when asked to approach the trailer.

Grady works Rachel on approaching the trailer calmy, and finally stepping into the trailer.

Rachel is repeatedly asked to step in and out on command.

A participant tries Rachel out and walks her in and out of the trailer.