English teacher Bruce Riley is going out to pasture — but that is exactly where he wants to be. Next year Riley will teach an equestrian horse class that was absent from the 1997-98 curriculum due to the retirement of Ag teacher Steve Wilcox and a lack of students. This year there is plenty of interest and the class is scheduled for second semester as a two-hour block. “I can’t wait for the class, because I was hoping it would pull through last year but it didn’t,” said junior Jake Gronley, a student signed up for the class. The class will include both field and classroom work. Riley will try to include some literature in the course as well. “We want to maintain the standard that has been set and hope to eventually include English so that students can get credit for an English class,” said the head of the Ag program, Mark Lalum. The class will cover areas such as nutrition, breeds, vet care, reproduction, and the shoeing, selection and marketing of horses. Students will have the option of practicing techniques they have learned, like shooing and vet care, on the horses. “I’m really excited about this,” said Riley. “I want to give students the opportunity to enjoy horses as much as I have.” There will be no after school-training required unless students join the horse club that Riley hopes to start. The class requires no prerequisites, but will include a $10 fee. “I’m happy to pay $10 to learn about horses,” said junior Kevin Gragg. “In school … you can learn at you own pace for a cheaper price rather than paying someone else to teach you who may cost a lot more.” The class will be offered at the Ag Center, but for the students who don’t participate in the regular Ag program there will be a bus to the Ag Center for this class. Students will not have to own their own horses, as Riley and horse owner Doug Wise will provide green horses for the students to break in. “One of the many experiences that the students will have is breaking in their own colt,” said Riley. “I still remember the first time I did it; it was an awesome experience.” The classroom will have a range of speakers that include horse ranchers and veterinarians. The students will also get the chance to take field trips to ranches and veterinarian clinics. Riley said he feels confident that he will be able to provide a fun and interesting class. Last summer, he went to Thermopolis, Wyo., to learn about a training technique called passive resistance in a clinic. “The things I learned at the clinic were very beneficial and will help to teach the class,” said Riley. “Horses are my life,” said junior Jamie Roberts, who has signed up for the class. “It has a new teacher and I wanted to check it out because Mr. Riley is a pretty cool teacher.” |
