Answer 1

1)   One of my answers to my EQ is "A method that communicates with the horse and instills trust."

2)   Evidence of this can be found in many articles I have read, one mainly being "Ride the Journey" by Chris Cox. He explains how horses need to have trust in one before they can learn to accept ones methods. With trust, a horse can be successfully and wonderfully trained.

3)   Sources: "How to Think Like a Horse", a book by Cherry Hill, renowned horse trainer and author; "Ride the Journey," a book by Chris Cox, international horse trainer; and tips from a good friend of mine, Alecia Richard, a horse trainer in Norco.

Service Learning

I'm working for JKK Performance Horses at Sycamore Canyon Equestrian Center in San Dimas for my service learning. My contact is J. Kris Keeler, a professional horse trainer of 20+ years. For my first 10 hours, I have cleaned tack, turned out horses, lunged horses, and performed basic care for the horses currently in training and boarding. So far, I've worked 10 hours.

ESLR

Effective Communicator: I think I've been an effective communicator because I've been talking to a lot of horse riders and trainers about my senior project of western horse training. I've asked for tips to becoming a better rider, their opinion on different bits, and veterinarian care advice.

Effective Learner: I consider myself an effective learner because I've really dove into learning about western horse training. I've bought multiple horse training books, recorded season 1 of Clinton Anderson's Downunder Horsemanship, and subscribed to both Horse & Rider and Horse Illustrated magazines. I've also made a goal to get an extra article or blurb for each of my research checks for this new 2012 year.

Third Interview Questions

1)   What do you think is most important to becoming a successful western horse trainer?

2)    What does a typical day of training look like for you?

3)   When it comes to safety, what are a few tips and practices one can do to stay safe when working with horses?

4)   As a trainer, do you attend clinics and lessons held by other trainers? If so, why or why not?

5)   Do you use many methods of training, or do you try and stick to one method?

6)   Have you ever had a horse or rider that you have not been able to train/help?

7)   Are there certain breeds of horses that you try to stay away from? Any breeds that you think are harder to train or can't be trained?

8)   What has been the biggest challenge you have faced when training a horse or rider?

9)   If there was one thing you could change about your training method/program, what would it be and why?

10)   When training a horse, do you try to gain it's complete trust? Do you think that trust is essential when training a horse?