Horse Spirit Youth Ranch

PROJECT BACKGROUND
Our ranch operation runs grade, Quarter and work horses. Our main interests for the ranch are to give the youth something to do. Over the past three years other activities we and the youth are involved in are:
- solar and wind power
- community gardens, WIC program markets
- reservation youth rodeo
- reservation horsemanship
- community to community trail rides
- archery

PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND RESULTS
The objectives of this project, by creating an ongoing horse training operation are:
1) That participants pass and learn many different skills (from Elderly to youth)
2) That ranchers will get their horses trained and the youth will learn many skills (learn and earn)
3) That some ranchers will support the project through donating unwanted early/late livestock (for youth to train, bottle feed, and care for)

January 2001
Daily horse care (watering, graining, checking and repairing fences)
Distributing hay, to the horses in different pastures. Rosebud Sioux Tribal Tourist Department, choose Parmelee youth as their reservation youth models for their web site showing different reservation activities at www.tradecorridor.com/rosebud, the youth were very excited and proud of having the honor to show their skills on the web. The site will be on through out the year.

February 2001
Daily horse care (watering, gaining, checking and repairing fences)
Tourist Department getting complimented on their new website, where it shows the youth participating in activities.

March 2001
Daily horse care, checking on the pregnant horses and giving them hay.
Distributing hay and relocating horses, to different pastures. Reviewing and planning short and long term lease agreements with Rosebud Sioux Tribe, community landowners and area landowners. Leases contained landowners donating use of land (640 acres) and paid lease land of (320 acres).

April 2001
Daily horse care (watering, graining, checking and repairing fences)
One participant received 3 calves from local rancher, (2 heifers and 1 steer) for his children to take care of. Dewormed all horses, cut and cleaned hooves of the horses to e ridden in the upcoming 1st ride of the year. Area youth started tilling gardens for themselves, this year we put all youth gardens in one spot and had youth make out plots (15’x 15’) to plant and care for.

May 2001
Daily horse care and daily garden care
Participated in the 4-Direction Sobriety Ride to Corn Creek, the ride started at 8:00 in the morning, when it was still a little chilly but as the morning went on the temperature rose, and it started to warm up pretty good. We took 12 youth ages 8-18 and 5 horses. The youth took turns riding horses so they will all have a chance at riding. As the day was coming to an end, and we reached the destination, youth and horses were tired, now after reaching Corn Creek, the horses were unsaddled, rested, and watered. After the youth and adults ate dinner, it was time to load up and head home. After returning home the youth helped unload, grain watered and put up riding equipment.

June 2001
Daily horse care and daily garden care.
Checking on the mares and their colts, contacted by rancher, who brought over 6 wild horses to be broke by the youth who were interested (10 youth participated) earned money to buy horse equipment to use in breaking and training more horses. The owner of the horses was very pleased of the results and willing to bring more horses next month. Two Rosebud casino rodeos, youth participated in, One Wild Horse Racing shootout in St. Francis included four rookie teams from Parmelee. St. Francis Indian Day Celebration took 6 horses to participate in the parade, after rodeo ended for the day, the youth who attended, rode the horses to Grass Mountain and were picked up by the horse trailers and delivered home.

July 2001
Daily horse care and daily garden care
Halter breaking and gentling of colts. Experienced young youth furthering their horsemanship skills teaching first time youth participants hands on learning. Many youth will continue being around horses for many years to come. One horse injured, and youth observed as a local rancher came and gave shots and showed the older youth how to take care of the wound and give penicillin shots to the horse. The youth took turns taking care watering and checking the injured horse.

Another rancher brought 3 more horses to be halter broke and gentled down, after they were broke, the younger youth took turns riding them for the rest of the month. Started work on horse race track, the older youth took turns plowing the track with the tractor. Some put up poles to mark the different distances. Some of the other youth help make posters for the event.

Some of the girls entered in the Jr. Miss Rosebud Rodeo, showing their skills in Barrel racing, pole bending, grooming, and handling their own horse. With one taken the title of 2001/2002 Little Miss Rosebud.

August 2001
Daily horse care and daily garden care
Youth held the First Annual Horse Race during the Parmelee Celebration. The race had different events like, ½ mile, ¼ mile, 1 mile, relay race, and pony races for different age groups. The races were sponsored by, local area merchants and other individuals. After the event the participants and spectators had hot dog, pop and chips for lunch. During the celebrations a lot of the youth participated in the rodeo, some were in calf riding, Jr. Bull riding, barrel racing, boot races, rescue race, ribbon tie tale. Youth participated in the White River rodeo, in youth events and the older youth entered in the wild horse race.

At the Rosebud Fair some of the youth took horses to be entered in the parade and to participate in the rodeo. Other youth entered their fresh garden vegetables in the Garden contest. Four more horses were brought to youth to be broke and trained by the youth, the rancher will pick up horses in a few weeks, 8 youth took turns riding the horses.

September 2001
Daily horse care and daily garden care, youth harvest all remaining crops
Last rodeo of the year (Parmelee), events for the youth, included ribbon tying, horse racing, rescue race, barrel racing, flay racing, and wild horse racing. Daily horse care, checking fences and watering holes. Local rancher picked up horses; the youth did a very good job.

October 2001
Daily horse care, watering, graining and distributing hay. Sorted and moved horses out to winter pastures.

November 2001
Daily horse care, checking pastures and fences. Graining and making sure there’s water in the tanks.

December 2001
Daily horse care, watering, graining and distributing hay. Checking pasture fences and repairing what needed to be repaired. One participant, after receiving land lease income, invested most of lease money into 5 horses, starting his own ranch. Another participant bought one horse. An already established rancher/participant received two more calves for his children to care for and raise.

OUTREACH
- Putting together youth event days involving on and off reservation participants, with any and all to participate and join in
- Working with and being involved with other clubs, organizations and communities
- Newspapers and brochures
- Word of mouth (elderly and youth, older youth to younger youth, rancher to rancher)