Training 

Horsemanship

Each day students will spend 2-7 hours on or around horses. We will advance your knowledge and confidence in Western riding. Students will learn:

• Interacting with horses and mules in a paddock vs stall vs pasture
• Herd mentality 
• Understanding different mentalities and how horses/ mules interact with each other
• Lesson on breeds, colors and heights
• Safely catching, haltering and leading horses
• In depth lesson on saddles- We will cover every element of saddles from the tree to the cantle. Students will see and understand the usage of different saddles (i.e. Wade, Trail, Roping, Barrel saddles etc.) Students will understand different cinch sizes, materials, and usages. 
• Bits- We cover and show students the variety of bits and explain their purpose/ ideology in Horsemanship. (D vs O ring Snaffle, Straight, 3 piece, leveraged, hackamore, performance, correction, etc.)
• Reigns- Cover the usage and advantages/disadvantages of split, barrel, roping reigns. We will cover attachments, weights, and more
• Grooming- Utilization of different grooming tools. Properly removing dirt, dust, etc from a horse. Showing “necessary” vs “full groom.” 
• Hoof- Hoof care is essential to our equine friends. Students will understand hoof structure, health, and care. We will show all tools involved in farrier work. Each day students will pick their own horse’s hoof. 
• Saddling- Students will achieve full understanding of saddle pads, blankets, and how to saddle a horse. (Proper positioning, tenting of saddle pad, breast collars, back cinches, proper tension on equipment, etc.)
• Direct vs Neck reigning- Students will achieve full understanding and implementation of neck reigning vs direct reigning and when to apply pressures. 
• Levels of Applied Pressure- Each horse is different as is each riding situation. Students will learn and demonstrate an understanding of pressure and release accompanied by division of pressures to achieve desired outcome with their horse. 
• Developing Respect vs allowing disrespect- “Each day you get on your horse you are either building respect or allowing disrespect.”- Clinton Anderson (Downunder Horsemanship) Students will understand the relationship they develop with their horses. 
• Command- Many students struggle with the reality that they are the leader of their horse. We work individually with each student to instill command presence and leadership in their Horsemanship. 
• Arena work- We utilize a natural arena on the ranch for warm up and teaching the fundamentals of the ACA Horsemanship program. It allows us to work with our students 1-on-1. 
• The Trail- We spend a lot of time on the intricate trail system of the White River National Forest. The trail offers incredibly scenic views that less than 5% of equestrians have ever laid eyes on. Most importantly, the trail is unpredictable. Unlike an arena, the White River is filled with wildlife such as Mule Deer, Elk, Moose, Foxes, Turkeys, Bears and more. The trail creates opportunities that require quick and immediate response. Horses spook, loose footing, and demand that students apply their training in real time. Some of our trail networks gain 2000+ feet of elevation.  
• Growth and Confidence- Ultimately, you will see growth and gain in confidence in your Horsemanship. From 0 experience to years of riding, you will learn and grow. 

Roping

• The rope is a historic tool of the West. Our beginner/ indermediate course is focused on primarily roping from the ground.
• Understanding of different kinds of ropes and manufacturers’. 
• How to maintain a loop, proper sizing, cadence, target acquisition, etc

Ranch Water

• Water is essiential to sustain life. We cover the importance of water systems.
• Origin of source and supply routes
• Laws concerning Water Rights and impact on Colorado’s Agriculture
• Proper watering methods and stock tank maintenance
• Irrigation methods 

Manure Management 

• Manure management is a problem that any livestock operation must tackle. 
• Students will understand the importance of proper manure management, utilization of manure forks, spreaders, etc
• Discussions regarding how different ranches effectively and ineffectively manage waste

Chainsaw Operation/ Maintenance & Trail/ Fence Line Clearing + Winter Wood Prep

• Chainsaws are one of the most dangerous tools on any farm or ranch. However, they are a valuable asset to any operation. 
• We utilize a Stihl MS311 (20in. bar) to teach about two-stroke engines, maintenance, and more
• Students will gain an understanding of: 2 stroke engines, proper fuel, 2 stroke oil mix, different kinds of chains, bar lengths, and more. 
• Students will apply said knowledge to: replace chains, ensure bar oil is flowing, proper tension of chain, using full/ half choke, begin cutting downed trees, proper stance for operation, modulation of the saw’s weight, how to predict binding and “read the wood.” 
• Students will also use an axe, wedges, and clippers for under growth
• Students will learn the importance of trail maintenance/ cutting new trail. Additionally, students will use a splitting maul and gain an understanding of winter wood preparation. 

Fencing Building 

• Fencing is a necessary skills to work on/ operate a ranch. 
• We teach our students, via hands-on application, how to properly construct fence as well as maintain already in place fencing. 
• Students will learn and apply: how to dig post holes using post-hole-diggers and tamping irons, How to properly level and set posts, concrete vs non concreted posts, T-posts and how to drive, textbook fence building methods, how to use a wire stretcher with barbed and slick wire, attaching T-post clips, using fencing plires, etc
• We will discuss and visit with different kinds of fence such as but not limited to: No Climb Horse Fance, Pipe Fence, Grid Wire, 5 vs 6 stranded Barbed and Stays, Wood or Board fence, and more. We discuss utilization and practices of such fencing. 

Tractor Operation and Maintenance 

• We utilize a John Deere 4052 HST tractor for this lesson
• Discussions regarding fuel, engines, HST vs Manual, Hydraulic systems
• Proper care for engine and hydraulic lines and systems 
• Recommended oil change periods, fuel filter changes, hydraulic filter and HST servicing
• Proper Pre Operation checklists
• Diagnosing hydraulic issues
• Greasing hinges
• Establishing a maintenance record 
• Operation: Students will learn to start and run a tractor. Utilization of ANBC gearing of HST by Deere, how to properly turn and back up, judging ground for operation, speed modulation, bucket operation and Intro to PTO’s. 

Job Market Overview/ Guide to Buying Horses & Land

• Many students attend the ACA to either gain experience and knowledge to become marketable in the job space or to gain an understanding to start their own ranch. 
• We cover: The current state of agricultural jobs, how to build a resume, how to talk to ranchers and farmers on the phone, how to put your best foot forward, how to become marketable, how to evaluate job ads, the reality of ranching financials, hosing, locations, our recommendations for each student, 
• Furthermore: We discuss buying a horse, cost of ownership, cost of land in your area or desired area, basics of ranch business, how to evaluate a horse-for-sale-ad, buying saddles and other equipment. 
• This lesson always takes place on the final night of the ACA. It provides students with the opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns, and continue to learn about our cherished industry. 

Firearm Safety and Shooting Course (Optional Add-On)

• Firearms are a must have in the ranching industry. From personal protection in the back country to vermin elimination, firearms have always been a staple of the West and of the Cowboy.
• The ACA offers an optional Firearms Safety and Shooting Course. Participants will learn how to properly interact with firearms, load, transport, and fire the weapons. Even if you are a seasoned shooter, we are certain you’d enjoy thus course. 
• Weapons include: Henry .45-70 Government Lever Action, Ruger New Vaquero .45 Colt, Uberti Cattleman II .45 Colt, Shadow Systems MR920 Elite 9mm. You won’t only be shooting, you’ll be shooting weapons and cartridges synonymous with the West.  

Typical Day Schedule

Each day is divided into two training sessions. Half of the day is spent undergoing the ACA Horsemanship program and the other is learning and application of ranch hand skills. Each day begins around 5:45 am with breakfast in the lodge. We commence training shortly there after. Lunch is typically between 12pm and 2pm. After lunch, we permit roughly 45 mins of R&R for students to take care of personal matters, contact family, practice roping etc. Training commences after that period. Training will not end until the lesson has been covered. Rain or shine, each student is entitled to the knowledge and experience of the ACA instructors. Dinner will take place whenever training had ended for the day. Typically while dinner is being prepared, roping lesson takes place. After dinner, we will often build a campfire to share experiences, answer questions, and pick on our 6 strings.