The Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB) program is happy to share this curriculum guide with farm-based educators and non-formal teachers who work with Horse Discovery Center stables and equine centers open to school group visits. Horses for Courses raises the level of public awareness of Maryland’s equestrian/equine traditions and the positive impact of horses on the quality of life in Maryland by blending history and science education with dynamic, fun, hands-on lessons for grades 4 through 8. Lessons have been aligned with MSDE Voluntary Social Studies Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Maryland Environmental Literacy Guidelines.
Introduction
Learn about the program and the structure of the curriculum.
Unit I – The Equine Landscape: Keeping Horses on the Land
Students will experience the equine landscape from the perspective of human and natural history.
Unit I – The Equine Landscape: Trail Care Day
Students will participate in a trail maintenance activity and demonstrate an understanding of stewardship and multi-use trail responsibility and protection.
Unit I – The Equine Landscape: Livestock, Athlete, or Recreation?
Students will explore the history of horses in Maryland to understand how humans have utilized these animals in different ways.
Unit I – The Equine Landscape: A Need for Breeds
Students will explore breeds to understand that throughout history, people have selectively bred horses to serve certain purposes and needs on the land.
Unit II – The Healthy Horse: The Form of the Horse
Students will learn the importance of good conformation and how horse anatomy contributes to its physical ability.
Unit II – The Healthy Horse: The Equine Veterinarian
Students will explore the work of equine veterinarians.
Unit II – The Healthy Horse: Reading the Horse
Students will explore the ways horses communicate through body language.
Unit II – The Healthy Horse: My Healthy Horse
Students will be able to compare and contrast the requirements for good human health and the responsibilities of horse owners for the health of their animals and their environments.
Unit III – Sporting Horses: How Many Hands?
Students will be able to measure a horse in hands and determine what tasks certain breeds may be best suited for.
Unit III – Sporting Horses: Necessity to Sport
Students will be able to describe at least three popular competitive equestrian activities that are based on the historic uses of horses in industry and military service.
Unit III – Sporting Horses: Run and Jump!
Students will use math and design skills to create across-country course that honors Maryland traditions in hunting and a mounted military.
Unit III – Sporting Horses: Spark and Queen Mab
Students will understand the role that fast horse breeds have played in Maryland equine history for recreation, sport, and service.
Unit IV – The Art of the Horse: Shades, Stars, and Stripes
Students will be able to recognize and identify the variety and beauty of markings and colors of horses in life and art.
Unit IV – The Art of the Horse: Equine Unveiled
Students will explore how the horse has elevated the historical esteem society and cultures hold for important figures in national and state history.
Unit IV – The Art of the Horse: Mainly Manes
Students will be able to braid and weave a horse’s mane using basic fiber arts techniques.
Unit IV – The Art of the Horse: The Equine Artist
Students will demonstrate the foundations of equine illustration using direct observation.
