The University of Vermont

The UVM  Horse Barn Co-op

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Application to the UVM Horse Barn

Application to the
UVM Horse Barn

This application is due April 1st

As a rough guide, most barn members spend about two hours a day at the barn (including cleaning their stall, doing assigned chores, doing 3-4 hours of "horse watch" a week and riding) as well as attending weekly barn meetings, weekly “night checks” with a partner, 2-3 “weekend watches” per semester, plan, organize and participate in parents weekend activities (October), Halloween Barn activities, and a spring event (March/April), as well as participate in one or two workdays each semester. Additionally, barn members are required to sign up for ASCI 097/098, "Horse Barn Cooperative," each semester that their horse is in the barn. This class meets fortnightly in the evening to discuss practical equine applications and this workload is in addition to all the barn activities described above. For your first year in the barn, you must rearrange your academic schedule to make room for this class (Monday's 4:40-5:30pm). We understand that your academic schedule and family emergencies are a priority over your duties as a barn member.  However, if you choose to be a part of the cooperative, your barn duties take priority over jobs.  Please honestly evaluate this time commitment before applying to the horse barn.

Along with this application, please include a minimum of a one page written essay telling the UVM Horse Barn Executive Committee how you and your horse will make a contribution to the cooperative and what the term “cooperative barn” means to you.

As part of your application process, it is highly recommended that you contact a member of the UVM Horse Barn Executive Committee and arrange to spend one day on a weekend working with that member at the UVM Horse Barn before April 1st. Please call either 802-862-2151 or 802-656-0144 to get contact details for an Executive Committee member. Prior to working in the barn, you or a parent (if you are under 18 years) must sign a risk release form that is found at the end of this application.

With the submission of this application you are agreeing to abide by the terms outlined in the UVM Horse Barn Constitution Horse Barn Facts. Please read this material online at http://asci.uvm.edu/horsebarn/?Page=constitution.html.

Directions: Please fill out all parts of this form. When you are done, click on the "Submit" button. Thank you!

NOTE: Please remember to provide Mark Young with your required Signature Form, Risk Release Form, proof of current (within one year) rabies and negative Coggins tests,a full-bodied color picture of your horse, at least two letters of recommendation (one for you and one for your horse), an online essay of what the term "co-operative barn" means to you, and an optional short (3-5 min) video of your horse. Your application will not be considered until all of these materials are received. Your letters of recommendation must be from two different sources and not from a close relative. Please feel free to call the UVM Horse Barn at (802)863-0205 with any questions.

Last Name:  *required field

First Name:  *required field

Middle Initial:

Address where you can be reached over the summer:

Street Address:

City:     State:     

Zip Code:    

Phone number (home):  *required field

Phone number (local):

Email Address:  *required field

Anticipated UVM graduation year:

College at UVM:

Major:

Do you currently have a GPA of 2.0 or higher?

 No Yes

Horse's Name:

Breed:

Sex:      Age: years

Height:  hands     Weight: lbs.

Due to IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) regulations, we cannot allow horses weighing more than 1,333 lbs. to live in our 10' x 12' stalls. Generally this means we do not allow horses larger than 16.3 hh into our stalls. We will weight tape your horse upon arrival if there is any doubt about their size.

Please read:

Tips for filling out this application:

  • Be honest, we understand no horse is perfect
  • Be thorough, the more information the better
  • Avoid yes or no answers when possible
    •

General Information

Are you willing to be interviewed by the current UVM Horse Barn Executive Committee, either by phone or in person if you live nearby?

Are you willing to come for a work day?

How long have you owned/leased your horse? If you lease your horse, pleae not that we require a written copy of your lease.

Please list the responsibilities you currently have or have had in caring for your horse. (Examples would be: feeding, mucking stalls, grooming, etc.)

Please list any experiences you currently have or have had in caring for other people's horses.

What has been your present or past involvement in horse-related clubs or activities?

Have you had any present or past involvement with any UVM equine activities (equitation team, dressage team, equitation classes, Equus, etc.)?

 

Because the UVM Horse Barn is a cooperative environment, all barn members are required to share the responsibilities. Would you be willing to and be comfortable with:


  No		 Yes Leading and working with horses of all sizes (sizes range from 14 to 17 hands)?
  No Yes 3 hours of horsewatch per week?
  No Yes Participating in a 30-minute weekly night check with a partner sometime between 9-11 pm to ensure the safety of the horses?
  No Yes 2-3 workdays per semester, usually on the weekends?
  No Yes 2-3 weekend watches per semester, consisting of 4 hours of horsewatch either on Saturdays or Sundays?
  No Yes Covering a total of 7 days of horsewatch with a partner over the vacation periods (winter break, Thanksgiving break & spring break)?
  No Yes Being completely responsible for your horse, including daily stall cleaning and scheduling of farrier and veterinarian?
  No Yes Other situations involved in caring for your horse and others?

Comments/Concerns:

 
 

Barn Situation

What type and size of stall does your horse live in?

Is your horse currently turned out in a pasture or a paddock? Please give details on the size and condition of your turnout situation.

What type of weather conditions does your horse go out in?

What type of fencing is used? Are you aware that UVM uses three-strand electric tape fencing?

How many hours a day does your horse spend in the pasture?

Our horses are turned out in groups of two to four horses per pasture, although we prefer to turn out in groups of four. Is your horse a candidate for a pasture group of four? Has your horse been turned out in large groups before?

Is your horse currently turned out in a group situation? Would your horse be comfortable in a 3/4 acre pasture with up to three other horses?

Is your horse dominant, passive, or neutral in a group turnout situation? Please describe this in detail.

Describe your horse's behavior when ridden with other horses in an enclosed arena.

 
 

Behavior

Can your horse be safely lead to and from pastures by other barn members, animal science students, and work study students? Keep in mind that many of the people that will be handling your horse may not be very experienced with horses.

Does your horse ever tear away when let loose in the pasture? If so, what do you do to correct this?

Do you turn your horse out to pasture with a halter on? Has your horse ever been difficult to catch?

Does your horse have any of these vices? If so please check all that apply.

(Please be honest. Believe us, we realize that no horse is perfect.)

Cribbing  Kicking at other horses
Rearing  Biting 
Pawing  Striking
Kicking in stall  Weaving 
Charging  Stall walking 
Kicking at people 

If you have checked any vices, explain the severity of the vice.

Does your horse have any other vices or habits that were not listed? Please include anything that you think other barn members need to be aware of, eg. horse will barge out of stall past handler, horse opens gates, horse gets cast, horse coughs if fed dusty hay.

How does your horse behave on the crossties? Will your horse crosstie and stand quietly? Paw while on the crossties? Stand on the crossties for the vet and farrier? Allow other horses to walk past while he or she is on the crossties? Attempt to break the crossties if he or she is frightened? Please explain his or her behavior.

How does your horse behave during feeding time? (i.e., does he or she suddenly develop a door-kicking, floor-pawing, people-biting fetish?)

Is your horse safe to open the door and walk into the stall to feed and water?

Will your horse be safe around the tractors, vehicles, and cows that are all a part of UVM's working farm environment?

Our farm is located between interstate 89 and another frequently traveled road. Explain your horse's behavior with excessive traffic and vehicle noise.

Many of the guests and visitors to the farm are not familiar with how to behave safely around horses. How will you and your horse react to these guests and visitors, as well as the many small children that visit the farm?

 
 

Health

We require that all horses be de-wormed every two months starting in September. What is your current de-worming program?

Our de-worming program is based upon recommendations from Vermont Large Animal Clinic. Are you willing to switch to our program? (Horses on daily de-wormer do not need to switch onto our program). If not, please explain.

The barn has a vaccination clinic in the spring and fall. Will you be willing to accept and follow these recommendations? If not, please explain.

  No Yes A required vaccination for this barn is an annual rabies shot, as well as an annual negative Coggins test.
  No Yes Recommended inoculations for this area are Tetanus, Influenza/Rhinopneumonitis, West Nile Virus, Potomac Horse Fever and Eastern/Western Encephalomyelitis.
If no, please explain.

Because this farm is a research and educational facility, all medical treatments and illnesses must be reported to the executive board members and the University Veterinarian. Will you be willing to disclose this information?

Does your horse currently have any chronic medical problems? Is he or she undergoing any treatments or medication?

Does your horse have a history of colic?

Please include with this application and then provide Barn Manager, Mark Young, with the following:

Either submit this application electronically or print out the application and mail to Mark Young at the following address, along with the items listed above.  Letters of recommendations sent by e-mail should be sent by the person providing the recommendation.
 

Mark Young
c/o Ellen A. Hardacre Equine Center
500 Spear Street
South Burlington, VT 05403

Application Information

  • This application is due by April 1st
  • Interviews will take place before April 15th
  • You may organize to spend a day working at the barn anytime before April 1st
  • You will be notified of your acceptance status by May 1st
  • Applications received after April 1st are late, and will be considered for the wait list. 
    •
Please feel free to call the barn at any time if you have any questions.

UVM Horse Barn: (802) 863-0205 from Sept-May only
UVM Farm: (802) 862-2151 year-round (this number has an answering machine)

If you have questions regarding this form, please contact Marcia.Purvis@uvm.edu

Thank you for applying!


Revised 3/09

Last modified March 03 2009 03:46 PM

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