Off the Farm

In addition to providing hands-on learning experiences at Carter Farms, the MLP program also identifies other appropriate expeditionary learning experiences that align with our core curriculum. Expanding learning experiences beyond the farm allows girls to practice their new leadership and life skills when interacting with others in the equine field and community. It is our goal to offer at least one off-site learning expedition each year. Recent expeditionary learning experiences have included:

Alltech World Equestrian Games

In September 2010, MLP students spent three days at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky—the first time this event has ever been held in the U.S. The World Equestrian Games are staged every four years and feature the world championships for eight equestrian sports. Held over two weeks, the event included more than 632 athletes representing 58 countries and provided a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience for MLP students. As part of the American Mustang and Burro Association Appreciation Day held during the games, students attended a Mustang Breed Demonstration and talked informally with the audience about their personal experiences with Mustangs. Students also attended several equine sessions focused on communicating with horses, training, and tacking, as well as a session with Pat Parelli, a world renowned natural horseman. Parelli demonstrated his holistic approach to natural horse training based on developing a natural relationship with your horse through understanding the world from the horse’s point of view. Students also attended several science exhibits and sessions that were part of the young scientists program, including:

• Life Sciences: science of feeding the gene and the impact of nutrigenomics on studying cancer and HIV/AIDS
• Future of Farming: threats to food security and sustaining the earth as the world population expands
• ACE Principal: responsible use of limited water and land resources
• Newport Aquarium: interactions with penguins and sharks
• Since Made Simple: how science makes our lives better

At the conclusion of each experience, MLP team leaders held debrief sessions to allow students to ask additional questions and reflect on what they learned and how it applied to their life and work with the MLP program.

Extreme Mustang Makeover

In October 2008, a group of CGLA students attended the Extreme Mustang Makeover in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to watch the wild Mustang “Charlie” and his trainer, Ed Dabney, compete against over 90 other Mustangs. The students were introduced to Charlie the first day he arrived at Carter Farms as he embarked on a 100-day transformation from wild horse to a trained and poised competitor. Though Charlie didn’t take home a prize, he competed well and—best of all—found a new, loving home in Alabama. The students had an opportunity to visit with Charlie and his trainer and see, first hand, the power of the human-horse connection. The Mustang Heritage Foundation, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event in order to recognize and highlight the value of Mustangs through a national training competition. Competitors have just 100 days to train a wild Mustang for the competition, which requires a significant time commitment and sincere dedication to protecting and sustaining the breed. This event gives the public a unique opportunity to see the results of wild horses becoming trained mounts and showcases the beauty, versatility and trainability of the rugged horses that roam freely on public lands throughout the West, where they are protected by the BLM under Federal law. At the conclusion of the Extreme Mustang Makeover the participating Mustangs are available for adoption by competitive bid. Through these events the Mustang Heritage Foundation offers the public a special opportunity to adopt a true Living Legend. Click here to learn more about the Mustang Heritage Foundation’s Extreme Mustang Makeover program.