THEME, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Theme:

• The horse was an extremely important player in the U.S. Army's mission to patrol the frontier.

  Goals:

• To show the horse's importance to the U. S. Dragoons and the U.S. Army.
• To discuss how the dragoons cared for their horses and prepared them for military campaigns.

  Objectives: After particpating in this program, the student will be able to:

• Give two reasons why the dragoons were stationed on the frontier.
• List three grooming tools used and explain the importance of grooming.
• Name the items in a horse's daily ration.
• Explain the importance of drill.
• Define the term "running at the heads".

  Suggested Activities:

• Have the kids pretend to be dragoon soldiers and choose some of them to perform various chores. Some examples would include:
  • Having some of the students use the grooming tools on the woodcut of the horse in the stables.
  • Letting some of them use the wooden pitchforks to move hay from the wheelbarrow to the stalls.
  • Have some hay and oats set out and let some of the students place the hay and the oats
    in some of the feeders.