A tradition started
many years ago at Raintree Ranch is our Bolo System. But what is a Bolo? A Bolo is a western type necktie fastened by a
rope or cord and usually with a decorative stone or jewel. The stone or jewel
can slide easily up and down making it much easier tighten than tying a normal
neck tie. The style became popular in the 1940’s in the Wild West but the
origins go back to 1866 in New Mexico. It is also sometimes referred to as a Bola,
and in 1971 Arizona legislature named the Bolo tie the official state neck wear. It has come to symbolize the
Western United States and many politicians from Arizona, New Mexico, Montana
and Texas have worn a Bolo tie on Capitol Hill.

Each week a camper
attends Raintree Ranch they can earn one of our specially made Raintree Ranch Bolos
for their horsemanship skills and knowledge.
There are 8 Bolos total, each getting progressively harder and requiring
more work to be done down at the barn.
Campers will fulfill some requirements during riding lessons or time in
ground classes and a final written test is given on Friday morning to complete
the process.

While the Bolo program
is optional, almost all the campers work hard to obtain a level each week. Even the camp staff take some of their time
off to earn Bolos. Bolos are a great
way to set a goal, work toward that goal and get a feeling of accomplishment
during the summer. Campers are given a
study packet at the beginning of the week they can use during down time or
refer back to in ground classes to help retain the knowledge needed for the
test. Material is reviewed every day
during ground classes, and staff also provide support to anyone who needs it
during the testing process.

New campers at
Raintree Ranch come with varying levels of horse experience, and their lessons
are split into ability level, but everyone still starts by earning the first
Filly Bolo as tradition. While most
campers can only spend 1 week with us to earn 1 Bolo per summer, we have some
campers who spend multiple weeks at camp each summer and earn a Bolo each week.
The highest levels can sometimes take more than 1 week to complete.

Here
is what some of our campers and staff say about what their Bolos mean to them:

“I
still have my Trail Master that I earned 15 years ago! It reminds me of all the
summers I spent working towards it”

“My Bolos
are on my doorknob, and they remind me that I can accomplish anything as long
as I put forth the effort”

“My Bolos
remind me that if I try and reach my goal I can do it and they all hang proudly
on my wall”

“My
Bolos remind me of the great memories I’ve had in the past and make me excited
for the future. It also helps me remember that I can achieve any goal with the
effort that I put in”

“My
Bolos remind me of the best summer I’ve ever had, all the friends I made, all
the blood sweat and tears I put into getting all of them”

“Hard
work, pride and great memories”

“The
best summer I’ve had in my life. They remind me of working hard toward goals,
sharing the love of Bolos with everyone else who has earned them and studying
with other campers.”

Here is what each level requires

Level
1: Filly

  • Demonstrate
    proper approach, lead, mount and dismount
  • Identify
    5 parts of horse
  • Identify
    5 grooming tools & their use
  • Give
    3 horse safety rules
  • Identify
    3 parts of the bridle and 4 parts of the saddle
  • Describe
    2 gaits of a horse
  • Ride
    a walk in proper equitation
  • Stand
    in the stirrups at the walk
  • Describe
    your favorite moment at horses

Level
2: Colt

  • Identify
    10 parts of a horse
  • Identify
    5 breeds and discuss their proper use
  • Properly
    groom a horse
  • Give
    6 horse safety rules
  • Demonstrate
    proper safety around the horses
  • Describe
    4 gaits of a horse
  • Tie
    a safety knot
  • Assist
    in cleaning manure out of one pasture

Level
3: Stallion

  • Identify
    15 parts of a horse
  • Identify
    6 parts of the bridle
  • Identify
    10 parts of the saddle
  • Groom
    and tack-up a horse
  • Identify
    5 colors of a horse
  • Discuss
    the history of one breed of horse
  • Clean
    out two watering troughs in barn area
  • Begin
    a trot
  • Learn
    how to properly tack up a horse

Level
4: Ranch Hand

  • Identify
    25 parts of a horse
  • Clean
    and oil a bridle and discuss why this is important
  • Identify
    all face markings
  • Discuss
    feeds and proper feeding of a horse
  • Properly
    wrap a horse’s leg and explain reasons for wrapping
  • Begin
    a posting trot
  • Identify
    all parts of the hoof
  • Discuss
    why and how a horse is lunged

Level
5: Junior Wrangler

  • Identify
    40 parts of a horse
  • Name
    5 common horse diseases including prevention and cures
  • Clean
    and oil a saddle
  • Identify
    all leg markings
  • Discuss
    proper health maintenance of a horse
  • Help
    with morning chores twice (tack-up)
  • Clean
    all pastures once
  • Assist
    teaching one ground class

Level
6: Wrangler

  • Identify
    35 parts of a horse
  • Ride
    an extended trot and a collected lope
  • Discuss
    and perform first-aid on a horse
  • Discuss
    how and why to deworm a horse
  • Discuss
    why it is important to groom and was a horse and 5 reasons why a horse
    should be clipped
  • List
    all of the trail ride rules
  • Teach
    beginning riders trail etiquette
  • Identify
    every Raintree horse by name
  • Demonstrate
    safe tack up of a horse

Level
7: Raintree Rancher

  • Disassemble
    and reassemble a bridle and saddle
  • Repair
    damaged bridle and saddle
  • Discuss
    proper reactions to trail hazards
  • Describe
    how you check for lameness on a horse and how you can tell if the lameness
    is in the front or back end
  • Pass
    a pattern test in the riding arena
  • Help
    tack horses 4 times
  • Help
    in one feeding each day
  • Assist
    with the horse show
  • Write
    an essay on what horsemanship means to you and include your thoughts on
    the 4 YMCA core values

Level
8: Trail Master

  • Help
    instruct one trail ride
  • Feed
    twice daily
  • Help
    tack or untack daily
  • Help
    do first aid daily
  • Assist
    with ground classes
  • Help
    with daily ranch maintenance chores
  • Name
    20 possible careers that have to do with horses
  • Write
    an essay about your camping experience at Raintree
  • BE
    A CAMP ROLE MODEL