The enriching, innovative philosophy of the Montana Center for Horsemanship, with the University of Montana Western partnership, currently offers several academic degrees in Natural Horsemanship, including the 4-year, accredited Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Horsemanship, the only one in the nation. This unique academic and horsemanship program has caught the attention of students, riders and practitioners throughout the U.S., and those in other parts of the world, which, in turn, has created a significant demand for the Program. As a result of this great success, until recently, UMW had to turn away many qualified students because the facility and staff could not accommodate an increasing number of students. Today, that academic landscape is changing and as we build and grow, we are able to welcome more students from near and far. This means, however, that we need to continue to expand our horsemanship and academic facilities and our staffing. It is an exciting time as we now look forward to the future and we welcome support.
Looking Forward
Several years after the Natural Horsemanship degree was added to the UMW curriculum, the Montana Center for Horsemanship and UMW, found themselves in the position to make another significant contribution to the Natural Horsemanship world and Montana’s culture as a whole. In addition to advancing the mission of MCH and supporting our community, we shared a vision to develop the Montana Center for Horsemanship into one of the nation's leading equine education centers --- a destination venue for conferences, symposiums, workshops, clinics and a host of other events - our goal was and is to be a leader in teaching, training, and research, attracting visitors, scholars, students, researchers, horsemen and horsewomen, as well as those who simply wanted to learn more about horses, Dillon, Beaverhead County and Montana as a whole.
To achieve this vision, additional programs and initiatives will be developed and the Montana Center for Horsemanship facilities need to expand to accommodate a wide range of activities and individuals. We are actively now developing, state of the art classrooms, conference areas, a veterinary/research laboratory, dining and kitchen areas, restrooms and a high efficiency heating system for those cold winter days in Montana. We are preparing to develop more horse housing, fencing, corrals and paddocks for a wide range of horse activities and a tack room for students.
Based on increasing demand and interest, one of the program additions we recently achieved was a new degree in Natural Horsemanship Instruction. There was a clear need in the equine industry and related fields, for more well-trained graduates in equine studies and a lack of qualified instructors was identified as one of the top five concerns hampering industry growth based on a recent survey of AQHA leadership. Further investment with direct impact is needed to help these current programs and many other valuable initiatives to grow. Please join us in supporting these efforts - they, and you,together, really do make an impact.
The Montana Center for Horsemanship has already begun moving forward to achieve these vital goals, first by developing the new core curriculum for the Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Horsemanship Instruction, and by starting the process to develop the larger infrastructure required to accommodate current and future demand for MCH programs. We are also enhancing our ability to host future complementary activities including conferences, symposiums, special events, clinics and other initiatives that advance and support the mission. Recently, the Montana Center for Horsemanship received a $250,000 donation pledge which requires matching funds. Our goal is to raise three times that pledge to complete most of the necessary components of expansion. We hope that individuals --- donors, as well as foundations, corporations and businesses, will join us in meeting this match. It will make a world of difference for the future of Natural Horsemanship, education, the local and regional economy and the future of agriculture, research and new initiatives in the horse-human partnership.
We have many giving opportunities and many levels of support, all of which come with meanaingful benefits, recognition and namings. If you would like to learn more about these efforts or discuss making a gift, whether a one time donation or an annual pledge, please conact our Director of Development & Communications, Janet Rose at (406) 925-3270 or email: janet.rose@williamkriegelfoundation.org.
As we like to say about this campaign effort --- our view is local; our vision is global. Please join us making a real difference in the future of horses, humans and natural horsemanship.
Objectives
To accomplish these goals and fulfill the vision, the not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) Montana Center for Horsemanship has identified the following fundraising goals:
· Infrastructure: $2.5M
· Scholarships
· Endowed Equine Chair
To learn how your gift can be structured, the various donation options, naming opportunities, and how you can become involved, please click here.
Site Map (current and proposed expansion projects):
