James River Horse Foundation

Inmate training program - this educational outreach program selects 8 to 10 candidates from the prision population at the State Farm Work Center every 12 weeks to participate in the vocational training program on a rotating basis. Each candidate is carefully screened by the Barn Manager in cooperation with the Assistant Warden & other correctional officers at the facility. This program has established a valuable public-governmental relationship with the VA Dept of Corrections ("VADOC") & is widely recognized for its contributions to the welfare & education of participating offenders & for marked reduction in reeidivism rates for these taking part in the outreach training program. Graduates of the program who have completed their sentence have gone on to successful employment as grooms, blacksmiths & workers at local area horse farms and race tracks such as Colonial Downs in New Kent, VA. The training program is supervised by the Barn Manager & follows an established & well-supervised curriculum having 3 levels of intensity & depth in horse care management & farm maintenance. Participants are transported by officers daily to Barn 4 to study equine nutrition & behaviors, basic veterinary care, & horse handling techniques & are tested on the materials & "graduate" through the levels. Guest speakers such as local veterinarians, trainers & farriers visit Barn 4 often to teach by example, enhancing the written materials & the hands on experience with the horses. Participants learn to work as a cooperative team, take on responsibilities & complete goals toward a certification that can aid them in obtaining employment after their release. JRHF, in cooperation with VADOC hosts "Open Barn" days when the public can visit Barn 4 & see the progress made by the inmates & the horses.