Basic Requirement
Learn about horses in a
systematic and comprehensive way guided by a leader or mentor. Spend
6 to 8 hours working towards your goals and improving your knowledge.
Optional Horseless Activities
Knowledge Contests
Quiz
Bowl – A game like Jeopardy, questions are asked, and members push their buzzer
if they know the answer. QB is an
excellent additional source of horse knowledge. Can be participated
in at the club level, county, state, and out of state levels.
Judging
– A contest where the conformation and breed type of horses are
judged.
Excellent for learning
about breeds, riding styles, and learning to make informed
comparisons. Club level, state, and out of state levels also
available.
Hippology
– An all-encompassing contest with a written part, hands-on identification of
items, questions answered about presented slides, measuring various items, and
more. Fantastic for identifying the all-around
horseperson. Can be participated in at the club level, region,
state, and out of state levels.
Communications
– There are 3 different types of public speaking: Individual Speech, Individual
Demonstration, and Team Demo. Members learn research and public speaking
skills. Can be participated in at the club level, region, state, and
out of state levels.
Optional with
a Horse
Hands on –
Some members may own their own horse. Members may also make private
arrangements to: care for, take riding lessons, ride, or lease a horse.
Hands on horse care can be arranged at any equine facility where there is a
safe learning environment. Members who have access to a horse are
encouraged to play an active role caring for it (including things like: clean
the horse’s living space; halter and lead the horse in and/or out; groom; care
for the horse’s water; feed; and do general barn care). If the
opportunity to be present for, or assist in health care is available, that is a
beneficial part of learning as well.
Optional Showing
- Riding and Horseless
Horseless
- The State 4-H Horse Show and Champlain Valley Fair 4-H Show have Horseless
classes which include Judging, and a variation of the knowledge contests,
either Quiz Bowl, General Knowledge questions, or a written test.
Riding -
To show a horse in 4-H, the member must be taking care of that horse as of
April 1 of the current year, and must fill out an Equine
Identification/Approval form and turn it in by May 1.
4-H Shows
The Vermont 4-H Horse Show is a 4-day
über-fun horse show, for both Horseless members and members with horses.
The CV Fair 4-H Horse
Show is free to enter and 4-H members can earn prize money. You must
enter by August 1. For Horseless members also!
