Horse

 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!