Horses

No matter what your interest in horses may be, there is something for everyone in the 4-H horse program! Youth involved in the 4-H horse program area learn responsibility and commitment to a project. The time invested in caring for, riding and training horses improves the quality of life for youth while at the same time teaching life and work skills such as time management, record keeping, problem solving, goal setting and many others.

Members do not need to own a horse to participate in the 4-H horse program. 4-H members will learn about horses at their local 4-H club meetings as well as at state 4-H horse workshops and events. In addition, 4-H members have fun competing in educational contests at the county, state and even national level. While 4-H is not a riding instruction program, members do sometimes ride horses as part of 4-H their activities and 4-H does sponsor horse shows.

For more information, contact your local 4-H office.

Contests Rules & Resources

The Horse Bowl, Hippology and Horse Judging contests are held each year at both the local and state levels. Each county or region holds these competitions in the fall or winter to select both a junior and senior team to compete at State 4-H Horse Round Up, usually held in April. Once selected the county teams study and practice to prepare for state competition. Senior age 4-H members, ages 14-18, compete for one of the four slots on the State Horse Bowl, Hippology or Horse Judging team. These state teams will represent the Massachusetts 4-H Horse Program at the Eastern National 4-H Horse Round Up in Louisville, Kentucky in November. In addition to Horse Bowl, Hippology and Horse Judging, a Communications team is also selected at the State Visual Presentation Day. The cost of the trip to Kentucky is funded in large part by the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation.

Hippology

Horse Bowl

MASSACHUSETTS 4-H HORSE PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL CONTEST REFERENCE MATERIALS

4-H Horse Program Series - Horses and Horsemanship and Horse Science
Books by Ray J. Antoniewicz, National 4-H Council, 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Illustrated Dictionary of Equine Terms by Newhorse, New Horizons Education Center, Inc. Alpine Publications, PO Box 7027, Loveland CO 80537, Phone: 1-800-777-7257
Equine Science, Basic Knowledge for Horse People of all Ages by Jean T. Griffiths
AYHC 1st - Horse Industry Handbook (HIH) - by the American Youth Horse Council
Horse Smarts: An Equine Reference and Activity Guide by the American Youth Horse Council
The Coloring Atlas of Horse Anatomy by Dr. Robert Kainer and Dr. Thomas M McCracken
Feeding and Care of the Horse (2nd edition) by Lon D. Lewis, Williams and Wilkins
P.O. Box 1496, Baltimore, MD 21298-9724, Phone: 1-800-638-0672
Junior Horsebowl Practice Questions
Senior Horsebowl Practice Questions

Horse Judging

Horse Judging Oral Reasons Scoresheet (2023)

MA 4-H Horse Roundup

Watch for 2024 dates!

Horse Show & Health Regulations

4-H members are able to exhibit their riding skills at local and state 4-H Horse Shows.

State 4-H Horse Show

June 21-23, 2024 Three County Fairgrounds, Northampton

Link to Show Book: 2024 4-H State Horse Show Book

MA 4-H Members please register in 4-H Online: 4-H Online

The Regional 4-H Horse Show

September 7 & 8, 2024 Three County Fairgrounds, Northampton Entry Information on the website www.regional4hhorse.com

Franklin County 4-H Horse Show

Norfolk County 4-H Horse Show

Sunday, May 5, 2024 at Pappas Rehab Hospital for Children, Canton, MA

Class list and registration at: http://norfolk4hhorseshow.weebly.com

Big E - New England 4-H Horse Show

Watch for the packet on the Big E site

A youth applying to the New England 4-H Horse Show (Big E) needs to have on file by May 1st of the current year a Horse Verification Form. Youth exhibiting a horse, must be 13 years old as of January 1st current year and a junior leader must be 12 years old as of January 1st current year.

MA 4-H Horse Verification Form

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR SHOWS

2024 MA Fair Animal Health Regulations

Massachusetts 4-H Horse Program Policies and Forms

All volunteers running 4-H horse shows must comply with 4-H policy and procedures.

Horse Advisory Council

Membership for State Horse Advisory Council (HAC)

The membership list is updated each year at the Annual meeting held in January. If you are interested in representing your county at the State Horse Advisory Council meetings, please speak with your county educator.

2023-2024 State Horse Advisory Council Representatives

Barnstable: Jennifer Lewis
Berkshire: Open
Bristol: Nick Barishian, Chesley Chmura
Essex: Nancy McCarthy
Franklin: Arthur Martin
Hampden: Penny Blomgren, Brie-Anna Massoni Facto
Hampshire: Anne Blizniak, Carolyn Ritter
Middlesex: Suzanne Ferris, Lanea Tripp, Darlene Welch
Norfolk: Shari Ackerman-Morris, Nora Reardon
Plymouth: Molly Vollmer
Worcester: Karla Barrows
4-H Staff: Shelby Robin

Meeting Dates for State HAC

** Meetings are held either by Zoom at 7:00 pm or in-person at a site to be announced prior to the meeting.

2024 Dates

1/13/24 - Meeting - Marlborough

For further information, please contact:

State 4-H Animal Specialist
University of Massachusetts Amherst
100 Venture Way, Suite 334
Hadley, MA 01035-9462
413-545-5302

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