Skip to Main Content

4-H Horse & Pony Project and Club

 Superintendent

4-H Club:  Blackford County 4-H Horse & Pony Club

4-H Club Coordinator:  Kim Yoder-Stephens

Color Guard Leader: (Open)

Groom & Clean Leader:  (Open)

How do I join?

How do I become a part of this project? Enroll in 4Honline.  

Manual  
4-H 174 Beginning Horse Management.  One per family. Save this book.  You will use it each year.  These are provided one copy per FAMILY.  If you do not have a copy, there are also copies available at the Hartford City and Montpelier libraries.

 

Completion Requirements  
To complete the project you must complete your record sheet and turn it into the Extension Office by June 15. Record Sheets are for the grade you are in for the current school year. Complete the record sheet and turn it into the Horse & Pony Club Leader or the Extension Office by the required date. You must complete the project to be able to exhibit at the Blackford County 4-H Fair or the Indiana State Fair.

 

Important Information 
Immunizations are required before you can take your animal on the fairgrounds. An approved helmet is required any time a 4-H’er rides a horse on the fairgrounds. A 4-H’er must attend a clinic for safety training before they can participate in the 4-H Horse & Pony show.

 

Livestock Enrollment - Deadline is May 15. 
You must enroll your animal (s) in this project online.  Enrollment is due by May 15.

Leasing of animals for this project is allowed.  Leases need to be turned into the Extension Office by May 15. Contact the Extension Office for additional information. 

Premise ID:
This is a federal law required for Horses. If you do not have a Premise ID, you can apply online with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health at www.in.gov/boah/2328.htm

 

County Fair Entry will be completed through the Fair Entry system.  This must be completed by June 15.  Classes can be DROPPED after June 15 but you will NOT be able to ADD classes after June 15.

 

CLINIC 
For safety purposes, it is required that all 4-H members that intend to show at the Blackford County 4-H Fair must attend a clinic annually, with the horse/horses they plan to show.  If you need assistance with transporting your horse/pony to the 4-H Fairgrounds for a clinic or the 4-H Fair - please notify your leader in advance.  They will help you in making arrangements. Also, you must have your vaccination papers turned in before unloading your horse at the clinic.

Clinics for 2020:

Summary
If you have enrolled your animal by May 15; you have signed up for show classes by June 15; you and your horse have participated in a clinic; and if you have completed and turned in your 4-H Record sheet by June 15 - you will be eligible to show at the Blackford County 4-H Horse & Pony Show.

 

Exhibit Options (may choose one or more)

Show your animal(s) at the Blackford County 4-H Fair.  Enroll animal(s) by May 15.

Exhibit a notebook about your animal.

Exhibit a poster on a topic from your manual. 

Action Display/Demonstration.

 

Health Requirements

  • No horse may be exhibited showing any symptoms of any communicable disease.
  • To unload your horse on the Blackford County 4-H Fairgrounds for a clinic or show, you must show the completed Health Form. 
  • Animals can be treated (medicated) for illness with a statement from the veterinarian.  This statement must be given to the Horse & Pony Superintendent either at check in or preferably before check in at the fair.  Animals are NOT permitted to be treated for lameness and/or unsoundness in cases related to the animal’s movement.

 

4-H Horse & Pony Show Rules:

  1. Exhibitor must enter animal to fair premises on day approved by county Fairboard.  Carefully check show time and entry/departure information. 
  2. No stallions are eligible to show except suckling colts.
  3. Mares and foals are considered as one animal.
  4. 4-H members must show their own animal.  In case of sickness or injury, the owner may have the animal shown by another 4-H member with the approval of the barn superintendent and the leader(s).
  5. All entries must be entered in appropriate classes or they will be disqualified.  Weanlings, yearlings, and two year old animals must be shown as height of dam, except if height exceeds dam.  Entry sheets must be turned in two weeks prior to the Fair.
  6. A member may only enter one horse per halter class, one horse per pleasure class.  Exceptions:  contesting class may have up to three and trail classes may have up to two.
  7. 4-H members showing in a Western Halter class may show the same animal in an English Halter Class.  This includes showmanship classes. (Superintendent is to change the show order to avoid frequent tack changes.)
  8. All exercising of animals must be in show arena or practice arena.  Failure to comply with this rule may result in loss of awards.  No animals allowed up at rides.  Horses should be kept at west end of arena.  Horses should also be kept on south side of horse trailers.  No running your horses from barn to arena.  Horses may enter at the south end of the barn only. No horses over at the bleachers during the shows or anytime.
  9. Judges decision will be final.  Any questions for the judge should be held until the end of the final show.
  10. Any exhibitor who does not have control of their animal may be excused from the show-ring by; the judge, leaders, barn superintendent.
  11. The show will be judged in accordance to the rules in the Official Handbook of the Indiana 4-H Horse and Pony Handbook.
  12. Back numbers will be assigned and must be used in all classes.  Numbers must be on exhibitors back or on both sides of saddle pads and easily seen.  Long hair or any other objects must not cover numbers.  It is the members responsibility to keep his or her number for both show days.  No new number will be issued.
  13. State Fair forms must be turned into the County Extension Office by May 15.  Any entries turned in after that date will not be accepted.
  14. Animals must be in the exhibitors possession by May 15 of the project year.  Exceptions in case of an animals death or unsoundness, a verification statement from a Veterinarian must be provided prior to the show.  The substituted animal is not eligible for State Fair entry.
  15. Members can lease their horse for more than one year.  Lease needs to be turned into the Extension Office by May 15.  Copies are available at the Extension Office.
  16. Family members (brothers and/or sisters) may share a horse if only one (1) suitable horse is available.  They cannot show in the same class.  Only one (1) of the 4-H’ers can register for State Fair.
  17. Each 4-H’er may show a maximum of three (3) horses.
  18. Safety Requirement:  All members must attend a minimum of 1 clinic with their horse annually.  (Members are encouraged to attend as many clinics as they are able to attend.)  
  19. All 4-H members are required to wear a properly fitted ASTM or SEI standard f1163 (or above) certified equestrian helmet whenever mounted, or driving, at a 4-H HORSE AND PONY EVENT, SHOW OR ACTIVITY. (THIS MEANS ALL OF THE CLINICS, AND THE WHOLE WEEK OF THE FAIR)  THIS POLICY IS IN EFFECT STARTING WITH THE 2003 PROGRAM YEAR.  ANY QUESTIONS TO THE HELMETS REFER TO THE INDIANA 4-H HORSE AND PONY HANDBOOK 1/03, OR YOUR BARN SUPERINTENDENT OR LEADER(S).  ALSO THIS YEAR ALL GAMING HORSE AND PONIES WILL BE ABLE TO BE RODE INTO THE SHOW ARENA IN A CONTROLLED MANNER (AT A WALK).  HORSES MUST BE STARTED AND STOPPED IN THE ARENA.
  20. Stalls will be assigned by the Barn Superintendent.
  21. In order to make our fair as safe as possible neck ropes and halters will now be mandatory in the horse barn.  
  22. Horses (and riders) waiting to enter the horse arena must remain west of the hitching post.  Horses are not to go east of the hitching post unless they are entering the arena.
  23. Showmanship for county fair will be the same for all species (Junior 3-8 grades, Senior 9-12 grades).  The State Fair Showmanship for Horse & Pony is Junior grades 3-7 and Senior grades 8-12.  (8th graders - please be aware of the difference if you intend to participate in the Indiana State Fair.)
  24. Ponies under 40” in height shall not be rode at 4-H events.  It is recommended that the weight of the rider does not exceed 30% of the weight of the horse.
  25. Supreme showmanship – Horse & Pony can send up to four youth to supreme showmanship.  One from Sr. Div. Western, one from Jr. Div. Western, one English senior division and one Jr. English divisions.  
  26. Measuring of the horses and ponies shall be at clinics or the day of show.  If the height of a horse or pony is questioned, the barn superintendent will see to it that the animal in question is properly measured. 
  27. During the week of the fair please see to it that your stalls are kept clean and well bedded and that your animals have plenty of water.  If you need help during the day, and can’t be there, let the barn superintendent or leaders know so we can help you out.
  28. Exhibitors are the only one allowed to ride their horse the day of the show (parents, family members or other 4-H’ers cannot ride) unless permission of the barn superintendent it given.

Related Files

Featured Stories

Purdue Extension.
4-H Calendar

The Extension Office is open Monday thru Friday 8am to 4pm.

Read More
Purdue Extension.
Mini 4-H Blackford County

Blackford County Mini 4-H is for youth in grades K - 2. It is FREE! There are no meetings! It...

Read More
Purdue Extension.
Become a Certified UAV Pilot

Become a certified UAV Pilot. Blackford County Class being offered February 9, 2021 thru February...

Read More
circut
4-H Electric Project

4-H Electric Project

Read More
Purdue Extension.
4-H Cake Decorating Project

4-H Cake Decorating Project

Read More
Purdue Extension.
4-H Sewing Project

Sewing 4-H Project

Read More
To Top