4-H Miniature Horse Program Survey

[RescueMini]

Since the new 4-H year is starting up in MN and I am the youth co-chair for the MN 4-H Mini Horse Project, I have been assigned the task to see how other states run their 4-H miniature horse program if they have one. I remember reading about other 4-H miniature horse projects across the county on here, and was wondering if anyone would be willing to give me a little more information.

If you would be able to answer these questions and possibly add some of your own, that would be amazing.

What state are you in?

How many kids are in the project?

How do you run your shows? Clinics? Meetings?

How are the kids divided in classes?

Do you have monthly meetings?

Is your project in just one county or is it state wide?

If it is state wide, do you divide it into regions?

What classes do you provide?

Can a youth show more than one horse?

What is the criteria for showing a horse?

If you offer driving, how do you regulate it? Do you have safety checks?

Are the horses required to be registered?

What is your height requirement?

Do you measure horses at the beginning of each year or before each show/event?

What do you do about youth who come with a horse that is actually too tall?

Anything else?

Thanks again, and I am open to all ideas as I really want to see this project grow. We already have increased from 15 participants in a clinic to close to 80 two years later with interest still increasing.

Looking forward to see what other states have for their 4-H!

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

I'd be very interested in this information as well. I have been hornswaggled, <g> I mean invited, to be a 4-H leader for Miniature Horses as well. I live in Tucson (Pima County) and there are about half a dozen kids that want to learn about minis. Since none of them have their own minis I'm willing to let them 'rent' or 'lease' a mini during the 4-H season... I just need to know how much to throw at them... I have no idea how much a 10-18 year old can absorb... It's been a very long time since my kids were that young. <g>

Kari Masoner

Magic Marker Minis

Tucson, AZ

 

[targetsmom]

Great idea for a survey and I will answer the questions when I have time, probably after the horse show on Sunday where we are taking 6 of our Little Hooves 4-H members and 3 of our minis, most of whom have never shown before.

There is a great article about 4-H and minis in the current issue of Massachusetts Horse available at http://www.mahorse.com. If you don't see a cover with a mini on the front in the upper right corner, try a different web browser. Article starts on page 8.

Also, check our farm website (link in my signature below) for lots of photos of our activities and copies of all the program info we have covered in our few months of existence. Rules vary by state, but I will be happy to help anyone if I can.

Another link: The New England Miniature Horse Society which started offering 4-H classes last year, which were very popular.

http://www.nemhs.org

Edited to try to answer questions:

What state are you in? CT

How many kids are in the project? I run just one club (in one county) in the state and there are others in the state. I don't think they distinguish size of equines, but do sometimes distinguish donkeys & mules from other equines. Our CLUB has 9 members; they recommend starting with 5-8 members.

How do you run your shows? Clinics? Meetings? I only run meetings, which we have twice a month and usually have a business meeting, a program (see website) and then time to practice with the minis.

How are the kids divided in classes? For our MEETINGS and leases, we divide by age/ability into Novice (7-9 year olds and special needs) and Juniors (10 -12 year olds); We have no seniors at this time. When I say divided for leases, we have up to 2 kids share a mini if they are in different divisions so that when we do activities, we split them up this way too.

Do you have monthly meetings? 2X/month, PLUS Open Barn days for them to participate in the care of their leased minis.

Is your project in just one county or is it state wide? There are other mini clubs in the state plus any equine club - or actually any 4-H Club - could have members with a mini for a project. One of our members also had a riding horse for a project past year.

If it is state wide, do you divide it into regions? 4-H usually goes by county, even in a state like CT which abolished county government years ago! Our County Fair had an Equine Show this year as well as a combined horse show with another county.

What classes do you provide? The "official state list" for minis includes halter obstacle, in-hand jumping, and disciplined rail and of course Showmanship (not mini specific)

Can a youth show more than one horse? Youth can have more than one horse for a project, which determines what they can show.

What is the criteria for showing a horse? To show in the fair they have to submit a Verification Form months in advance for each animal they intend to show.

If you offer driving, how do you regulate it? Do you have safety checks? Not yet...

Are the horses required to be registered? Not in any shows I am aware of

What is your height requirement? Usually 38"

Do you measure horses at the beginning of each year or before each show/event? Height is required on the Verification Form I think, but is certainly required in the record books that are a critical part of the 4-H experience. They must enter their record book (signed by the leader) in order to enter the 4-H Fair Horse or Equine Show..

What do you do about youth who come with a horse that is actually too tall? It is still an equine....so can still be a 4-H equine project; Each show would have to have their own height requirements.

Now, I would like to add a question:

Does your 4-H Club do a Community Service Project? In CT, each Club is supposed to do one a year and last year we took 2 of the minis to a local nursing home. We are looking for more ideas, although that went really well.

 

[mdegner]

Atta girl.....you will have to flip up some pics from the regional show in Hutchinson.....

 

[stormy]

We do have a state wide Miniature 4H program in Michigan with a seperate division at the state show just for them. I do not have a club personally but am on the state show commity...classes are divided into A and B size and by age. We follow 4H rules but where so 4H rules apply use the AMHR rule book.