4-H Western Horse Showmanship

Horse showmanship is an in-hand class which demonstrate the ground manners of a horse. This video shows judge's comments after the Elementary Division of the 4-H Horse Western Showmanship held at the 2008 Lancaster County Fair. The grand champion performs the pattern as the judge discusses the pattern, talks about the details, and what we need to be striving for in showmanship. The judge states the winner "...went the extra degree of difficulty to show me her horse to the best of its ability."

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• 4-H
• Four-H
• Extension
• County
• Fair
• University
• Nebraska
• Lincoln
• Lancaster
• Horse
• Showmanship

[cciliakiehl1]

why are there what looks like little chains on the halters on the horses ? just wondering

[4HLancasterNE]

@cciliakiehl1 The lead used in showmanship has a chain at the end of it. A show lead is attached through the halter ring beside the nose on the left side of the horse's head, it runs under the chin, back up through the ring on the right side of the halter and then hooks to the halter ring up by the ear. This provides more control than if you hook a lead only to the ring underneath. In a showmanship class you lead holding the actual lead...you are not to place your hand on the chain.

[horsechick4477]

I love showmanship! Does everyone wear the same outfit? In ohio everyone has their own showmanship outfit, usually with a lot of color and sparkle. showmanship looks a lot different in Nebraska.

[4HLancasterNE]

@horsechick4477 In Nebraska, official 4-H attire at a western horse show is a white shirt, dark blue jeans, belt, boots, tie, 4-H armband and hat. We do this for many reasons. One being that this is a relatively inexpensive "show outfit" and allows 4-Hers a more equal opportunity to be in the show ring as some families can't afford the expensive outfits. We do have "open" 4-H shows where official dress is not required and the 4-Hers bring on the bling!

[The4hcowgirl]

do most people not do the 1-2-3 look back?

[4HLancasterNE]

We still encourage the 1-2-3 look back but often kids forget to do it! In recent years the judge's positioning during the pattern has changed. Judges used to stand at the beginning of the pattern....and the look back when you were done was very important. Over the years, the patterns have become more complex as the horses and kids have improved. Now the judge stands at the end of the pattern and dismisses at the very end of the pattern so the look back is not stressed as much.

[lopenslowgeiger]

Everyone has to realize that this is 4-H. There will be varying degrees of ability when compared to a breed show or to the Quarter Horse Congress. The actual rules for judging are vague and becoming more and more subjective. You can go to a multi-judged show and have completely different results under each judge. Dealing with that on top of the political aspect of being judged is becoming increasingly frustrating. I feel like no one is willing to admit there is a huge problem in equine judging!

[thedoublepurplepanda]

Man when I went to horse fair they never had time for this they just had to go and move on

[penguinsah]

im showing in this in malone!

[xXsourXpatchXkidzXx]

my first show is in two days, have any tips?

[cciliakiehl1]

@4HLancasterNE Thanks !

[MsDonkeyWhisperer]

i show in shomanship but with a miniature donkey

[bellaxedward132]

omg i was there!!!!

[Champion200411]

@horsechick4477 Woww yeah! I live in ohio too and like EVERYONE has sparkling shirts and whatnot. (: