Driving Horse

[Diana]

For any of you that don't know me, I live in NH and have been a 4-H leader for 28 years. Starting with big horses and 4-H and them moved on to help start a miniature horse 4-H club called Tiny Trotters and then broke away from that club and started another club called Minis Too!. In NH we hold what is called a county show which the kids quailify in horse knowledge, judging, and their riding or driving ability. Each county has a certain number of kids that can move on to the state show and quailfy for the 4-H show at Eastern State Expo. This is a big show for some of these kids which would probably never attend a mini rated show.

One of my 4-H members took it upon herself last July to try and get the driving horse in the 4-H program at Eastern States Expo. She worked very hard in trying to contact the other New England states to get figure of driving horse with little response. Well, the Eastern State Committee that she send an email to did give her a response and invited her to do a 10 presentation to them as to why driving should be included. She did a great job and was very succussful in do this. The committe has given them 2 driving classes along with a fit and show class on a 3 year trial. We need to show them that we have at least 6 driving horses for them to keep this going after 3 years. We are going to try our darnest.

So if any of you New England people on here know of any 4-H clubs in your area that have or could have driving horses put the bug in their ear. I think that this is another great promotional opportunity for the Miniatue Horse world. I alone have 12 kids and all have miniature driving horses, but not all can move on to the Eastern States level as they have to be at least 12 to do so. I only have 3 kids that are 12 and older but lots of them coming up in about 2 years.

Sorry that this is so long but I's hard to say it all in less.

 

[NyborFarm]

This is so exciting! As a member of that 4H club, I can say its been a long hard road. Just too bad it came late for some of us, but its a huge step for the future of 4H and driving with miniature horses.

~Megan

 

[Katiean]

I wish we had something like that out west here. My niece loves to drive and wants to go into 4H. They have NO driving classes. All she could show in here is halter and showmanship and her horse is not a halter horse. She is a driving horse. We are starting to do arena work this month and she needs to be able to show so she can gain experience and can't even do that in the local shows. They think a horse has to be ridden.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

So change that, Katiean!

: My local 4-H had only minimal driving classes and only at the county fair when I was showing but now they have quite a few at the regular Leader's Shows as well as the fair. And why? Because people got together the entries and requested them, just like Diane's junior did. It doesn't always work but at least you'll know you tried and the experience will be valuable for your niece. Meanwhile can you find a local carriage driving club and let her drive with them? That's always fun.

Diane, tell your enterprising youth that she did a great job! I hope you get the entries you need.

Leia

 

[shoeboxstables]

So cool! As a 7+ yr member of 4H, I only just started driving my mare at the state show this summer! In the northern part of NJ- we have like NO 4H drivers, big or little, but there are a lot in the southern part of the state. I really have never heard of the Eastern State Expo though, I don't think our state does it...? We just have the state championship show... then nothing after it

Could we get involved? When is it? Where is it?

I would LOVE something like this!

-of course next year is my last year in 4H!!!!

scary!!!

 

[Diana]

Shoeboxstables, We would love to have you compete with us but unfortunately you are not in the 6 New England states which are held at Eastern States Expo. They are ME, NH, VT, MA, Ct, & RI. Sorry.

 

[dreamlandnh]

As a past 4H'er of Big horses this is great. I am one of the leaders with Diana here in NH. It is so nice to know that they are taking the drivers of mini's and large horses as an almost equal to their riding counter parts.

I'm hoping that my daughter (Diana's granddaughter) will be able to follow in my footsteps and some day be on the NH State team at Eastern States.

Our member that worked on this did a great job and opened doors up for many of her younger members. Way to go!!!

 

[wildoak]

When my daughter was involved in 4H - first with big horses - there were very few minis around. We brought some, and added classes to the local 4H shows but nothing was offered at the district level then. The problem I see with driving classes at the show arenas is the difference in the dirt that is required to ride in versus what's necessary for a mini to drive in. The 4H club here now has quite a few mini classes, but the dirt is so deep and clumpy that you'd be hard put to drive anything in it.

Jan

 

[stormy]

We are forunate here as Michigan is very supportive of the Miniature Horse 4H program. We have our own ring at the State 4H horse show with driving and in hand classes. In 2008 we will have our first TEAM driving class! Also the state is putting together bulletins for the kids to use that will be available to all on a web site. Very exciting group to work with! And really it all started with just a couple of people working very hard to get the mini recognized.

 

[Diana]

Stormy, I would love to get a link to that site to be able to use the bulletins also.