ATTENTION ALL PROJECT MEMBERS:
La Crosse County 4-H Horse Project Bylaws (Last Update April 2019)
Horse Project Handbook (Last Update October 2019)
2022 Drill Team Handbook (contact info removed)
2023-2024 Horse Project Calendar– subject to updates throughout the year – check back often for meeting dates, times and locations! (last updated 06.13.24)
Horse Project Registration Form (PDF Form) (Fillable PDF Form) – complete one form for each horse that you may exhibit at the fair and submit to the UW-Extension office by 4:30 p.m. on May 1st each year! No registration=No exhibition! You can email it here: lacrossecounty4h@lacrossecounty.org
Keep checking back to this site for more information and as always, pay attention to the monthly Cloverline newsletter.
County Fair Requirements
Education
Each member must participate in an educational event or clinic with their horse at least one week before Fair. The Project will provide various opportunities throughout the year, and information on these events will be announced in the Cloverline, at meetings and on this site. Most clinics are free and are an opportunity for members and horse(s) to learn new skills, gain confidence, and “polish up”. It is strongly encouraged that members attend Horse Camp in May as their clinic/educational event.
To get credit for attending a clinic/educational event, members must fill out the Horse Educational Clinic, Training or Workshop Form. This form must be turned in to the UW-Extension office one week prior to Fair and within 30 days of attending your event.
Remember to bring a copy of your Coggins test to any event!
*The Horse Project Handbook (above) is final law on any and all Horse Project requirements!
Safety Testing
It is a requirement that all 4-H Members that will be exhibiting a horse (their own or managerial) pass Safety Certification Level 1 and/or Level 2 with each horse they plan to exhibit. All Safety Testing will be done at the La Crosse Interstate Fairgrounds with an approved Safety Testing Leader. Please see the Handbook for a current list of approved Safety Testing Leaders and their contact information.
Volunteering
Volunteering is an essential part of the 4-H experience! All project members, leaders, parents and families are encouraged to get involved within the Horse project.
Events & Activities
Horse Camp
When: Saturday, May 18, 2024 from 8:00am – 4:00pm
Where: La Crosse Interstate Fairgrounds in West Salem.
To register, please fill out the Horse Camp Registration Form 2024 (pdf, fillable form). Registration is due to the UW-Extension office by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1st, 2024.
State Horse Leadership Conference
When: TBD
Where: UW-Oshkosh
Contact: Liv Sandberg, 608-263-4303, sandberg@ansci.wisc.edu
The annual State 4-H Horse Leadership Conference is open to 4-H Horse Project members in grades 7 and above as well as adults. The purpose of the workshop is to:
- Offer educational workshops which include both information and hands-on activity ideas for leaders to utilize when teaching youth
- Provide a forum for strengthening communications relative to the 4-H Horse and Pony Project
- Provide an opportunity for participants to network and share experiences
For more information and to register, please contact Liv Sandberg.
Horse Bowl
Do you want to learn more about horses and make friends in the La Crosse County 4-H Horse Project? We invite you to consider joining the 4-H Horse Bowl Team. Horse Bowl is an educational activity in which four-person teams compete head-to-head, with the first person to ring in given the opportunity to answer a horse-related question. Think Jeopardy! but all the questions are horse-related. Topics include horse anatomy, breed characteristics and history, equipment, training, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, etc. Membership is open to any youth in grades 3 -13 enrolled in the La Crosse County 4-H Horse Project. To join, contact Lise Graham at lisegraham@aol.com.
Horseless Horse or Horse?
According to the Wisconsin 4-H Horse Guidelines, a Horseless horse project is one in which the 4-H member has no one on one contact with a horse. They do not own, their family does not own or lease (managerial contract) a horse. They work with a currently enrolled horse project member or leader to learn about the horse (including grooming, clean up, tack, riding, etc). Horseless Horse members may only show in Horseless Horse classes. A horseless horse project member can only show the horse that they were working with; this horse can also be shown by the horse project member in horse classes. There cannot be two horseless horse members showing the same horse. Further clarification can be found on the Wisconsin 4-H Horse Association website.
