Keeping busy, keeping warm

Winter can be a challenging time in a barn.  With the cold weather and extra work, it’s hard to stay motivated.  We have been keeping busy with fun and educational activities since the fall, and have a lot to look forward to in the spring.  Our 4-H club started in November, or Saturday students have been working on a drill team, and the kids are working on a project to help monitor the weight and health of our horses.  And if that’s not enough, the students are blogging about all our activities!

Blogging the old-fashioned way!

4-H

At Spence’s Farm 4-H we learn different things about horses and riding them.  Previous topics we have been talking about include horse digestion, horse showing, and lunging.  The topics we will be discussing in the future are braiding and show grooming, introduction to Parelli, and assistant instructing.  There are about 7 people in 4-H.  Its very fun and a lot of my friends are here to do it with me. — Bridget

Drill Team

Drill team is where the horses ride side by side.  You can do different patterns, but remember, it takes a lot of time to practice.  It is fun.  There are six members.  The horses we use are Rosie, Reiny, Mexi, Pepper, August, Spring, Tonka, and Molly.  We are going to perform it on March 20, 2010. — Vera

Weight Monitoring Project

Recently in 4-H we have been working on a weight management program.  Basically, we’re each observing one specific horse and looking at their health.  One thing we look at is the horse’s weight.  We use a special weight tape that we wrap around the girth area.  We also record the horse’s diet.  One of the most important things we look at is the physical features.  Those are the horse’s coat, conformation, and their current mood or temperament.  We all are very excited to watch the progress of our horses after learning about their physical needs. — Kelly M.

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