Horse Cloverbud Policy and Guidelines

Mission

To provide safe, fun, hands-on, developmentally appropriate learning opportunities for youth 4-H ages 5 to 7 years using horses.

This educational program for 4-H age 5 to 7 year olds (as of January 1st) will focus on participation and cooperative learning in informal settings.

Additionally, this program will provide a vital opportunity to recruit and retain local youth at younger ages.

Curriculum

Member Books

Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Cloverbuds Member book A has been developed and distributed to counties. There will be two additional books that will be used on a three year rotation, with all Cloverbuds in a club participating in the same book throughout the year.

The Cloverbud curriculum has been designed to teach basic horse safety, science and management skills at the educational level of youth ages 5 to 7. This curriculum will also serve as the required Quality Animal Management training for Cloverbud members, making them exempt from the Quality Animal Management training and test for traditional members.

Extension Educator and Leader Resources

General cloverbud resources and horse specific resources and activities.

4-H Paperwork and Program Fees

4-H Horse Cloverbud members are considered part of the Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Program.

In addition to completing the 4-H Cloverbud member enrollment requirements and fees, they are also required to complete the PA 4-H Horse Program Member Acknowledgement of Risk form and submit the annual PA 4-H Horse Program Fee.

All animals used in the 4-H Horse Cloverbud Program must meet the PA 4-H horse health requirements.

Please contact your local extension office for complete details on member and horse enrollment.

Participation in 4-H Activities

It is important that high authorized adult or parent-to-youth ratios be in effect for all Cloverbud activities. The recommended ratio is one authorized adult for every six children, (with the understanding that Policy AD-39 mandates of a minimum of two authorized adults at all times).

All hands-on activities involving horses will require a one Cloverbud-to-one parent, guardian, or authorized adult ratio.

At the Local Level, Cloverbuds may participate in authorized 4-H activities such as meetings, workshops, age-appropriate community service activities, recreational activities, and tours.

At the County Level, Cloverbuds may participate in age-appropriate, noncompetitive activities.

Please note: Cantering/loping and driving is not appropriate for Cloverbud members and is not permitted at any level.

Examples of Appropriate Cloverbud Equine-Related Club Activities:

Age and developmentally appropriate activities and topics can be explored through these and other similar interactive experiences:

• Learning basic horse safety rules
• Identifying horse breeds and parts of the horse
• Recognizing differences between animals
• Constructing the ideal animal
• Selecting and identifying tack and equipment
• Observing animal behavior
• Learning equine terminology and lingo
• Determining an animal's age
• Exploring a veterinary clinic
• Grooming an animal
• Exploring what horses eat
• Touring a feed store
• Visiting a stable
• Giving a short presentation
• Keeping a scrapbook
• Learning animal photography

If 4-H Cloverbuds are to have direct contact with a horse or pony at a 4-H activity, the contact must take place with one-on-one assistance from a parent, guardian, or authorized adult. The parent, guardian, or authorized adult must be with the Cloverbud at all times while the child is in contact with the animal.

Cloverbuds must wear ASTM/SEI- approved helmets throughout all 4-H hands-on horse experiences, whether mounted or on the ground.

Cloverbuds and Competition

4-H Cloverbud events and activities will not be designed or structured as peer competition (where one individual or group is declared a winner or receives 1st place). Examples of competitive events/activities not appropriate for Cloverbuds include judging contests, competitive exhibits, and shows. However, Cloverbuds are encouraged to participate in club recreational activities and informal games (such as club kickball, volleyball, etc.).

4-H Exhibitions

Cloverbuds may be given the opportunity to participate in "Exhibition Only" activities with horses. If Cloverbuds choose to participate in an "Exhibition Only" activity, the youth should be asked to demonstrate their skills but may not be ranked or placed. All youth should receive the same ribbon or award and should receive positive feedback from the judge or authorized adult.

Safety Guidelines

Introduction

The Horse Cloverbud Program will not be a mandatory statewide offering. Extension staff and volunteers in each county must decide if they have the resources to support a 4-H Horse Cloverbud Program. It is important to note that safety is both the primary concern and focus of the 4-H Horse Cloverbud Program.

Club Level Guidelines

Supervision in Club Settings

The Pennsylvania State University requires a minimum of two authorized adults to be present at all 4-H events and activities. A one-to-one ratio between youth and parent/guardian or authorized adult is required throughout all hands-on experiences involving horses or ponies.

Safety Equipment

Cloverbuds must wear ASTM/SEI- approved helmets designed for equestrian activity and appropriate clothing and footwear for all 4-H experiences involving horses or ponies. For mounted activities, youth must wear long pants and sturdy boots or shoes that have a definite heel as viewed from the side. For unmounted activities (simple ground handling, grooming, etc.), youth must wear sturdy shoes or boots with closed toes. Cloverbud youth are required to wear helmets at all times around horses or ponies, whether mounted or on the ground.

Introduction to Horses

The 4-H Cloverbuds Horse Program is intended for two audiences: youth who already have access to horses or ponies and are already learning horsemanship skills in non-4-H settings, as well as youth who have no prior horse experience. While youth will be required to pass a Horse Cloverbud Evaluation prior to participating in mounted "Exhibition Only" events or county mounted activities, it is

important that inexperienced Cloverbud youth have the opportunity to practice and master simple, safe horse handling, grooming, and basic riding skills (if available) in a club setting. For this reason, Cloverbuds will not be required to pass a skills evaluation prior to participating in educational activities involving horses or ponies at club meetings.

When engaging inexperienced Cloverbuds to a hands-on horse experience, the following guidelines are to be observed:

• Animals utilized in Cloverbud activities should be quiet, experienced, and well-trained and must meet current 4-H and PDA horse health requirements.
• Utilize a safe facility or area in which the animal(s) can be safely tied, led, handled, and (if riding activity is planned) ridden. For more information on selecting safe facilities, see the PA 4-H Horse Safety Standards & Checklist.
• Review safety rules prior to allowing youth to work around the animal(s).
• Maintain a one-to-one adult-to-youth ratio throughout activities with animals. If Cloverbuds' parents or guardians do not have experience with horses, a knowledgeable authorized adult (in lieu of a parent) should partner with each Cloverbud.
• The Cloverbud program may provide some hands-on horse experiences; however, it is important to note that the Cloverbud Program is not professional riding instruction. Cloverbud clubs are encouraged to provide a safe introduction to horses for inexperienced youth. A first mounted experience for novice youth should be similar to a pony ride experience, following all safety guidelines for pony rides detailed in the PA 4-H Policy Manual. Only safe, appropriate, quiet animals with safe, properly-fitted tack and equipment should be used for Cloverbud mounted activities.

Riding in Club Settings

Cloverbuds are only permitted to ride at a walk or trot/jog. They may participate on or off lead, although it is important to note that a parent/guardian/authorized adult must accompany with each Cloverbud (walking beside his/her mount) throughout all riding activities.

All mounted activities involving Cloverbuds must be conducted in a controlled environment in order to ensure the safety of participating youth.

• Cloverbuds must ride in a fenced, designated riding area.
• Older 4-H members and adult riders are not permitted to ride in the area while Cloverbuds are riding.
• The area should be selected with the goal of minimizing distractions that might frighten horses (such as traffic, carnival rides, or other noisy or distracting elements).
• The size of the area should be small enough that the adults working with the youth can assist the youth quickly, but large enough that more than one horse/rider and handlers can work safely away from each other.

County Level Guidelines

Prior to Riding at a County Activity

Before a Cloverbud is permitted to participate in a riding or ground handling experience at a county 4-H activity, the Cloverbud must successfully complete a Horse Cloverbud Evaluation.

The Horse Cloverbud Evaluation is designed to determine the readiness of the child to handle and ride a horse in a group setting. Ensuring that participating youth have mastered the simple skills contained in the evaluation will help minimize the potential risk to Cloverbuds in the program. Examples of skills evaluated are: safely leading, grooming, and moving around a horse, as well as basic safe walk-trot riding skills.

The Horse Cloverbud Evaluation will be conducted by a team consisting of 3 knowledgeable adults, including at least one approved Level 1 & 2 Horsemanship Skills Examiner plus two adults with suitable horse and riding experience to perform the evaluation, which may include 4-H volunteers, instructors or county educator. (No child may be evaluated by his/her own parent or guardian.) Cloverbud evaluation forms should be signed, dated, and submitted to the county Extension office.

*Note that a parent or second authorized adult must be present during the evaluation in order to comply with AD-39.

Horse Cloverbud Evaluation

Lead Line

• The youth is mounted and led by a handler, who is 18 years of age or older and has horse related experience.
• Youth must be capable of holding the reins in their hands.
• Youth will not be asked to back their horse.
• Youth may participate in the exhibition level in the Cloverbud Lead Line Division.

Walk/Trot or Walk/Jog with handler or with supervision

• Youth is mounted and able to ride safely in walk/trot or walk/jog situations, with or without a handler.
• Youth is not expected to know their diagonals
• Youth will not be asked to back their horse.
• Youth must be able to control their horse in a group setting.
• Youth may participate in the exhibition level in the Cloverbud Walk/Trot or Walk/Jog Division.

Exhibition Procedure

Horse shows or competitions give youth the opportunity to display the skills that they have learned, receive feedback from trained judges, and enjoy equestrian activities with their age peers and adult mentors. However, competition is not developmentally appropriate for Cloverbud-aged youth. For these reasons, Cloverbuds should be given the opportunity to participate in "Exhibition Only" activities with horses. If Cloverbuds choose to participate in an "Exhibition Only" activity, the youth should be asked to demonstrate their skills but may not be ranked or placed. All youth should receive the same ribbon or award and should receive positive feedback from the judge or authorized adult.

If Cloverbuds are riding in an "Exhibition Only" activity in which one or more horse/rider combinations will be in the arena, the following rules will apply:

• No other riders other than Cloverbud riders are permitted in the ring.
• No more than 10 Cloverbud riders should be in the ring at one time.
• At least 4 knowledgeable spotters should be strategically placed in the ring with easy access to the youth.
• If the arena is large, it is to be split into a smaller area for the Cloverbud activity. A series of barrels, ground poles, or cones should be used to divide the ring and visibly designate the smaller, "contained" area in which the Cloverbud mounted activity will take place.

In some cases, independent, non-4-H organizations (fair boards, youth horse associations, or other entities) may offer activities for youth ages 5 to 7 that are not consistent with PA 4-H Horse Cloverbud Policies. Cloverbud youth and their families may choose to participate in these activities outside of their involvement in the Cloverbud program, but these activities are not considered to be Pennsylvania State University 4-H Youth Development activities.

References

Smith, Shelia, 4-H Cloverbud Program Policy Information, East Landing, MI: Michigan State University Extension - Michigan 4-H Youth Development, February 2005.

Griffiths, Jean T, New York State 4-H Horse Program Cloverbud Procedure, Ithaca, NY: Cornell Cooperative Extension, March 2013