New Haven--Twenty-two local youths and adults, including 13 4-H’ers, participated in the 2023 Addison County 4-H Horse Clinic, held June 2-4 at the Addison County Fair and Field Days grounds in New Haven.
4-H members who attended were Caroline and Thomas Allen, Scarlett Giroux, Natalie Jackman, Marianna Webb and Addie and Chesni Zimerman, all from Vergennes; Laci Almedia, Aliyah Bradford and Chace Petrin, all from Addison; Tessa Buskey, North Ferrisburgh; and Sophia Welch and Alexis Whipple, both from Bridport.
The weekend kicked off with a Friday night welcome gathering and ice cream social sponsored by the Addison County 4-H Foundation. The following morning, participants with horses had their first riding lesson.
Instructors were Stepheni Newton, Middlebury, for beginner and novice riders and Sara Giard, New Haven, for the senior-level riders. Youths without horses created hobby horses from pool noodles with the help of Katherine Whipple, Bridport.
The clinic also featured several educational workshops. Dr. Emily Buskey, Bridport, presented a session on horse nutrition and body scoring. Melanie Harrions, also from Bridport, and Anna Willenbaker, Addison, discussed equine body language while participants learned about helmet safety and fitting from Sara Giard.
Cassie Kennett, Vergennes, put together a stall safety demonstration where the youths were asked to list the items that should not be in the stall area because they pose a hazard to a horse. Riding lessons resumed later in the afternoon, followed by an evening potluck dinner and costume class featuring many creative costumes and cooperative horses.
The final day of the clinic began with a tack cleaning demonstration by Sara Giard. The mounted riders participated in games on horseback and an exercise where they maneuvered their horses around trail obstacles.
The clinic was organized by Martha Seifert, University of Vermont Extension 4-H educator for Addison County. To learn more about the county 4-H horse program, contact her at martha.seifert@uvm.edu or (802) 656-7547.