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Carbon County

Building Opportunities in 4-H Project Areas

Published: 2019
By Nikki Bailey
In 2019, great strides were made to provide more hands-on education to 4-H members enrolled in the 4-H Dog program and the 4-H Horse program. Starting in the fall, a new kick-off event called the 4-H Horse Spooktacular was organized for horse members. This event was a great way for horse members to meet and learn new things about their horses in a safe, controlled environment. At the annual 4-H Horse Camp, members learned about different equine disciplines and were able to try working cattle, jumping-in-hand and equitation. Students also learned about the equine digestive tract by creating replicas. Through these efforts, 4-H members built on their current equestrian skills, tried new disciplines and experienced the science of horses. The 4-H Dog Program also expanded knowledge this year in Carbon County. Through collaborating with local experts, dog obedience, showmanship, agility, and rally workshops were scheduled twice a month during the 4-H year. At these practices, 4-H members learned how to work with their dogs and adopted new training techniques. Members tried their hand at agility, dock diving and barn hunt, which were new, fun experiences for many dogs and youth handlers. After attending these educational events, both dog and horse 4-H members reported they built connections with other youth who share similar interests, expressed interest in applying the knowledge they gained to school projects, and began to think about the future and possible animal science careers.