Horsemanship Merit Badge
HORSEMANSHIP
- Do the following:
- Describe the safety precautions you should take when handling and caring for a horse.
- Describe the fire safety precautions you should take in a barn and around horses.
- Name the 15 main parts of a horse.
- Name four leading breeds of horses. Explain the special features for which each breed is known.
- Describe the symptoms of colic. Name and describe four other horse health problems.
- Explain what conformation is and why it is important. Explain the difference between lameness and unsoundness.
- Explain the importance of hoof care and why a horse might need to wear shoes.
- Demonstrate how to groom a horse, including picking hooves and caring for a horse after a ride.
- Explain how to determine what and how much to feed a horse and why the amount and kind of feed are changed according to the activity level and the breed of horse.
- Do the following:
- Name 10 parts of the saddle and bridle that you will use, and explain how to care for this equipment.
- Show how to properly saddle and bridle a horse.
- Demonstrate how to safely mount and dismount a horse.
- Explain and demonstrate how to approach and lead a horse safely from a stall, corral, or field and how to tie the horse securely.
- On level ground, continuously do the following movements after safely mounting the horse. Do them correctly, at ease, and in harmony with the horse.
- Walk the horse in a straight line for 60 feet.
- Walk the horse in a half-circle of not more than 16 feet in radius.
- Trot or jog the horse in a straight line for 60 feet.
- Trot or jog the horse in a half-circle of not more than 30 feet in radius.
- Lope (canter) the horse in a straight line for at least 60 feet.
- Lope (canter) the horse in a half-circle not more than 30 feet in radius.
- Halt straight.
- Back up straight four paces.
- Halt and dismount.