Donating to the 4-H Horse Program

Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Program Endowment

For the future...

The Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Program helps young people become responsible adults and self-directed, productive, and contributing members of a diverse society. Youth develop life skills through involvement with horses, educational programs, and club activities. The program serves youth and the equine industry by engaging thousands of 4-H horse members, families, volunteers, and professionals in active programs conducted throughout the state. The Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Program Endowment will provide funds for maintaining, strengthening, and developing programs of excellence. In addition, this endowment will support volunteer leadership and professional development and provide supporting resources at the county, regional, and state levels.

Vision

The vision of the Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Program is to provide the benefits of the human-horse experience to youth from diverse backgrounds and engage youth in meaningful experiences that will have positive, lifelong impacts. We strive to help youth develop their potential and acquire skills and knowledge to become caring and contributing citizens. We seek to prepare youth to become future leaders and participants in the equine industry or their chosen profession. We believe that most youth will become active adult volunteers who will continue to share the benefits of 4-H and horse activities with future generations. We strive to develop educated equine owners and professionals who will maintain and grow the equine industry. These future leaders will maintain a connection with agriculture, support the agricultural economy, help preserve horse activities, and positively contribute to the quality of life in Pennsylvania and beyond.

Program Overview

The 4-H Horse Program promotes youth life-skill development; knowledge of horsemanship; and responsible, ethical, equine use, care, and management. The program involves performance, production, recreational, and other horse projects. Activities include clinics, camps, horse shows, horsemanship skills, safety, therapeutic riding, horse judging, hippology, horse bowl, communications, leadership, and more. All youth—including those from rural, urban, and suburban areas; youth at risk; and youth with special needs—are embraced within the program and challenged to succeed. Volunteers, extension, and industry professionals cooperate to meet the common objectives of youth development and education. The horse is an effective tool to engage youth to accomplish goals and become responsible adults.

Goals and Use of Endowment Funds

Additional resources are needed to maintain excellence, meet planned objectives, and adapt to changing needs and technology. Strategies for meeting goals are outlined in the program strategic plan. For additional information and to review the strategic plan, please visit the 4-H Horse Program Web site at www.das.psu.edu (4-H Programs, Horses). Check the Web site periodically for updated information. For questions or to obtain information about local 4-H horse programs, please contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension office in your county (extension.psu.edu/extmap.html). For more information about making a gift to the Pennsylvania 4-H Horse Program Endowment, please contact the College of Agricultural Sciences Development Office at 814-863-1373.