Merit Badge Requirements
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HORSEMANSHIP
- Do the following:
- Describe the safety precautions you should take when handling and caring for 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.
- Demonstrate how to safely mount and
ride a horse and how to safely dismount a horse
after your ride.
- Name 15 parts of a horse.
- Name four leading breeds of horses. Explain the
special features for which each breed is known.
- Show how to care for a Western and English saddle
and bridle. Name10 parts of the saddle and bridle that
you will use.
- Show how to groom, pick out hooves, prepare a horse
for a ride, and care for a horse after a ride.
- Describe the symptoms of colic. Describe four other
horse health problems.
- Name three main conformation faults of the feet and
legs, and explain how to detect them. Explain the
difference between lameness and unsoundness.
- Explain how to trim and shoe a horse's foot and how
to make adjustments according to its conformation, the
season of the year, and the riding conditions.
- Demonstrate the right way to feed a horse. Explain
how you determined what and how much to feed the horse
and why the amount and kind of feed will be changed
according to activity level and the kind of horse it is.
- Show how to saddle and bridle a horse.
- On level ground, continuously do the following
movements. Do them correctly, at ease, and in harmony
with the horse:
- Mount the horse.
- Walk the horse in a straight line for 60 feet.
- Make a half circle of not more than 16 feet in radius.
- Trot or jog in a straight line for at least 60 feet.
- Make a half circle of not more than 30 feet in radius at a jog or trot.
- Halt straight.
- Back up straight four paces.
- Halt and dismount.
List of Merit Badge Requirements