MSU Extension 4-H Horses & Ponies

From Cloverbuds to senior 4-H’ers, the Michigan 4-H Hippology contest is open to any 4-H members in Michigan. One of the most exciting things about this contest is that youth don’t need a horse to participate in Hippology, they just need to have a willingness to learn and be interested in equids. Hosted by Michigan State University Extension, this academic contest is open to any 4-H with an open mind and interest in horses!

Held on March 15, the 2025 contest saw a significant increase in participation.  Participant numbers from five years ago were surpassed by 20, with 92 youth competing in the contest this year. Seeing this growth emphasizes the importance of the horse and pony program and its impact on 4-H youth. For 2025, the contest focused on a few key areas: equine health, reproduction and nutrition. Youth participants study from a variety of sources that are shared earlier in the year, giving them time to learn about and understand horses.

This year, the senior team from Washtenaw County brought the champion title back to the county again for a second year in a row, earing the highest score among the seven senior teams. Annually, the champion senior division team represents Michigan 4-H at one of three national contests held in the fall. This year, the Washtenaw team will have their choice to attend Eastern National 4-H Roundup, All-American Quarter Horse Congress or the Arabian and Half-Arabian Horse Nation. The second and third place senior teams will then have the opportunity to attend the two experiences not selected by Washtenaw 4-H.

Other results from the 2025 Michigan 4-H Hippology contest include:

• Senior 4-H Division
  • Second place overall team: Mecosta County 4-H
  • Third place overall team: Grand Traverse County 4-H
• Junior 4-H Division
  • First place overall team: Macomb County 4-H
  • Second place overall team: Washtenaw County 4-H
  • Third place overall team: Joseph County 4-H

There is a place for anyone at the state Hippology contest! Washtenaw County Coach Angela O. commented that she loves the contest and how it doesn't require youth to have horses, just have a passion and willingness to learn about them. During the contest, each participant competes as an individual, answering questions alone. Individual scores are then combined for an overall team score. If youth are not a part of a team, they can still participate and compete for awards. In addition, there are novice divisions for both junior and senior age 4-H youth, allowing those who are competing for their first time to compete against other first-time competitors.

Congratulations to all the youth who competed in the 2025 Michigan 4-H Hippology contest and best of luck to the top three senior 4-H teams as they prepare for their national contests this fall!

Interested in forming a Hippology team or joining one? Reach out to your local county MSU Extension office to find out how to get involved!