WAYNESVILLE, Ohio — Several Lorain County 4-H’ers competed at the state competitive trail ride Sept. 10. The state competitive trail ride is designed for 4-H members to condition and prepare their horses for an independent, quick-paced, trail ride.
Members condition their horses for the ride for at least 30 days by keeping a conditioning log and taking temperature, pulse and respiration daily to get baseline values, then retaking pulse and respiration to prove that conditioning results in faster recovery after moderate to intense conditioning.
Members report to the Caesar’s Creek State Park the day before the ride for veterinary check, horsemanship evaluation, camp set-up and grading and a group dinner.
The day of the ride, junior riders ride approximately 12 miles in less than two hours and stop half way for a pulse and respiration check. If horses are within acceptable parameters, riders continue the ride. Each rider can attempt three obstacles for bonus points.
Senior riders ride approximately 20 miles in about four hours with an additional pulse and respiration stop. Horses are evaluated on health and recovery checks while riders are evaluated on horsemanship.
There were seven riders from Lorain County this year. Chloee Howard, freshman at Ohio State ATI, was second place in horsemanship and fourth place overall senior. Lillian Chenoweth, 9th grade, Firelands, was second place in horsemanship, second place in conditioning and first place overall junior.
Callie Finnegan, 9th grade, Firelands, was first place in horsemanship and second place overall junior. Julia Finnegan, 5th grade, Firelands, was an exhibition rider due to not being old enough. Macy Paller, 8th grade, Firelands, took third place in horsemanship and 16th place overall junior.
Ayden Schaefer, 8th grade, Firelands, was 11th place overall junior. Jordyn Simpson, 9th grade, Firelands, was 22nd place overall junior.
